The Redwood gazette., 1897-12-09

the same time. Nor did he seem to
see the incongruity of the idea of souls
having been to heaven or hell lin re-
ward or punishment) for few hun
dred or thousand of years coming back
for few particles of effete matter in
which to be judged, after being in a
place of reward or punishment for SO
long. Finally, we we're told that if we
did not believe as the preacher did we
would all go to hell, and one irrever-
ent wretch was heard to remark after
wards, that if hell was peopled by in
telligent beings, it would be preferable
to heaven if inhabited by such con-
ceited ignoramuses as the preacher.
LASTLY, I think there is much in the
mental makeup of men and women as
to their church-going propensities.
Men, in their struggles in business
life, become inceptive, broader in idea,
more investigative and progressive.
Women, in their narrower sphere, are
more receptive and initiative, are more
self-sacriicing to what they consider
duty, and are slaves to the opinion of
Mrs. Grundy. Hence the preachers
power over the minds of women and
their failure to draw around them the
hard headed men who reason"
On Tuesday of last week The Ga
zETTE received reply to the above
caustic criticism of religion from a
person other than the excellent and
progressive young minister who de-
livered the funeral sermon in Sheridan
township, and we are quite certain,
written without his knowledge, or
without any knowledge of the publica-
ton at this time. 1t was written by
one, in fact, who has been believer,
more or less, in Mr.. Arnold's political
doctrines. The reply is in the shape
of an "open letter" addressed to Mr..
Arnold, and is here given in full:
AN OPEN LETTER.
To James Arnold, Vesta, Minnesota.
Dear Sir:-You venture, in the Min
neapolis Times of Nov. %, to explain
why men do not attend church as regu-
larly as ladies do. You state many
truths in your article. 'Tis difficult to
write SO long one without doing so.
[ am glad you profess certain amount
of Christianity yourself, and [ frankly
admit that in your public and private
life you show. forth fair percentage
of Christianity's best virtues. You
give three certain reasons why, in your
opinion, intelligent men refuse to at
tend church. The first is, to shorten
your language, that so many ministers
are protectionists and SO few uphold
Populist ideas. The second is, to con
dense your expression as before, that
most churches lessen or eradicate the
use of liquor among their members,
and some go SO far as to advise against
the use of tobacco which efforts, be
they wise or not, you call "Pharasaical
fads." Your third reason is, in sub
stance, that the doctrines preached in
most churches don't suit those wise
men who refuse to attend church.
In your dissertation you say you re-
Gently attended a funeral sermon in
Sheridan, where a "big gun in theolo-
gy" preached. It is very apparent you
refer to the talented and scholarly
priest from Redwood Falls. It is not
my purpose to defend him or the doc
trine which he breaches as be is vast
ly better qualified for so doing HIM
self if your writing so much as even
merited his notice. I would ask you,
however, to reflect in your own heart
it you are not inconsistent in referring
to him in the unmannerly and impo-
lite term which you used because he
preached the doctrine of the resurrec-
ton. | don't propose to discuss with
you this or any other theological doc
trine but wish to hereby remind you
that when you call any minister of the
gospel an "ignoramus" for preaching
the resurrection you are~but proving
yourself one and also proving yourself
partially atheistic in denying what is
and always has been the standard
creed and foundation doctrine of the
Catholic church, the Greek church,
the Episcopal church, and most of the
larger Protestant sects of the world.
In fact about 95 per cent Of the Chris
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