The age-herald., 1897-09-23
ETCHTNGS FROM
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 The most extreme optimist sometimes is forced to confront conditions which tend to lessen his faith in the ultimate Gri- umph of good, and in the breaking down of those barriers which make cynlcs and bigots of men and women. The world at large is growing better as 1t grows broader. There are signs of dawn along the horizon, which gives promise of a glorious day yet to come. when denomin- ational bitterness, and sectarian antag- onisms will cease to be, as the mists dis appear before the rising sun. There is sure to come a time when the small mat ters pertaining to differences of creed will play an insignificant part with 1 Christians whose aim is to advance the cause of Christ and humanity. But. ere this psriod arrives, the pes5imists will find many facts and figures with 1 which to argue failure. And it seems that these unfortunately are generally furnished by members of the various nominations.
 
 Over in Georgia just now Mrs. w. H. Felton and Rev. Walker Lewis, pastor of the First Methodist church at At lanta, are engaged in 8 war of words, which will prove as hurtful to the cause of Christianity as any battle waged by the barbarians of old against th4 early hpljiaVarS NTrc hoo depressing her opinions in very fluent, clear-cut sentences, on any and all sub 5ects. With the instinct of ecclesiasti- Fl o~ o~independence strong within iler, she l -eoehv had the ,temerity to write very .aful arsfcls Upon the Future or Method iu the American Out iooh' what sala was Ntaken very seriously by Pr. lv;.s ,,,,.a ,s er,ua,, +o regarding evsrytAi,: - sss,ons,,, very solsmnly, that k E,oe <, rs~rsSt ao cord with his own, indl a,.., - \~I. has flown into print elsOs nd ths eeeleA 6, iastical atmosphere of Gls,. ,s ,,.-, : illuminated with a pyrotec.s. s.--.,.s . that is startling. Mrs. F'efloi4 osrs,,ss against Dr. Lewis consisted in tn rar-.. that the church (MethodisD was 4,,. grading; that cliques controlled
 pointments and that ministers fan preach against the sins of church mem beis, who gamble, drink and otherwis fail to keep their churchly VOWS. pr Lewis disagrees with Mrs. Felton's DO sition. hence the wild excitement. pr Lewis sensitiveness does not argue wei for his entire innocence of Mrs. Felton. charge.
 At the same time that good Methodis. are depIoring the controversy raging be tween Mrs. Felton and Dr. Lewis. Dr T. T. Eaton and his paper, the Westeri Recorder, are keeping alive by persist elnt flaming, the fire which is intende; ito destroy the usefulness of that distin guished preacher and educator Dr Whitsitt, president of the Southern Bap tist Theological seminary at Louisville Dr. Whitsl.tt's case was settled satisfac tcrily to his own denomination durlns tIhe past summer by the Baptist conven tion, and ile is now busi,y engaged witt his duties at the seminary. But this con dition of religious serenity is mot pleas ing to Dr. Eaton, or his son, MT. J. H Eaton The IattsG has recently sen broadcast aver the country a pamphlei that purports to tell of the Real Is.u:. in the Whitsftt Cals.'' In this Hfttle book l Dr. Whisitt is assailad for his Das,tlor on baptism, and with narrowness thai suggests an earlier and darker ge MT Eaton combats Dr. Whitsitt's theories and statements. Fortunately ti ? thelog cal seminary president has friends who have come to his defense with a vigol that indicates final triumph.
 1 Optimists need not despair of the flu. ture because of the very earthly nalig. nance of Dr. Walker Lewis and pr. T. T Eaton and son. The day of the bigot is past, and few sporadic cases should mot cause dismay. The genuine Chris tians of all churches have decided tc quarantine against all danger of a re. turn to sectarian antagonism or individ ual malevolence. The dawn of a better and holier time is alt hand.
 l BALL. l Sticks to It.