New-York tribune., 1902-12-15
REPLIES TO ARCHBISHOP FARLEY

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir. \ news item headed Declares Protestant
ism Dead" appeared in your paper a few Gays ago
and it has caused the writer OF this letter conslo
erable thought According to this article F'oniai
Catholic prelate is quoted saying, There are
fifty millions who do not set foot WITHIN d 0H' III
from one end of the year to the other-
Let us take up this statement, and see no" hlOOi
value is attached to it, 1t must be granted that d
large proportion of people do not attend ol'liie SCI
vices but does ii necessarily follow that theSe p
sens have entirely abandoned their peheL III ie
lieion and become heather? Can one say thdt dO
sence from service marks you as SINNER NlU
tr11e worship is only fully understood by coniiii
cantso Does mere attendance at church ACT "
safeg1ard furnishing the devotee with some my
teal power by which he or she may De ,,,t :,
OWL v,avs? Might it not be possible that nlioHS
outside Of the pale of the church still retain
little shark of righteousness which may De NIL
died into flame? ,,,-
To-day yesterday and hundreds OF years 90 80
people have attended houses OF worship out ~ Lail
we believe that they are were in any degree
ha++ar than the conscientious, God loving, peace
abiding human beings who remained aI ~ ~,
History repeats itself Conditions nave Oeeii liou-
fed but always has there existed a suusse Oe
tween free thought and theological dogma ana
always will there be a conflict between these TWO
forces. , l.,
Another utterance of the reverend gen'i~eiieII ~ =
omen to criticism: 1T is harder to MI the chuLce9
other than Catholic than 1t was whle we ma.
L.,,a fa1t = reaction among their members ana
disr,In+.ons from differences concerning creed nave
resulted but in the main no great har1n mas oeeI
done Numerically speaking. the membership HS'
has suffered, but this is TO be expected III an -
Of rnaterialistic tendencies. Soon trouble VIII oe
rr-idzal and the wrongs will be righted ana d
new expurged religion the outgrowth OF the pres
ent Nothing succeeds like progress anu me
minds of progressive people must undergo rdulcai
change II is this scepticisrn that has caused nlui
! a
which thev do not believe. A new view OF tie
situation IS presented when we look at II IN ''S
light and the non-church attendants are "o1 1o1
deraned so severely ,r,
We are glad to feel that millions OF souls glory
In the faith of their fathers, and thus tilious
.ho necessary element-faith-a giant structure mas
haan converted out of Catholicism us encouf-
aoIrg that a vast army has been supplied with
,InVas in the minds OF its adherents desire %
i've nobler lives The inestimabe service VI WLtlS "a
iarge is admitted by ali candid people live
Iii an tbaS share different opinions in regard TO
roStars IoiS of creed Outside Of the Roman Chqrch
nf0 seems more Impossible than an attempt to
road Furthermore, they claim Justly a snare .@ OF
Gods mercies The Hebrews sPeu ba chosen peopie
d aTI a, With emphasis they claim that their faith Is
IriII thew give support. Who will say that theF
are Iarv Of the other great religions including
.bese of +he Orient would quantity bring forth the
saT7e res1l-each one right. and all the others
,I--onr And what TO be done to decide IhlS
enigma? Is it right for one Of certain sect TO
cial that he knows from intuition that ms IS the
t,,a ,a+b ~ saliva ton. and Jnat from Almgnty
Cod ali authority passes TO his chgrch! me
learned Clergyman spoken Of has stated that such
u Is Professionalism dead? Well hardly; but II II
u,are ro one sect would gain from ITS de:nlse-
Tr11Iy we need both factions in this Woridorrot
lstan+isn, and Catholicty, and one would De Ione-
- [jt,o1It the other Nv friend. Mr. Pardo
5iease do not revive this creed question again put
,T,cr+ hat
tates of a right conscience and bring TO mlnd the
words of kpling:
And those that good shall be nappE'
LIE down for aeon or two,
TIL the Master of all good Workrnen
Shall set TO work anew
ARTHUR THOMAS DYSON.
No 1ss Washington-ave. The Bronx, Dec. o, 1907