Connecticut western news., 1898-07-28

n the WOrlQ ana Q6nOuuCe OGn6r SeCUS and other denominations. It is very often the case that that kind of educa- sion acts just opposite to what was ex- pected, and the children grow up and after awhile go and see for themselves, and, looking in those churches and find- ing that the people are good there and they love God and keep his command ments, by natural reaction sthey go and join those very churches could men, tion the names of prominent ministers of the gospel who spent their whole lives bombarding other denominations and who lived to see their children preach the gospel in those very denomi- nations. But 1t is often the case that bigotry starts in household, and that the subject of it never recovers. There are tens of thousands of bigots 10 years old.
 Causes of Bigotry.
 I think sectarianism and bigotry also rise from too great prominence of any one denomination in a community. All the other denominations are wrong and his denomination is right because his is the most wealthy or the most popular or the most infiuen- tial, and it Is "our" church, and -four" choir, and "our" minister, and the man losses his head and wants other denom- nations to know their places. It is great deal better in any community when the great denominations of Chris 5ians are about equal in power, march ing side by side for the worlds con- luest. Mere outside prosperity, mere worldly power. Is no evidence that the church is acceptable to God. Better barn with Christ in the manager than 0 cathedral with magnificent harmonies rolling through the long drawn aisle and an angel from heaven in the pulpit if there be no Christ in the chanoel and ao Christ in the robes
 Bigotry is often the child of igno- rance. You seldom find man with large intellect who is bigot. It is the man who thinks he knows great deal, but does not. That man is almost always bigot. The whole tendency of education and civilization is to brings man out of tuuU hluo LII obdtO ol lllud dllo hCd1 There was in the far east great obelisk, and one side of the obelisk was white, another side of the obelisk was green, another side of the obelisk was blue, and travellers went and looked at that obelisk, but they did not walk around it. One man looked at one side, another at another side, and they came home, each one looking at only one side, and they happened to meet, the story says, and they got into rank quarrel about the color of that obelisk. One man said 1t was white, another man said it was green, another man said 1t was blue, and when they were in the very heat of the controversy a more intelligent trav- sler came and said: Gentlemen, I have seen that obelisk. and you are all right, and you are all wrong. Why 1idn't you all walk around the obelisk2"
 Look out for the man who sees only Jne side of religious truth. Look out for the man who never walks around about these great theories of God and ,ternity and the dead. He will be a bigot inevitably-the man who only sees one side. There is no man more to oe pitied than he who has in his head just one idea-no more, no less. More light, less sectarianism. There Is noth- ing that will so soon kill bigotry as sunshine
 Truths of the Bible.
 So have set before you what I con- ,ider to be the causes of bigotry. have set before you the origin of this great evil. What are some of the baleful ef sects2 First of all, it cripples investiga- ,ion. You are wrong, and am right, md that ends it. No taste for explora- ,ion, no spirit of investigation. From the glorious realm of Gods truth, over which an arohangel might fly from eternity to eternity and not reach the limit, the man shuts himself out and lies, blind mble under a corn shock. It stops all investigation.
 While each denomination of Chris .ians is to present all the truths of the Bible it seems to me that God has given Q each denomination an especial mis- sion to give particular emphasis to some one doctrine, and so the Calvinistic churches must present the sovereignty of God, and the Arminian churches must present mans free agency, and the Episcopal churches must present the importance of order and solemn cere- mony, and the Baptist churches must present the necessity of ordinances, and he Congregational church must pre- sent the responsibility of the individual
 1l1 I must show what holy enthusiasm, hearty congregational singing, can ao- ,omplish. While each denomination of Christians must set forth all the doo- trines of the Bible feel 1t is especial ly incumbent upon each denomination b put particular emphasis on some one doctrine
 Another great damage done by the seotarianism and bigotry of the church Is that 1t disgusts people with the Christian religion. Now, my friends, the church of God was never intended for a war barrack. People are afraid of B riot. You go down the street and you see an excitement and missiles flying through the air, and you hear the shock Sf firearms Do you, the peaceful and industrious citizen, go through that .treet2 Oh, no. You will say, "I'l go around the block" Now, men come and look upon this narrow path to heaven, and sometimes see the coolest astical brickbats flying every whither, and they say: Well, I guess I'll take the broad road. There is % much sharp shooting on the narrow road guess I'll try the broad road.
 Francis so hated the Lutherans that be said that if he thought there was one drop of Lutheran blood in his veins he would puncture them and let that drop out. Just as long as there is so much hostility between denomination and denomination, or between one pro- fessed Christian and another, or between one church and another, so long men will be disgusted with the Christian re- ligion and say, If that is religion, want none of it. !"
 Wasted Ammunition.
 Again, bigotry and sectarianism do great damage in the fact that they hin- der the triumph of the gospel. Oh, how much wasted ammunition How many