The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-25

sophie historian, Christian or infidel,
who makes such charges against the
church OF God.
"All patriotic and honest citizens
must regret the formation of parties
having for their object the promulga-
| ton of intolerance, the spreading of
unjust accusation, and charges which
have no foundation but calumny and
bigotry. The attacks made upon the
religious orders of women, in the
church, women whose lives are de-
voted to the welfare OF suffering hui
mainly, are the outgrowth of ignor-
ance or malice. The present wave of
religious bigotry. much of which finds
expression in the un-Christian and
malicious utterances against the sister
hood of the country, has had no more
potent factor in its development and
spread than Robert G. Ingersoll. In
season and out of season, in village,
hamlet and city, he has uttered ma
licious insinuations against the con-
vents of this country. He has inspired
the fanatic and bigots who have band
ed together against Catholics to make
the foolish and idiotic demand for
the opening Of converts TO the public
inspection of the lecherous. Weak
minded men have Joined the vicious
in these demands, so that injustice
and wrong have been wrought against
the innocent. Robert G. Ingersoll was
among the very first of the present
generation to engender by suggestions
and insinuations hatred of Catholic
converts and their inmates in the
minds of many. Ingersoll would have
his hearers forget the work done by
these noble women at the bedside or
the dying and in caring for the or
phans as well SIS for the poor soldiers
on the field of battle. He has urged
on the relentless bigot who would open
the sacred precincts of the converts
to the vulgar gaze of depraved crea-
lures. In this regard Mr.. Ingersoll
has distinction that is peculiarly his
own. No honest man would rob him
of his honor.
DISSENSIONS AMONG CHRISTIANS
In considering the war of scepticism
and infdelity on our common Christi
anity we are met with a sad and some
what discouraging fact. 1t is fact
that gives courage and hope to the enc
mics of Christianity. | refer to the dis
sensions, bitter antagonism and ami
mosities among Christians themselves.
Christ intended his church to be one in
government and in doctrine, that his
followers should constitute a united
brotherhood and present to the out
that, Christianity is split up into hun
dreds of sects and denominations, each
protesting different and contradictory
doctrines and each frittering away its
energies in warning against the Other.
There is no denying that this is a scam
dalcus picture and that it exposes our
common Christianity to the deriSion
of the unbeliever Still more. 1t is
fact that it is the cause of a great deal
rAf
who sets out with the best intentions
TO come to a knowledge of revealed
truth is appalled, and discouraged by
the clamor Of so many claimants. He
despairs; falls into a condition of
spiritual or intellectual lethargy and
Indifference. If he be of a vigorous
and positive turn Of mind his indigna-
ton changes Indifference into positive
enmity and he becomes an irascfble OPP
ponent Of religion.
1T is not necessary for me to enter
into and discuss the cause of this di-
vided condition of Christendom, and
who is responsible for it. Such a dis
cussion would tend in no way to OBJ
viate the difficulty. 1t would tend
rather to increase it. 1t would, there
fore, be worse than improbable. We
must consider the unfortunate divisions
in Christendom with view to abol-
fishing, removing them, or at least to
minimize the evil effects that flow from
them.
But in the meantime something
must be done. Something in which
every Christian can participate. We
can begin by fulfilling the scripture in
junction to Let the dead past bury its
dead.
ERRORS OF THE PAST.
THE Christian of today is not re-
sponsible for the blood-thirstiness of
his semi-barbarous ancestors. The Pro-
testant is not called upon to defend the
indefensible atrocities of Queen Eliza
beth; nor is the Catholic bound to de-
fend the butcheries and the burnings
of a Queen Mary. Both had in them
the blood of Henry VIII, who perse-
cuted and executed Catholics and Pro-
testants on the same scaffold 1t is a
fact that Catholics and Professionals
prosecuted each other alternately as
the power to do so passed from one to
the other, and it is not for US to throw
into each others faces the blood they
spilled, and which has long since cried
to heaven for vengeance. They used
religion as a watchword and a battle
cry, but under it they sought their
personal ambitions and vengeances
Fanaticism, of course, played it's part
but as rule the perpetrator of these
atrocities that stained the pages of his
tory. assumed the livery of heaven to
serve the devil in. Why should their
quarrels, long since hushed in death,
continue to keep us apart? What have
we 10 do with them more than to de-
plore the errors and barbarities of
our common ancestors? If we con-
denim, and we should, the prosecuting
spirit CT those times of turmoil, let US
not initiate it.
If we cannot agree as to all the
doctrines, let US in charity agree to
disagree; give each other the credit
of honesty of motive and of sincerity.
Our way through life is rugged, long
and weary enough without adding to
each others burdens.
Let us unite them in the doctrine
we have in common and on the general
object of Christianity and stand like
loyal soldiers, shoulder to shoulder to
beat back the invasion of scepticism
and infidelity
May the day never come when inf
deity shall permanently dominate this
or any other land. May religion now
and forever guide and guard our ma
tional and undivided life"
The spooks and COLLINS that delight
To fill with terror all the night;
That stalk abroad in hideous dreams
With which dyspepsias fancy teens,
VIII never trouble with their ills
The man who trusts TO Pierce's Pills.
Pierce's Pleasant Pellets: vegetable.
harmless, painless, surei Constipation,
biliousness, sick headache, indigestion,
all vanish with their use.
Uniformed Attendants For Eastern
Passengers via Vandalia-Penn-
sylvania Lines.