The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-06

But he was an earnest seeker after
truth; he Is an authority on what the
unaided mind has to say on this sub
ject, and the farthest and highest that
he could go is expressed In his words
to a friend shortly before he died
Now we must part; /, indeed, TO die;
but you to live. Who of us shall have
the better part is known only TO God.
On the part of acknowledged grea.
thinkers, apart from the light of Christ.
no where any certainty. Huxley has
his ia soul paralyzing If Here is
his epitaph. which has been engraved
recently upon his tomb:
And IL there be no meeting place past
the grave,
II all Is darkness, silence. yet tits rest.
Be not afraid, we waiting hearts that
weep,
For God still giveth his beloved sleep.
And IL an endless sleep, He wills 50
best
Contrast this sort of consolation
with Let not your hearts be troubled ;
we believe in God, believe also In Me.
In My Fathers house are many man
sions; IL 1t were not so, 1 would have
told you. I go TO prepare a place for
you. And IL 30 and prepare a place
for you, i will come again and receive
you into Myself. that where am, there
ye may be also
1T is natural to speak kindly of the
dead, but moderation should be OBJ
served, and the characteristics upon
which the doctor dwells in this address
have never been declared by any word
claiming to be authoritative from any
corner of the universe as sufficient TO
Insure future happiness. And, as
have already said there is no proof of
cessation of being at death. Manliness.
truthfulness, faithfulness 20 friends
and the duties of citizenship are moth
ing to base a Claim to the favor of God
upon. II there is a God. And IL there
is no God. what does 1t matter how
this life was lived? And IL there is a
God. let no man have confidence in the
flesh. nor boast himself before his
Judge and Maker. For no man is the
faintest approximation to what he
knows perfectly well he ought to be.
Before Gods perfect purity and integ-
rtity let him tremble. When Christians
make mention of the virtues Of their
Departed brother IL is with no such
boasting spirit and with no such vain
confidence.
why should God give us any credit.
anyway for being true and truthful
and correct and conscientious citizens :?
Can any man justify himself FOR not
being all this? II there be any such
bound, so FAR as We know the right
always to be right? / know the answer
some Will make; II is impossible. DR..
Whitford says: Such men are, unfor-
tunately. too scarce And grant that.
1t Is just as the Bible says when Il de-
clares There is none righteous; not
one But the Bible does not excuse the
want of Righteousness on that account
nor weakly connive at mans wicked
ness. What it does is to offer pardon
by the shed blood of the Son of God
for the wrong that Is done. while 1t in
sists we Shall try not to repeat ii, and
IL promises Gods help in the effort.
And this suggests the inquiry, what
Is the word of the liberals to the many
who do not attain the standard above
described? These scarce men. the
doctor says, have nothing to fear
Does that imply that there may be
some cause for trepfdation ON the part
of the great majority? What about DR..
Whitford himself? Is he sure he reach
es the ideal here described? Is he so
satisfied with himself that he can look
TO this future calmly, which. 1t would
seem, some have cause ito fear? This
looks very much like self-conceit. And,
indeed, nothing is more characteristic
OF the advocates of these views from
Herbert Spencer and Huxley down,
than their great self-complacency
They ought never TO accuse Christians
of setting themselves up as better than
their fellows.
"Once more we are told that IL Is all
on the side of infidelty. while Chris
tianity is a mass of silly superstition
The Liberals have got a first mort
gage on the intelligence of the world.
a mind unusually clear. and reasoning
powers of the highest order or course,
i suppose DIR. Whitford is n competent
Tsf these frrh
Possibly the fact that their conclusions
agree so well with his own has some
thing TO do with his flattering verdict.
And now see the inconsistencies-'He
was one who took great pleasure in the
investigation of truth His
mind scared into the realms of truth
and. in the same breath, we are assur-
ed that he had no use for any other
truth than physical truth. He was an
admirer of nature he accepted the
teachings Of science, (physical science.
the doctor means); that Is. he believed
in nothing higher than the earth and
moon, and yet he scared II your mind
accepts nothing higher than mud. how
are YOU going 20 soar to the sky?
There is much talk about soaring
which Is nothing more than roaring.
He accepted the teachings Of science
as the most reliable facts within the
grasp OF the human mind There II Is
again, a stark naked assumption that
science and Christianity are in con-
hict.
Doctor WhMford - setting up a man
Of straw to knock him down No such
conflict exists. The great majority of
great scientists as we'll as In AL other |
departments OF human distinction and |
achievement have always been and are |
To-day, Christians. All statements 20 |
me contrary are made either IN ignor- |
ance or IN w1llful perversion OF truth. |
Many were long deceived by Ingersolrs |
single gift of rhetoric into supposing |
hat ne was a man of intellect and |
earning. But he fell from that Dedes- |
al +ong ago.He is known now as ne Is, |
'nly an indifferent lawyer. grossly ig- |
lorant Of the Bible and all history. ut |
erly inscriptions in argument: he is |
played out. He cannot get an audience /
o-day. And Liberalism. having falsely /