The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-09-13
BIGOTRY In THE CHURCHES.
SOME PLAIN TRUTHS.
Christians Called to Account for Un'
christian Conduct.


now shibboletb, and he said, sibbolctb, for
he could not frame TO pronounce II right
Then they took him and slew him at the pas
sages OF Jordan. Judges Kill. 6.
Do you notice the difference OF pronuncia-
tiou between shibboleth and sibboleth2 A
very small and unimportant difference, you
eay. And yet that difference was tho differ
ence between life and death for n groat many
people. The Lords people. Gilead and
Ephraim, got into n great fight. and Eph-
rain was worsted. and on the retreat came
30 tho fords ofthe river Jordan 10 cross. Or
der was given that all Ephraimites coming
there be slain. But how could Il be found
ont who were Ephraimites7 They were dc.
tected by their pronunciation. Shibboleth
was n word that stood for river.
The Ephraimites had brogus OF their
own, and when they tried TO say "shib-
bocth" always loft out the sound OF tho
o. When II was asked that they say shib-
boleth, they said sibboleth and were slain.
"Then said they unto him. say now shib-
boleth, and he said sibboleth. for no could
not frame to pronounce II right. Then they
took him and slew him mt the passages OF
Jordan" A very small difference, you say.
between Gilead and EpIraim, and yet how
much intolerance about that small differ
ercel The Lords tribes in our time-by
which | mean the different denominations
OF Christians magnify very
small difference, and the only difference be-
difference between shIbboleth and sibbolcth.
The chufth OF God il divided into a great
number OF denominations. Time would iail
me TO tell OF the Calvinists. and the Armini-
ans, and the Sabbatarians, and the Baxteri-
ans, and the Dunkers, and the Shakers, and
the Quakers, and the Methodists, and the
Baptists, and the Episcopalians, and the
Lutherans, and the Congregationalists, and
the Presbyterians, and the Spiritualists, and
score of other denominations OF religion
lists, some OF them founded by very good
men, some OF them founded by very ego
tistlc men, some OF them founded by very bad
men. But ms demand for myself liberty OF
conscience must give that same liberty to
every other man, remembering that he no
more differs from me than differ from him.
advocate the largest liberty in all religious
belief and form OF worship. In art, in poll
tics, in morals and in religion let there be-
no gag law, no moving OF the previous ques-
tion no persecution, no intolerance.
You know that the air and the water keep
pure 10y constant circulation and think
there Is tendency in religious discussion
TO publication and moral health Between
The fourth and the sixteenth centuries tho
church proposed to make people think
Alright by prohibiting discussion, and by
strong censorship OF the press and rack and
gibbet and hot lead down the throat tried TO
make people orthodox, but ii was discovered
that you cannot change mans belief by
differently by putting an iawl through his
eyes There is something in a mans con-
science which will hurl or the mountain
that you threw upon II. and, unsinged OF tho
dre, out OF the flame will make red wings
on which the martyr will mount TO glory
In that time Of which speak, between the
fourth and sixteenth centuries people went
from the house OF God into the most an.
palling iniquity, and right along by con-
secrated affairs there were tides OF drunken
cess and licentiousness such as the world
never heard OF, and the very sewers OF per-
hltion broke loose and flooded the church.
After ayhii6 the printing press was freed,
and It broke the shackles OF the human
snind. Then tbe.e came q large number OF
bad books, and where there was one man
hostile to the Christian religion there were
twenty men r,ady to advocate IL, so I
pave not any nervousness In regard to this
battle going on between truth and error.
Inc truth will conquer just as certainly as
That God Is stronger than the devil. Let
error run ifyou only let truth run along with
4. Urged on by skeptic's shout and tran
,cendentalist's spur, let it run. Gods angels
oi wrath are In hot pursuit, and quickerthan
Eagles beak clutches out n hawks heart
God's vengeance will tear Il to pieces
propose TO speak to you of sectarianism
Its origin, its evils and its cures. There
are those who would make us think that
this monster with horns and hoofs, is re-
and drag 1t out of the caverns of darkness
and rip of its hide. But want TO make u
distinction between bigotry and the lawful
tondness for peculiar religious beliefs and
'orms OF worship. have 40 admiration for
anothingarian.
In a world of such tremendous vlcssitude
and temptation and with IA soul that must
after awhile stand before n throne OF in
su1erable brightness, in a day when tho
rocking of the mountains and the flaming OF
the heavens and tho upheaval OF the seas
shall be among the least OF the excitements.
to give account for every thought, word,
action, preference and dislike, thar man is
mad who has no religious preference. But
our carly education, our physical tempera-
ment, our mental constitution, will very
much decide our form of worship.
style of psalmody that may please mo
may displease you. Some would like to have
minister In gown and bands and surplice,
and others prefer to have minister In plain
citizens apparel. Some are most impressed
when little child is presented at tho altar
ana sprinkied OF the waters or noly pene-
diction sin the name OF the Father, and OF
tho Son, and OF the Holy Ghost" and others
are more impressed when the penitent comes
up out OF the river, his garments dripping
with tho waters OF a baptism which signifies
the washing away OF sin. Let either have
his own way. One man likes no noise in
prayer, not word, not a whisper. Another
Just IN bobut ptNA'iH "
and exclamation TO express his devotional
aspirations. ono Is JUST as good as the other.
Every man fully persuaded In his own
mind"
George whteneld was going over q
Quaker rather roughly for some OF his re-
lgious sentiments, and the Quaker said
"George, | am as thou art. am for bring
ing all men 10 the hope OF the gospel There
fore, II thou will not quarrel with me about
my broad brlm, will not quarrel with thee
about thy black gown. George, giyo me thy
hand"
In tracing out the religion OF sactarianisu
or bigotry find that great deal ot Il come;
from wrong education In the home circle
There are parents who do not think II wrong
10 caricature and Joer tho peculiar forms o
religion In the world and denounce oihe
sects and other denominations, IL Ia Yer,
often tho case that that kind OF education
acts Just opposite TO what was expected, anC
tho children grow up, and after awhile x
and SEQ for themselves, and looking In thos
churches and finding that the people AR