The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-06-15
TEST INADEQUATE.


The dispatches yesterday contained
nm account of what is termed q test of
the efficacy of prayer, which should not
convince any one the least skeptic or
strengthen or weaken the faith of the
most steadfast Christian. Secretary
Paget, of the Free-Thinkers' society
of Dallas, Texas, stipulated with Mrs.
Sweeney, president of the w. c. T. U.
OF that city, tt at after three months of
prayer on her part if "his heart were
touched" he would publicly confess
his belief in a God, and If il were
: not then she would make public
declaration of her disbelief in a
supreme being. This was agreed to
by both the parties, and the result will
be noted. There is some equivocal
meaning in the words used about the
heart being touched" or influenced,
and must be OF very convincing
nature before it will be proof to any
one of q fact, the existence Of which
he did not believe before. And, if a
person has firm and abiding faith in
God, the ruler of the universe, it
would be very narrow and contracted
view to take that. if he did not, in
answer to individual supplication, give
indisputable proof of his existence, it
is not azfact and simply a. myth, the
.outgrowth of emotion and superstition.
The belief in q God carries with it the
idea of q being of supreme intelli-
gence, who is absolutely Independent
of all extraneous influences, and acts
for himself in what he considers the
best way that will insure the greatest
good to the inhabitants of this, and,
perhaps, other worlds. 1t is no evi-
dence that there is no supreme ruler
because he may deem it not right to
answer every prayer that is offered to
him by sincere follower. Such be-
ing, in the scale of intellectual dis
elimination, would be below that of
loving fathers and mothers in any
country, civilized or uncivilized, and
would destroy the notion of omnis-
cience inherent in the minds of all
peoples. He would no longer be God,
but creature, subject to the caprices
of passion or affection. On the other
hand, those who do not believe in De-
ity should not for a moment entertain
the thought that If there were great
and all-powerful ruler of spirit and
matter in all worlds he would conde-
scend to give to single person unques-
toned proof of his existence, when
there should be evidences of, the
fact on every hand and through
all ages. A reasonable man would
not expect or desire inherent
proof of a fact, of which others could
not be cognizant, and the truth of
which would be dependent alone on
his unsupported testimony. Then there
have been 80 many phenomena, Incl
dent upon emotional, nervous or hys.
terical temperaments, regarding feel
ings, or touching the heart" that
are reasonably accounted for ON the
extreme sensitiveness of certain or
ganizations which create the sensa-
tions they feel and express. If poor
Mrs. Sweeney's faith is wrecked be-
cause God did not touch the heart of
the skeptic, and if Paget's skepticism
is strengthened for the reason that the
great and supreme ruler OF the uni
verse did not deem it expedient to stir
the feelings of this one man, it will
not prove there is no Deity, or be of
any material harm or benefit to the
human race, other than the parties di-
rectly interested.
Such trial does not partake of the
elements of the scientific proof of any
fact, and can be classed only as sem
sational whim of sentimental creatures.
Among highly civilized people such
ideas of Gods caprices should not be
entertained, and enough should be un-
derstood of his poweraand wisdom to
fill the mind with higher conceptions
of his qualities and attributes. The
God of nature is great and good, omni-
cient in mercy and wisdom, and exer-
cises discretion in answering prayer.
Anything less than this is not deity,
and is not worthy of worship or ex-
treme reverence.
aas