The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-01-09
THOMPSON
ID THE CHURCH.
Historic Facts Concerning
Relation Of the Church
10 Slavery
NOM AND ITS MEANING

.-r. I;cspt nsible-The Methods ny
,. church Can Command the
o1 support Of the Masses.
FuurI
J.grading the understanding |
ichting the intellect. thus de-
ne the spirit of men and SO
ing them for despotism, the
Church (like the Greek
has developed no Protest, no
nation, and no Freedom in
aNA under it's iufiuence) be-
the right arm Of aristocratic
oval oppression. The history
world presents a constant
rio between liberty and the
f possession and consequent
In this struggle, only the
pirit Of inquiry could break
rec Of despotism. Instead of
inc this spirit, the Church for
rios made itself as Infamous as
un-Christly by standing as an
dam to hinder the progress of
n understanding. Z" I h g
h,' says Schiller, in his Re0oA
Netherlands, chad ever been a
support of the royal power;
was only natural that it
| he so. Its golden time was
opdage of the human intellect,
ke royalty it had gained by
.norance and weakness of men.
ission to tyrannical power pre-
the mini Ior a blind, conven-
aith: and ne hierarchy repaid
asury the services of despotism
ishops and prelates were zeal
Importers of royalty, and ever
to sacrifice the welfare of the
n to the temporal advancement
, Church and the political in.
of the sovereign" Upor
,uotation, which is suggestive
Ike no comment or application
er times. My readers may d'
each for himself.
modern times have developed
more progressive and en-
ned civilization, it is erroneou
that this condition exists 0,
mt Of anything tho Church
Ter Catholic or PtOtes' ant, ha
to bring it abont. 1t wa
hit about in spite of the oppC
of tho Church. For the Churc
matically opposed with all II
r of terror, torture, and infam
rowth Of all science and helpfl
ing. 1t forces all edueatio
ecclesiastical channels. Nott
ould be studied save within tt
ations OF existing dogma. III
ces were rejected as profan
no true science could find
in such philosophy as was tc
d. Men knew nothing OF inte
al freedom. Every author ST
d of ovorstepping Church-a
ed limits was accused, denou
and prosecuted; and every rr
i've publication suppressed.
r whole science of Geograpl
it's way against the Churc
liking the Bible for a sclenti
book rather than an evoluti
,rals for the conduct of life, t
Church held that the ear
our corners and was fiat. L
bility of salvation was utter
d to those who suggested tn
earth, on the contrary, "
Il and inhabited on oppos
This was deemed so terrl'
.osy that the Church in the {
1ry crushed it out. But IN I
century it arose again. L
was re-asserted by Gee
coli; for which the Chul
t him alive, and q great Chur'
. ter publicly represented him
t liug in the flames of hell for
,hemy. But in 1919, Magel
d around the earth, aud thus gs
in the face of the Church,
as God built highways of int
so among TIE nations;
ch astronomers of the 18th C
by positive mathematical
.ioa freed the human mind
lis point.
itn greater bitterness the Chu
osed all progress in Astrono
lence which has so wonderf
lded u reverential conception
wisdom, order, and provide
he Creator. From Script
the Church had taught that
"a is the immovable centre OF
erse, the sun and all the hea
odies revolving about it.
b that the sun is tho cent
system and that the eartl
ed around the sun was rar
.fasy. In 1913 a pious and ch
. Christian, Nicholas Copern
ished his Revolution of
venly Bodies" wherein he
,Itl tho latter theory. Deaf
" removed him from the clut
le Church; but his book fell
hands of its authorities,
gregation of the Index, a
ent theological tribunal "
.st in judgment to catalogue
,ress every new thought de-
rious to their Greed. His
solemnly condemned, and
lemnation continued till
cad it was to incur the con
ON Of the Church in this
l.a eternal damnation in the
ertheless it had set forth a
which many minds rece
which Bruno alone dared r
And for this he was b
o wild beast, imprisoned f
s, then burnt alive for his
and his ashes madly scatter
winds. But, as if God WI
b, .ng that the Church shoul
the heavens from declarir
and the armament from
His handiwork, ten years
. telescope of Calico prove
b of the theory of Capernl
range, as it may seem, ho
rch scientists aud preach
, denounced the discover
leo as blasphemous, and hi
,ic views as illusions Of the
y besought the Inquisiti
at once with him for his /
airing that he was worse
Luther or Calvin. "The