The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-01-17
TALKS AGAINST THE CHURCH.
CharleswOrth's Meeting at Garfield Hall
Last Night Well Attended.

Las. Night Well Attended.
Mr. Charlesworth's anti-revival
meeting last night was pretty well at
tended. About all the seats in Garfield
hall were occupied. The audience was
composed of well behaved men and
women who frequently applauded the
speaker by clapping of hands.
The meeting was opened by reading a
selection by Mrs. Charlesworth. The
sentiment seemed to please the audi
ence as well as the manner in which it
was rendered, judging from the liberal
applause. Mr.. Charlesworth spoke at
considerable length and among other
things said:
In our upward evolution there are
three stages through which we must
pass. The superstitious. the education
al and the scientific. There are people
in Wichita who have not advanced
from the superstitious stage.
Every truth at first is held by one
person. If the person who is in pos
session of that truth has the moral
courage to advocate it the majority
will adopt il. Then opposition to it
will be called heresy. When people ask
my opinion of religion / ask them
whether they want my Kitchen or my
library ideas
This meeting is not for the pur-
pose of considering the truth or falsoty
of religion. l believe the only religion
consists in doing good. I do not con-
tend that some people do not enjoy re-
ligion- L have seen servant girls over
the wash tub enjoy religion but that
was because they did not know any bet
ter.
Some people think / want to destroy
religion and set up little theocracy
of my own. That is not true but if
you mean by religion church creeds
then l DO not believe in il. For all
such religion l have only the most pro-
found contempt
This city is now cursed by a religi-
Gus crank. He has asked the lawyers
forgotten more than he ever knew
to attend his meetings. l saw
in the papers that he had composed a
song, Wichita for Christ in 1885, and
wondered what powerful mental eff
fort it must have cost. Just imagine
the amour of brain power that must
have cost.
When some great danger is lowering
over the country the politicians always
raise false issue and have the people
fight over it. The preachers are rails
ing a false issue when they tell you
that the pope of Rome is trying to des-
troy cur schools and destroy liberty in
the land. 1t was the protestants who
tried TO prevent people going to the
testants who are trying TO put God in
the constitution so that they can dis
franchise men like me.
The constitution and laws of our
country are neither Catholic or protes-
tant. City governments have no more
to do with the church than the church
has to do with the state.
Teach these officers here in Wichita
that if they must appeal TO the church
10 be reelected that they are not fit TO
hold Office.
Mayor Cox and superintendent
trayed their trusts when they obeyed
the orders of Major Cole.
When We put a small measure of
see the wine but il is there just the
same. Little drops of water make a
food. Little by little the churches are
undermining our liberties.
Water and oil will not mix. neither
to do with every day life while religion
is all to teach a man how 10 die.
Il protest against Major Cole and his
force men to attend church. The mayors
proclamation was a farce Superinten-
dent Richardson is a religious crank
and he wants TO make cranks of our
children.
There is an omnibus union between
city government and church brought
about by the near approach OF a city
election. When the monarch is not a
priest he subsidies priest and the
preacher is always wiling 10 be subsi-