Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-02-06
Would Free Thinkers Make
This Dream Come True ?
BY BISHOP WARREN A. GAMBLER.

letter TO a number of it's sub
scribers inGuiriuE What would
you substitute for the Bible as moral
guide?" quite a variety of answers
came back and some of them have
been published.
Both the question proposed and the
replies given are very interesting.
Generally the people who egotistical-
ly call themselves "free-thinkers," as
II they only exercised freedom OF
thought. are a destructive set always
bent on pulling down sacred things
but never undertaking to set up any
thing for the moral welfare of man
kind. II is interesting therefore to
observe them when they attempt some
thing constructive. When the icono-
clast turns 10 a builder the world may
look out for something rich and
racy.'
In this case It is worthy of remark
that the "free-thinkers," who have de-
claimed so grandiloquently ias to the
ability Of unaided human reason to
point out a proper pathway in life,
now seem to feel that some additional
moral guide" is required. They are
evidently making progress.
But let US see what, IL any. moral
guide" they can agree upon? It is just
at this point their case develops itself
In it's most interesting phase. They
= agree upon nothing. No two of them
propose the same moral guide" and
not one of them fails to make him
self ridiculous. Here are some of their
answers to the question.
One "a learned judge says: The
sense of justice" But will his honor
kindly inform US to whose sense of
justice" he refers. The sense of JUS
81 %
human beings. and to make of the
sense of justice" a moral guide is as
foolish as to undertake to determine
a level by laying "a bench line" in the
north wind.
An ex-preacher says: "If any one
believes a substitute for the Bible is
necessary, let IL be the Leaves Of
Grass by Walt Whitman" This Nebu-
chadnezzar has evidently gone to
grass. Omitting to consider fits obvi-
Gus moral blemishes that are conspic-
uous on its every page. Walt Whit
mans Leaves of Grass" at best is
nothing but individualism gone mad,
and like Adam and Eve in Paradise
(minus their innocence) IL is naked
and not ashamed"
A free thinking editor writes ''Substi-
tute the teachings of science" Which
science? Or, does he mean all of the
sciences? II all of them are meant
what are we to do for a moral guide,
while we are engaged in the endless
task of mastering them? In those mat
tiers about which the scientists disa-
gree how shall we know the one who
is most worthy of our confidence? Has
this editor yet learned the sciences,
ard If not. what moral guide has led
him safe thus far?"
A doctor says: Education" Now
that is like a doctor to give a p-escrip-
ton the contents of which neither he
nor anybody else understands.
Another sapient sinner prescribes
common sense'-an article which he
evidently does not keep in stock. or he
would have had sense enough to know
that II is neither adequate to the end
proposed, nor common enough to be of
general use in our world. even If 1t
were equal to the requirements OF a
safe moral guide
Another proposes: Select from an
cient and modern custom what Gull
tured reflection approves" Who Is TO
compile a body of rules from ancient
and modern custom?" When customs
conflict what rule is to determine the
choice of even cultured reflection"
Surprising such a compilation could be
agreed upon by all the men and wo-
men in the world who are capable Of
cultured reflection" what is to be-
come of the great majority of people
who have neither time, talent, nor dis
posItion for either culture or reflec-
ton?
An eclectic philosopher advises: Let
us have the best of Zoroasaer.
Buddha, Homer, Zeno and Jesus"
There now is a proposition Tor you!
Such a combination of acids and aka
lies is here proposed as would explode
any system into which 1t might be
poured even though 1t were bound
around with hoop iron.
Another says: Brains Can he
furnish the article in sufficient guam
tity to meet his own needs, not TO
speak of wants of the vast multttudes
that must go through life short of that
excellent commodity? But, further is
the worlds want OF intelligence the
explanation Of its immortality? On the
contrary is Il not fact that our con-
sciences upbraid us for not doing as
well as we know? Is it not a fact that
immortality and intelligence are often
found remarkably developed in the
same individual? Have the worlds
greatest sinners been its biggest fools?
How about that monster, Napoleon, for
example?
A man named Steiner suggests
treason and experience" He seems
to overlook the fact that mans chief
need Of a moral guide arises from the
insufIiciency of human reason to direct
his steps before he has by some fatal
experience lost his way. 1t is Haw-
thorne who sadly afiirms, mo man
has any experience of his own nor can
he use the experience of others until 1t
is too late" This wise observation is
commended to the consideration OF
Steiner.
A dean somebody answers: "A scien-
tific encyclopedia, compiled by men ike
. Spencer and Huxley" No proposal
, could be more wise unless it might be
a proposal that all newly born infants
should he commanded to escape the
perils Of the teething period by care
fully meuloriz.ag Webster's unabridged
dictionary.
Last OF all comes one Alexander
Wright ard says Spencer's Data OF
Ethics" This is TO propose as "A
moral guide" a heavy abstract philoso
phical treatise that many of the
learned cannot understand, and which
when clearly understood is perceived
to rest on false psychological prem
Uses.
And these are the substitutes offered
to our perplexed, SHINING, suffering
and sorrowi,,g Humanity, that steady
clear light under which the worlds
noblest institutions and highest civil
cation have been built Up. 1t is rea-
sonable to suppose these free-thinktng
gentlemen have done their best, and