The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-02
Free-ThfnkerS.

Inc editor OF a bohemian publIcatlOn
called --ktJ-Kats-' who bears the classical
name OF Addison Steele has been tax
ing 10 task the people who call them
selves free-thinkers- He claims that they
are not free thinkers at all, but very one
sided and HliberaI folk. unwilling to see
any good in any creed except the one
which they happen TO have taken TO them
selves Moreover. he asserts that not only
are they rot free. hut they are not think
ers in the strict meaning Of the word
He claims that they accep- without hest
tation pIatitudes which th-y either do not
understand or can un5 ersrand without
any effort at all. and thus cultivate men
tai Iaziness and fail prey TO Christian Sci
ence and all manner of Illogical dosnas-
There IS some truth in all this. though
it is rather a sweeping indictment TO bring
against a considerable part Of the popu-
Iation Of this Republic It Is quite true
THAI many people make their exit from
the oId-fashIoned orthodox churches only
20 tumble into the net OF some new sect
which IS quite as unreasonable in its
teachings as the bluest Calyjnist OF the
oIdea time. and a good deal less logical.
for there is this to be said for the follow
ers CT the cId-time orthodoxy: starting
where they did on the ground OF the TO
tai deprayity Of human nature the theory
that an offence committed against an in
finite being deserved i1fnfte punishment
and all the rest OF the lese-ma5 este doc
trlnes followed IS a matter Of course
They were good reasoEers. these old-tiIne
.he9!ogians, and the intTicacics of their
specuIations. which they called truths,
doubtless was good exercise for the hu-
man brain. as 5he sternness of their creed
was fairly good discipline for the human
viii that could stand it. Some freak
secs OF today demand quite as mach blind
faith as Jonathan Edwards ever did. ana
do not afford half as much mental dlscip-
line as his sermons do.
Again there is good deal OF intoIer-
ance among the champions Of tolerance
and some narrowness among those who
ostensibIy advocate IL. raIiyy. It is not
a proof Of breadth OF mind to read noth-
ing bat Paine ard Ingersoil. any more
than it is to read nothing but church
newspapers The real free-thiuker does
not reject truth anywhere that he may
happen 10 ind il
This Is d time when the honest doub, CT.
in and out Of The church. Is apt 10 be per
picked and troubled about The right
course 10 follow Good people who stlH
adhere TO the old forms Of belief VIII
tell him 10 stay in the church. and be-
lievc as much as he can. in the hope
that he may come 10 believe II all They
do not seem to see that such a course
Involves mental dishonesty. How can
4 man stand up and repeat the Apostles.
Greed. when he does not believe in Two
Of It's main points? On the other hand.
is he bound. in refusing to accept The
creed as II is. to reject the whole OF
Christianity. and deny that the church IS
doing good? The latter extreme course
may be ignorant, but it is honest in
many cases.
What IS really neeIed is some sort Of
ground On which all honest and conscfen-
tioUs thinkers can meet. and agree TO dis
agree. If this is 10 be found. il VIII not
DO for the free thinkers 10 refuse TO hear
or read arguments on The other side. still
less viii II do for them 10 grow sluggish
and. lazy in mental habits Il is their
business 10 sift the evidence. TO answer
the arguments, TO find a foundation for
the creed Of the future Men must believe
something obviously. it is best that thew
should believe what Is true. and seek for
more truth. The facts viii not be changed
by their mistakes; God cannot be offended
by Ignorance but the condition. mental
moral. and physical. Of humanity is very
directly affected BY il II every man will
frankly state what ne knows and does not
know, and never pretend TO Il jot more
knowledge than he possesses. The prob
lem viii be greatly sim2lihed-