Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-08-28
The Eagle Answered
ny HENRY HAssARD, PASTOR 1sr BAPTIST CHURCH

things il done by republicans. The SYM
bos of Our Lords passion which christians
regard with veneration and every good citi-
zen with respect, ought not to be borne
aloft in political parades and among torches
and transparencies and party banners. Is it
possible that such sacrlege can be tolerated
in n civiized-not to say Chrlstain-land?
The presidential candidate, in whose name
and for whose advantage these things are
being done is hmselfa professional christ
ian and an active member of the leading
churches. Is it possible that he can regard
such dissertation of holy things with any
feeling other than horror and detestation?
How can a christian minister stand before
a sight of that kind and make political
speech to a crowd that desecrates such n
symbol and not feel that the Master whom
he breaches on the Sabbath day has been
dishonored.- Garnett Eagle
DEAR READER: "Thc Eagle" is by
nature bird of prey. 1t evidently
suffers great Disappointment, if when
in sweeping down upon an innocent
and unsuspectlng lamb, it misses its
victim and strikes an unforeseen bar
rier of thorns.
The use of Metaphor" has been
the life of "Oratory."
William J. Bryan used as a Me
taphors" the words you shall not
press down crown of thorns upon
the brow of labor; you shall not cru
city mankind upon cross ofGold. !"
The mere putting of these graphic
words upon canvass in the shape of
drawing of a crown and the outline
of cross has raised the Eagles ire.
He describes it as "sacrilege' and af-
firms that "such desecration of holy
things cannot but laise "horror and
detestetion." The Eagle winds up
thus: GLOW can christian minis
ter stand before a sight Of that kind
and make "A political speech to a
crowd that desecrates such a symbol
land not feel that the Master whom
he breaches on the Sabbath day Ct
suppose the Eagle means Sunday, or
the Lords Day, as the Jewish Sab
bath was on Saturday. has been dis
honored. "He who spake as never
man spake," by means of graphic
illustrations made things plain to the
people. The pictures of Crowns of
thorns," and "crosses of gold," do not
desecrate the suffering of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. The great agony of
our Savior was not reached by the crow n
of thorns he wore or the cross on which
he was iransfxed Several of his desci-
pies suffered them. The greatest agony
of Jesus was only reached when he cried
out, AMY God, My God why hast thou
forsaken me?"
Bearing the sins of, and for the world
and deserted by his Father, this was the
acme of his suffering. If it were simply
the torture Of his earthly body and the
wearing of a crown of thorns that con-
stlued his agony, then his disciple, suf-
fered as much as he.
! am afraid that the Eagle in attempt
ing to instruct the ministry in their
chosen profession is departing from its
usual line of business, and is exposing its
lamentable ignorance AS to the extent
and nature of the suffering of our Lord
Jesus Chris. 1t (the Eagle) is the one
who is traducing and belibeling our Saw
Tor by narrowing His awful agony down
to mere human pain and lowering His
masterstroke to an equality with poor,
weak Peter, who cursed and swore and
denied his Lord and Savior, yet Peter
suffered all the pain and horrors of
crucifiction
The more of the "Cross of Christ" we
can get before the world the better off
the world will be. only wish that we
could always and everywhere see SACRED
emblems" and symbols" that would re-
mind lis of Him who is King of Kings |
and Lord of Lords.
The Christian minister who stands be-
fore his congregation on Sunday is com
manded by his Master to take the Gross
of Christ" with him everywhere he goes,
hence, he must bear it on week DAYS az
well as Sundays. We have already too
many Sunday" preachers and weekday
nonentties. The true minister of God
must raise his voice and protest against
evils that will bring sorrow and suffer
ing upon mankind.
He who seeks to bind the preachers of
our country to the pulpit alone is not a
true American citizen. He who seeks to
place the ministers of God outside of the
pale of citizenship, robs them ofthe God
given privileges of free speech and liber-
~. You may by force "muzze the OK
that treadeth ont the corn" but you can
not summon enough power to "muzzel
the ministry" at least know of one yon
The political side which the Eagle en-
lnrspa and 10 idoptiftob with I,,,u nj |