The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-20
Butte Department.

as this world is concerned. Now, in all
candor, is IL not the very height of folly
to admit that God may be, and then
right on the heels OF that admission to
assert that He will never manifest His
existence TO those who are deeply inter-
ested in the question Is there a God?' To
admit that He may be. and then to ridi-
Guile those who believe He not only is,
but has made Himself known? IL one adj
mits that there is one chance out OF all
that there may be God, he must also
admit that there is at least one chance
OF our observing at some time supernat-
ural phenomenal; and IL there is that one
chance, then he is very presumptuous
man to assert that the supernatural is
out of the question and that those OF us
who believe both in the possibility and in
the actually of IL are benighted supersti-
tionists. ! grant every man the right to
believe or disbelieve anything, but not
the right to assert that they who differ
with him are either fools or towards. II
must be admitted. also, that there Is no
doctrine or belief that Is not properly a
subject for investigation: but to begin an
investigation and end IL with an assertion
1t Is impossible is arrogating unto ones
self more knowledge than he has. The
believer in God says. and has said from
the beginning, that supernatural events
have occurred and been testified to in
such a manner as to make them irrefuta-
BILE to him. Now. no one could take any
exception to others to whom the evidence
was insufficient to produce a conviction
but so long as the evidence Is not shown
to be false. only insufficient for the indi-
vidual mind. clearly there is not the
slightest warrant for the unconvinced to
go further and say, IT cannot be true
But that is what agnostics do when they
stand up and preach the impossibility OF
the supernatural, or declare that there
never has been a supernatural event. II
we had but one event to cite as supernat-
ural. viz: the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. IL would be enough to refute the
arguments of every agnostic that ever
lived. IL may be affirmed. without fear OF
successful contradiction, that no man
ever has taken that central event of
Christianity and proved Il untrue. And
more. in the face of all adverse criti-
cism of charity-in the face of deep
study. prolonged effort and an intense
desire TO find out all that could be said
against IL, nothing more has been ac-
complished than to put forth a bundle of
presumptive impossibilities. As a matter
of fact very few men have ever had the
hardihood to attack the historical Christ
Jesus But so long as He is permitted to
stand before the people as one who rose
from the dead we retain the evidence
bic, but a reality. And. therefore. God
has had. at least. some relation with the
world: has shown some interest in man;
and naturally, If He has an interest in
us, we should have an interest in Him.
But If we have an interest in Him It will
be as natural for us to show IL as II was
for Him to manifest His interest in us.
How can we do IL? II we listen to the
apostles of agnosticism we must conclude
that we have no means of doing so. ex-
cept by some subjective act of worship,
or by some strange lamentations, as for
NAL prayer. whether II be clothed in
words or counted in beads, or in the use
of amulets, or by some tedious pilgrim
age to a magic shrine. Ours is a ceremo-
NAL religion. Theirs is a humanitarian
cult. They present US as so many Sauls,
who. In dire straits, seek comfort from
the spirits for our selfish selves. While
they are composed of the useful band of
young men. who seek the strayed. We
are after building temples for worship to
be closed six days out of seven. they are
building schoolhouses to dispel darkness.
We are for taking care of souls that are
TO live hereafter; they are for healing
the bodies of men and making their
hearts glad now. They want to make men
rich to-day; we promise them riches to-
morrow. No prayers ever made a people
prosperous All that and more has been
said. and / confess IL is unfavorable for
believers. IL puts us in anything but an
enviable light. II the only thing we as be-
lievers have done and can do and ought
to do. TO show our belief and interest in
God is such as they mark out for us,
then we are not very useful. There is
just one objection TO the presentation of
the facts. IL Is not true. A believer in
God and the supernatural is a lover and
a servant of humanity as none others are.
A In "a io
conviction is that as we SOW here 10
shall we reap in the hereafter believer
in God doesn't understand how he can
worship God in deed save by showing
kindness TO his fellows and helping them
In all ways he can. A believer in God
takes 1t as literally true that a cup of
water is not given to a thirsty soul
without its reward. and II for no other
reason but to obtain the reward he is
constantly supplying the water and
thereby engaged in the work of advanc-
ing the interests of humanity. And as for
getting rid Of ignorance which they say
Is the only darkness in the name OF all
that is good. doesn't history show that IL
has been. and is to-day. the work of be-
lievers to enlighten all men? Who found
ed the great universities? Believers Who
I'm their lifetime have given largely of
their fortunes and left legacies to enlarge
their usefulness? Believers. Who have
gone TO the wild men of the woods and
by laborious study formed for them a
written language and taught them to use
II. that they or their children might have
open TO them the treasury that contains
the knowledge of the ages? The Christian
missionaries. Whose love inaugurated the
hospitals that give loving care TO the af-
nicted? Believers. Why. brethren, IL is al
most the sin against the Holy Ghost. that
shall not be forgiven In this world or the
world to come, for a man 10 openly pro-
claim or to inslnuate that the believers
OF the ages have been blocks over which
the chariot OF progress has had to be
dragged by the love and the power and
intelligence and sacrifice and self-conse-
Grafton OF those men who have in their
wisdom discarded all thought OF God and
bent their energies 10 promote the happi-
ness and prosperity. OF their fellows Who
are they that have thus lived. and where