The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-01-10


l think it is up to 'sLeo" to "Read 'em
up again."
"Leo" now comes to the only part of
my paper where he has the slightest
grounds for argument, namely, the as
sertion that "Christianity and its pre-
cepts are not taught today" 1 should
have qualified this statement to read,
"Christianity and its precepts are not
taught today in our modern fashion
able churches" This is what meant.
When you find the pure religion of
Christ proclaimed, it will be in some
small, unpretentious, out-of-the-way
church and not in the massive piles of
stone which are numerous in all our
large cities.
Thank God there are a few genuine
Christians in this sin stained world. I
have the honor of knowing just one
and this one is all that saves me from
believing Christianity a myth. Go
over your friends and acquaintances
0 reader and see how many you find.
[ must take issue with "Leo" on one
more point before forced to prove that
true Christianity is not taught to any
extent in the world today He says
that 1 stated that the Sisters of Char
ity spend their lives in dismal cloisters
because it is the will of Christ. This
l did not say; but 1 did say "because
she BELIEVES she is obeying the will
of Christ" And I for one honor her
for it. But Christ never taught that
such life was necessary or even right.
That is a part of a man-made creed.
[ stated also that the Christianity that
is taught today can be twisted and
turned to fit any occasion. 1 will cite
but one example familiar to all of us.
Forty years ago this country held
their fellow men as slaves. Oppres-
sion, cruelty, barbarism beyond belief,
was practiced and gloried in. What
did those who were scaled of God," do
in the face of this? Why they found
that the Bible specifically ordered slav-
cry and that it had the blessing OF God
and they preached this doctrine of
"divinely ordered state of things" Call
slavery right if you will, call it benefi-
cial to the white race of the South, call
it very comfortable and profitable, but
do not attempt to justify it by the
teachings Of Christ.
If the reconciling of the Christian
and the unbeliever is impossible as
"Leo" states, then Christianity is a
fraud. If God made this earth and its
inhabitants and laid down, through
Christ, plan of life to be followed
which is not practical or which we can
not follow, then an all wise God has
made a mistake and your whole fabric
falls. But if on the other hand Christ's
message and commands can be obeyed
and are not, then the fault lies with
man and not with God.
If more Christianity was preached
today and less theology the modern
preacher would not have to preach on
"Why does not the you ng man attend
church," and kindred subjects. Pos
sibly though the answer to that ques-
ton may be that the young man THINKS
and again, he may, foT six days in the
week, work for pillar OF the church
and his close association with one who
poses on Sunday as follower of the
NaZarene and the other six breaks all
the commands of his Master, may in
fiuence him.
When man comes to me and offers
to show me better life, comes to me
in the name of Him who condemned
but one sin, that of hypocrisy, he must
be better than | am, he must not
PREACH as much as DO. Ah, when
ministers of the Gospel and protesting
Christians will believe and act out
what they preach and profess, then in
deed will Christianity be success.
The fact that millions profess this or
that creed does not make Christianity
success. / tell you they are NOT
Christians any more than were the
Pharisees of old. If all or even the
majority of those protesting to follow
J Christ in the world today were true to