The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-09-28
A NEW RELIGION.

probable the paper opinion was strong
" REINFORCED by its experience witt
people having all the outward form o.
religion but none of its spirit.
The question arises, can there be estab
lished form of religion which is based
on honesty? And this leads to the coun
ter question can there be any true re
ligion which i not based on honesty
This of course is with reference to the
practice and feelings Of the individual
as every form of religion recognizes hon
esty rs the corner stone of religious prin
ciple though not insi sting upon its stric'
observance under penalty of being de.
barred from participation i'll the cere-
monials which the church has instituted.
1t becomes q question % conscience with
the individual with degree of respon-
sibility resting upon the.church TO make
tha3 conscience active.
With reference to church's duty the
question may be asked can honesty be
inculcated by condoning dishonesty We
pronounce as foolish any attempt by a
clergyman 70 root ont an evil which Is
firmly intrenched and which public opin-
ion not only toerates but suStains. Sc
it is. because the man attempting the
impossible ignores the possible BY per
forming the latter the other comes with
in the realm of possibility. 1t is the
means employed and not the purpose il
view upon which Judgment is proper
Some clergymen in this city have sought
10 stop the sale of liquor to minors. A
most commendable effort bnt attempted
in such bungling fashion as to ALLEVIATE
the support of those whose aid would be
efficient It was to begin with, an as
sault upon the liquor traffic III general
with legal procedure as one of the iustru-
ments employed The failure of states
in similar assaults did not admonish the
individual clergymen to proceed with
caution, and not to attempt that with
the small forces at his command which
had failei of accomplishment with pow
erful forces enlisted.
In the next place the clergymen had
uncon ciously allied themselves with
forces whose success would be less in the
line of reform than their defeat. In most
of these actions the animus is to punish
the saloonkeeper for refusal to give liu-
nor to drunkards I'D I'D u,m,. The worst
element, as a rule, uses the law under
the guise of morality against respecta-
bility, and the clergymen welded large
ly to form abet them and wonder why
taey are not sustained by public senti-
ment.
But this Is more by way OF Illustration
of the folly Of attempting the possible
and proper, by means which insure and
deserve defeat, than it is discussion of
religion with honesty in it.
Does n church condone dishonesty by
giving prominence in its membership to
those known to be dishonesty The soci
o,ogical question comes in to make more
intricate the question of morals. Is the
man who acquires wealth by shrewd ma
nipulation honest from the standpoint
of a man who desires to be honest him
salfy The man who has one standard Of
honesty for himself and a different one
for Others, is not honest and hence can
not define honesty, as honesty cannot be
defined except through feeling.
RUt there Is no need of fine distinctions
as to whatcons flutes honesty, with prac-
tees prevalent upon which there can be
no difference of opinion. If the church
deals with those and eliminates. TO the
extent OF It's power, what is confessedlv
and VIGOROUSLY dishonest, it may with
out neglecting plain duty deal with re-
fined distinctions
Is the man who will not pay his debts
honest There can be only one answer
to that question. Is the church which
gives him certificate of character in the
way of honorable distinction in its man
hStlltllt, lblitSt. As luuGI So Il the DllSl-
nesslnan who bears testimony to the good
character of the confidence man. who
thus is enabled 10 multiply the number
Of his victims, and fleece the confiding
But, it may be said in REPUTATION, the
businessman certificate carries with il
weight: membership in church does
not pass unchallenged as certificate of
character.
That is urging unworthiness as a plea
against responsibility 1t is the bank
rupts argument 1t is confession of
want of character.
1t will be said that the churchs func-
ton is to gather in those in need of NOR
al teaching. to strengthen them in good
resolution, to enable them to perceive the
difference between right and wrong and
to create in them a love for the good the
honest and the pure. A clear perception
OF duty Is essential to the performance
of duty. The church can do great deal
toward making people good But as it first