West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-09-28
WAS JESUS CHRIST CRAZY d?
From a special Contributor.


repentant sinners heart and fred the
furnace OF hatred ia the bosom of the
proud, haying lived an exemplary life.
he died the exeerable death OF the
cross. What was HE crime that he
should die as a felon ? Nothing but
the love of righteous-justice, equality.
brotherhood OF mankind and the
fatherhood of God HIS was a mission
OF mercy, a godsend to humanity.
Corn jew, he taught the equality OF
tho gentle That was treason TO
Judaism in its exclusive claims of ari-
stocracy. jesus Christ was "A reformer
along lines Of right and righ .eousness.
For that he must die, The church Of
his birth, and to which he come with
mission, was his implacable enemy.
The Jewish priesthood planned his
ignominious death. and secured his
crucihxion by the temporal power. His
teachings OF fraternity, equality aud
piety bore the natural fruit of persecu.
tion. That his was n case of demoniac
possession, Of insanity, OF uhaceount-
able treason TO existing Institutions,
religious and temporal, the Sauhedrim
believed or affected TO believe.
Was Jesus Christ crazy? ? whether
he was or was not, the gentle world
have ever been ready TO dsnounce the
Jewish church as criminal in its perse-
cution OF the despised Nazarene 1t is
not TO be wondered that Christ was
killed by the ecclesiastical aristocracY
OF his times, no more than il is TO be
wondered at that the man who holds
TO the doctrines taught by Christ, il
cursed alike by selfish preacher and
politician. The gospel may be preach
cd little TO the poor, but IL dare not
be preached TO the banker, the bond
holder and the trust magnate. The
doctrine that all men are equal; that
the rich would do well TO dispose OF
their possessions and give TO the poor;
that worldly goods should be held and
enjoyed lin common;" that 1.-THE earth
is tho Lords and the fulness thereof"
that men are only stewards OF Gods
bounty; that "whatsoever We would
that men should do unto You, do We
even so unto them"-all these are good
gospel truths. But they are served up
nowadays liz tho dishes of Mammon.
Ministers even, as we'll as LAWYERS.
talk learnedlY Of the rights OF property.
as If there could be any other right 20
property but the personal right of a
human being MS the creature OF God.
Christianity as a profession is a popu.
lar success, but in tho practice of its
precepts ii ID dismal failure. Christ
taught simp pie charity. unset fishneGs. a
life of duty entirely consecrated to
doing good to others. The modern
popular clergyman condones the grasp
ing selhshness OF the business world.
and gets his salary for his services.
He either knows not, or else ignores
the teachings Of Jesus, that all mon
are brothers, God their father. the
world their workshop OF equal oppor-
tunity and right Christ said, "InAs.
much as Ye have done IL unto the least
OF one OF these, ye haye done it unto
noe" Such was the brotherhood of
Christs gospel, so supremely impor.
tant, so inter-related that kindness
done 20 the most lowly, was an act of
brotherhood; and an unkind act done
70 any one, was violation OF the
| sacred tie OF brotherhood. He who
wrongs any man, wrongs the brother.
hood OF man and wrongs the family of
God, Every mans right lie the univer-
sal cause In the brotherhood OF man.
He who condemns not wrong against
humanity, II aware Of it, is in part
guilty of the wrong Where is .he
pulpit that does not now and then do.
nounce abstract wrong, and yet seated
beneath the droppinRs Of the same
sanctuary are Gods own imagea-men
who are wrouRed, deeply wropgod
by their conniving fellow men ?
Wicked, unequal laws, take from spa
class the fruits OF their labor. and be-
stow IL upon those who toll not with
their hands Too often the reputsd
servant Of Christ seems to know moth
log Of the heavy burdens i'm oossd uo-
on the poor laboring people. lie may
be too busy going about 60 do good
10 do not doing. Has il come 20 the
pass tbatit is question of subsistence
with the pastor as IL is with the Elm
pioyes Of cruel monopolies, a question
/ of bread and butter
In the days Of the slave evil. the
preacher porth OF Mason and Dixon's
| line could preach down the barbarou.
wrong Of the ages without fear for his
stipend, and the mintter south OF
Mason and Dixon's line could defend a
God-ordaiDed custom and his salary
went marching on. Some one has said
that ia all ages the church has been
the champion Of wealth and oppression.
Tho IL was in the days Of Christ
and has been even when called blythe
name OF Christ nearly all the time.
coulofain hope that the church is vet
willing 70 follow Christ through evil AZ
well as good report. But will the
church follow a Christ whom the bus,.
ness world belieyes insane on trade
balances
do not wish any conscientious
minister 20 feel that have attacked
him ueraoua11v htt % tL.-- H.