The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-09
W hat Is Truth?
To the Editor of the Eagle:


The religious world seems 10 have
reached a crisis, and to be searching
for truth as it never did before. Much
of the so-called skepticism Of the day is
only honest inquiry, which cannot again
be repressed through intimidation or
satisfied with dogmatic assertions, nor
obscure contradictory statements
People, no longer priest-ridden, or
afraid that just God Will be angry
with them for exercising God-given
intelligence, are boldly insisting and de-
manding the truth.
The world will not turn infidel. In
every faculty of his being, man instinc-
lively feels his need of a God. Should
the God of the universe propose 10
withdraw himself from our world, all
classes of men would put thir names
to any petition or treaty intended to
avert so direfu Ia calamity. The eXis-
tence of a God is settled in the minds
of men beyond a peradVenture, but they
are seeking to know more of Him
His attribute, His laws, His require
ments. In all ages people have turned
inquiringly and hopefully to their spirit
ual teachers, but the pulpit has not kept
much in advance of the peers and still
spiritual truth is yelled and misty.
If Orthodoxy, as we have been
taught to understand ii, be true, If
there is a literal and awful hell into
which every soul that has not passed
through an experience that is incom-
prehensible to the masses, is 10 be
banished forever. it is of the utmost i'm
portance that this experience be divert
ted to mystery and taught within the
range of the peoples understanding.
If the Orthodox clergy still believe
in the outhox hell. why do they say so
little about it? Why do they always
preface, or supplemnt. every allusion to
the subject with an apology for Gods
severity? The old Divines used TO dwell
upon il with an emphasis and JUNCTION
that chilled the blood in their hearer's
veins. The pictures they drew OF that
dread region were as graphic and lurid
as those in Dante's Inferno.
Our preachers tell US great deal
about heaven which does not nearly 50
much concern US. We are all satisfied
that heaven IS a good, desirable place,
and we do not care much whether the
walls of precious stones" the gates
Of pearl and streets OF gold are liter
al or picturesque descriptions or IL But
we want 10 know something about the
other place. 1.-THE lake OF fire burning
with birthstone" where their worm
dieth not" "the snake Of their tor
ment ascendeth up forever and ever"
If such a dawn awaits one soul-to say
nothing Of the countless hosts whose
numbers are beyond human computa-
TONS il not much that ''the whole
creation groweth and traveleth IN pain
together"
4 thing is not necessarily untrue be
cause it IS horrible. and the people
want the truth, whether il he "idings
Of great joy or something so indie
scribably awful that not to be, is never
u have been. seems the only good
How can the minister who honestly be-
lieves that he'll IS a place Of torment,
that all the dreadful things Of earth
are but faint SMILES Of. and all the
finally inpsnitent are 10 dwell there
forever. and that he IS called q God"
70 proclaim salvation To per1shlnS
world. ever for one moment forget his
work? How dare he waste any OF the
precious time in church entertain
ments. literary pursuits or social re-
creation? We hear a great deal about
the consolation Of religion But what
ara the consultations Of orthodox Christ
ainty apart from a seldshness that
would be contemplate IN any relation
OF life? Here lies q man who has Just
solved the solemn mystery OF death