Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-04

gain of the Methodist Episcopal church
since 1884, a period of seventeen years
Is ], 100, 600 souls, or 450, 900 more than the
entire accumulation of the Congrega-
tional denomination or the Protestant
Episcopal church in $50 years. That is
the way we are declining. A few more
such periods of decline as we have
had the last seventeen years will divide
Protestant Christianity in the United
States into two halves-the Methodist
Episcopal church and all the rest of it.
This is no boast. 1t is a simple state
ment of provable facts, and l feel called
upon to make it because OF the Oft
repeated assertion that the Methodist
Episcopal church is losing ground.
A NEvER-ENDING DISCUSSION.
New York Sun.l
Discussion of the question of the inn
mortality of the soul is never quoted
among correspondents. That is always
the enc subject to which the greatest
number of them give attention.
So 1t has been in all times with serf-
ously thoughtful men, tho, as Professor
Rudolf Eucken remarks in an article in
the Forum from which we made a brief
quotation the other day, the hopeless
ness of modern pessisimism is tending
to produce a reaction toward the hope
fulness OF religion. Men crave belief in
some compensation for the disappoint-
ments and inequalities Of this existence
in an existence to come. Their sense of
justice rebels against n fate Of complete
extinction COMMON to both the noble and
the ignoble.
Mr.. Goodwin Smith, in a notable letter
recently. expresses this feeling, yet he
leaves the whole question OF immortal
lily in doubt. He goes no further than to
express his disposition to "demur to the
assumption that physical development is
the end, as well as to the assumption
that nothing Of which our bodily senses
are not cognizant can be true"
Nor can mere philosophy go further.
From the time of Plato and Socrates 1t
has made no advance SO far as concerns
that mystery. The riddle of the universe
is as Impossible of solution by the hu-
man intellect as by the microscopic
atom which is the seat OF the marvel
lous active intelligence of the ant.
Why. then, Is it worth while to discuss
The subject at all? But it will be dis
cussed SO long as man remains on the
earth. and the more the less he has OF
The religious faith on which alone can be
founded any positive belief or nope IN
the Immortality of the soul
Religion gets its vitality from mat un-
conouerable desire and aspiration in the
human heart. This life is the province
of philosophy; the life to come is an ex-
istence into which only religious faith
can assume to peer.
BY WATER AND ON PROBATION.
IOelwein Register.]
It is pleasant to observe the unity and
good fellowship existing between the
nastors and people of the various
ohurches of Oelwein. How good and
how pleasant it is for brethren to dweii
together in unity" Time was, and not
so many years ago.. when churches put
In about as much energy in contention
among themselves as they employed In
fighting against the enemy of mankind.
IN this city and in many others as well
thew have learned better, and reserve
their weapons to be, used against evil. 1t
does not cut so much figure in these
DAYS which church n IS a prolhei
or a brother-in-law of: the thing mos'
essential is tina a man Is a Christlah
gentleman with all that implies. The
following story is Illustrative Oh the
rood fellowship between pastors.
a good Methodist and a good Baptlst
clergyman got to telling dreams 10 eacn
other one night at a church sociai. !
dreamed I was in heaven n saw ho
Rantists there" remarked the Metho-
dist. II INQUIRED where they We're ano
was answered, they have not arrived
get. they're coming by water. !
req med.n retorted the Baptist, that
NO., IN heaven and saw no
there. Upon inquiry I was told they
were all outside the walls on SIX mon'hs
probation"
rho Salvation Army reports 1000 as
roo;at;ons in f~orty-saven countries, win
a. effactive force of $4,000 officers.
The attorney general OF Mlnnesola iias
ruled that the use OF the Lora 5 piasel
in public schools is prompted Wy en'
state constitution.
Rev. Doremus Scudder or Boston
started this week for Japan, where ne
viii spend a year preparing for mission
arv work among the japanese In the
Sandwich islands.
A Christian Chinaman declares mat IN
the city of Foochow and suburbs there
are i .oOo, 600 persons who spend annually
or rites connected with idolatry the sum
of 81. 900, 600.
Able stephen, who left the Roman
|catholic church after distinguished
studies at the Propaganda, has recently
teen received into the ranks ~ The cier-
ey of the Church of England.
The Christian Endeavor World states
that there are nearly 10000 negroes
IN the United States who are entirely
disconnected with churches, and most
If them can neither read o write.
Gar Nicholas has advised the with
drawal of the edict of accommodation
against Count Leo Tolstoi by the head
Of the Greek church, and as the church
depends largely upon the imperial favor
for its revenues the request will proba-
bly, be granted.
If you want some Just as good" i
make 1t myself remedy, try an imita-
ion Rocky Mountain Tea. Twill make
you sick and keep you sick. . Mcbride
Is Will Drug Co.
--Srs.