The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-09-17

hand through the partisan press would
satisfy thinking men of the falsity
of what L said. invited him by letter,
as L had previously done in person, to
dIsprove my declarations. After ten
days he replies with renewed assur
ances or personal friendlines5, eminent
Iy satisfactory in their way but he
neither attempts to ~disprove, nor even
denies, the truthfulness of what he so
deeply censures me for saying. / sub
NIT, in all candor, that he should haze
made some IF )rt to turn a sinner from
the error of his way.
L a but condemn the statement, s"
he says; and, while regrettiDg that I
said it, he attempts nothing more.
The church can stand it." he writes,
but I don't think that you can stand
it."
II the declaration I made is half way
true, the church cannot stand it What
effect my remarks at Cary might have
upon my PEI s0nal fortunes / neither
calculated o cared. lam conscience
of no ambition that would whisper:
BE cautious; suppress the truth as
you see it for the sake Of your future"
My only ambition is to do some sub
stantial service for the uplifting of men
that are oppressed, that humanity may
be free, happier and more sure of Gods
love because the Father gives me life.
Therefore l can stand to speak what l
conceive to be true with reference to
any organization or institution; but |
could not stand to COLO 1--WE a thing
true and not express my conviction.
Ny reverend friend writes me further:
Make yOur AGAR upon SIN, but not
upon the church of Christ ;" as II l had
attacked the Christ Of the church. l
was not even making war upon the
| church as it is. WhaU l said as to it's
attitude, l said in s-rious sadness and
without bitterness. Against Christian
ity l said nothing. Ia behalf Of Chris
tlanity, Christly living, was pleading.
For verify 1 believe that it is the one
supreme need Of the time, and that
Christ should be the measure Of all
things for all men. And If / love CHRIS
tianity, may mot make war" upon SIN
wherever fnd it, even if in the church?
Or shall 1 make war" only upon sin
outside Of the church, In that case, to
be at ease, Sin need only get under
cover of the cburch-''steal the livery
of heaven to serve the devil in" From
the days of the Scribes and Pharisees
until now the history of the church
shows that much of this has been done.
The Devil" preached Latimer, lis the
busiest preLate in all England" The
church should never be more sacred
than the truth.
When was demonstrated and declared
the dogma of church lnfaIlibility, that
we should entirely disassociate the no
tiOn Of sin from church organisms Was
40 crime ever done by it or sin com
mitted in IT'S NAM? When some
Stephen was stoned did it never stand
Oy consenting unto his death7
Christianity is as free, and as blame,
less of my accusati IN as Democracy is
immortal; but the Democratic party is
not immortal, and l know Of no period
when the church has been clear Of sin
IN either Of its rank ard file or its lead
ership. When the church is made sy
nOnCmOus with the Christianity, it
will stand wholly on the side of hu
man freedom. The churchmen of that
day will read with amazement of the
thiT gs uncondemned, tolerated, and
upheld by the church t. -day. When
will that dav come, do you ask7 God
alone knows. But we may believe that
a happy and peaceful evolution OF hu
mainly is in the line Of His eternal pur-
poses concerning therace; ard we may
hope that the church confessing its I'M
Christly disregard of mans daily needs
until he is paUperized and unnamed,
may be led on by the progress of hui
manity to comprehend its duty and
enjoy the proud privilege of co work
ing with the eternal Father to this
b%enefcent end. THE church has of.
ten, like the Priest and the L9vite in
the parable, passed by on the other
side, and left wounded humanity to
the care of the hereto, while it hurried
on to the temple service at Jerusa.
!, lem. For that disregard of humanity
& in a pretended conservation to God, ]
have no words but of indignation and
contempt.
: In conclusion l desire to say that
while l did lot expect at the time o.
nv sneach to be called unon and