The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1901-03-16
D4 COSZA'S STUPID Talk.

Leveque, editor of The Harlequin,
administers severe, but deserved,
rebuke to the Rev. DIR. r. B. Da
Costa, a religious bigot who lee
tured before the Winter School of
New Orleans. DR.. Da Costa is re-
porten to have said among other
stupid things that "Protestanism is
intellectually bankrupt" 1t is sur
prising that a man who claims to be
intelligent should have made so
foolish an utterance. No creed has
a monopoly of the worlds intellec-
,ual supply. There are brainy men
in all the churches. No church.
man with a modicum of sense be-
Iicves that the church to which he
processes allegiance possesses all
the virtue and wisdom of creation.
1t is only the imbecile who is vain
enough to be fattered by the
ediotic talk of DR.. Da Costa. 1t
appeals solely to ignorance and
prejudice. 1t finds no place in the
heart of the sincere Christian the
very essence Of whose religion is
opposed to bigotry and fanaticism.
Sincere and reputable clergymen of
all the creeds, who are engaged in
preaching the word of God and
teaching man to live righteously,
are not called upon to disgrace
their high calling by STOPPING 20
the low level of the common mud
singer. In the language of the
street Da Costa has made 'bad
break" and the Winter School has
been most unfortunate in having
him as one Of it's lecturers.
The editor of The Harlequin re
plies to DR.. Da Costa in the follow
ing Enthusiastically forceful style:
Now, hereditarily 1 am or ought to be 8
Roman Catholic, and the chiefest pride
have in this dear old city is that Gentle and
Jew, Roman Catholic and Protestant live
together amiably, without friction, with
out reproach, without revilement, like
S dsia chr hamsn Rs"ss Amel es i'm
very spirit in that each grants the othe'
the right of their convictions without sc
much as discussion. I have seen suct
splendid men as LeuCnt, the Dfalny ngn
here of the religious world OF the Jews
Sessums, brilliant of intellect, character ane
speech: the compassionate. big-hearteG
noble Janssens, in verify prince; DR.. Pal
mer whose illustrious fame is known
throughout continent-these and others
have seen sit together when this community
was in distress, mingling with their fellow
citizens of all creeds and denominations ir
| the kindliest courtliness and fellowship
each rejecting equal honor on his particu
lar faith, each inspiring his followers will
renewed respect for the nobility of true re
ligion, whatever the religion-and did Their
occur one word suggesting rancor between
one religion and another? But, truth t.
say, there was no intellectual bankruptcy
here as there is strong evidence there
is in the case of Rev. DIR. Da Costa
These gentlemen of the church represen
good storehouses of gray matter, an
they realize that the world is at best
in spite of our smiles and tears, a very Sc
! rious proposition, and that there is not ST
much wealth of brain on any hand that
| really wise man can have any time in tn
course of life to be reviling and mailing
ming the faiths and the in,ellects of thei
= fellows. Besides they know past all doubt
ing that whatever else may be the Offices {
a man o God, one of them is not adding t
, the wor Ids rancor and bitterness. There
enough of that. The politicians and "
who scribble take care of the supply.