The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-31
X.
RELIGIOUS HUMBUGs.
(Continued.)

careful how I stir up this nest OF hum
bugs. for fear ] shall gt the genuine
mixed up with the useless insects. AS
rule most all religious organizations on
the face OF the earth have a lofty ambi-
ton; they are all aiming to higher life
and nearly all OF them think they are
living the very best life by which 90 reach
the heavenly home. but IL they would all
stop and analyze their modes OF worship,
their forms, etc. and their way OF set
Ting the affairs pertaining TO worldly
things, they would admit that there are
few humbugs buzzing around and making
lot OF noise in nearly every church So
ciety in Christendom.
Now, the kind OF religion that you and
\ are atrying To live-that Is, most on us
are trying TO abide by the early teach
lngs-is the religion OF our forefathers
that Is founded upon the rock that mas
stood the test OF over 1900 years, ana W.
needn't worry about any OF the moderL
isms destroying this foundation, Tor II u
the bed rock from which thousands upol
thousands nave gone up TO glory. IL J.
the kind OF religion that has chart.
enough to believe that our neighbor ha
the love OF God In his heart as much ar
we have. even II he doesn't bow the head
and bend the knee just as we do. Any
religion that cannot do that isn't wuth
a cent a ton-it isn't religion.
When Christ met the woman in sin, dld
he tell her 70 go and join Methodist
church. or Catholic church, or Chris
tian Science church, or any other church
so that she might be saved? He said
nothing OF the kind. He simply SAID
"Go and sin no more" Very simple Ian
guage, but n volume of meaning; 10 the
woman IL meant eternal life-it means the
same 10 YOU and I-"Go and sin no
more!" Don't worry about the founda|
ton.
Federation says. that any religion that
IL built on a foundation different from
this the old-fashioned kind, is nothins
but sand, that'il be washed away by the
floods OF common sense. quicker than ms
son Jonathan can turn handspring
Well. that doesn't matter, but the va
rious claims that are being set forth by
a class here and there, that they have
a special hold upon heaven, ana the
means of reaching the celestial city VIII
have just about as much Influence upon
this old rock foundation as the hrefies
and June bugs do upon the electric lights
OF our public streets. They swarm around
.h-ir wings are burned on. aid then they
fall 10 the ground, but the light burns
on. You see there is power behind the
lamp that keeps 18Th the name asoih 'ha'
Now, down here at Canterbury Centre,
where folks have been worshipping In
that old church more than lSO years,
where they have been honest in their
endeavors and have done lots OF
good when Parson Holden got up
and condemned the theatres as one
OF the gaudy avenues 10 perditton, ana
then sent forth an avalanche OF language
10 settle forever the question OF dancing
upon the face OF the earth. he invited
whole swarm OF humbugs into our church
that have been buzzing ever since more
or less The trouble with the churches
nowadays Is. they are chasing lot or
will-o-the- wisps that are so much swifter
than the churches, that hurry as much as
they will they are always In the distance
far ahead OF them.
Now. you take this theatre question, of
course there are vile theatres and bad
playhouses all over the world, but that
doesn't prove that there are not some
good theatres and some good playhouses,
for there are. Why. we can even pick out
some men In our own church societies,
that prove to be veritable devils but that
doesn't prove that there isn't any good In
the church. for the church Itself will al
ways remain good regardless OF how
many men may depart from that good
ness Now, say TO any minister, high or
low, don't condemn the theatre until 1t
ought TO be condemned. You can hurl all
tho epithets that you please at the evils
that are in the theatre or anywhere else,
but don't condemn a profession which
calls for labor that wins many millions
OF dollars a year for the feeding OF little
mouths. thousands OF them, and these
children just as dear TO their actor par
ents as yours or mine are to u.s.
When / reach down I'm my strength and
bigotry and take the bread away from
hungry child that was earned by simply
acting a drama, II will be when ! develop
a different conception of my duty here on
earth than have yet.
why, when Parson Holden went n pull
ing away at the theatres right and left,
and spent a whole hour at IT, he never
once thought that he was depicting. in
II .l..N
drama He pictured the people In the
upper chamber at Jerusalem. Paul's jour
ney 10 Rome along the Appian Way, and
portrayed the terrors OF the arena I'm
such glowing language that he held up
before his audience a perfect amphithea-
tire OF the olden time with their gladiato-
rial contests. Then he showed how those
horrors had been done away with and
better things had taken their place 1T
was a striking story. well told, and the
drama was az complete as any ever por-
trayed upon the stage OF any playhouse.
The only difference was ne preached the
drama and took the place OF all the act
ers. while. upon the stage they play the
drama where there are Individual actors
for each part. Now, what is the real vital
difference?
The latter makes ~ more attractive be-
cause you can see the actors. while I'm the
sermon you ina gfne them, but the hon.
esty OF each is the same endeavor 10 en-
fertaiu and picture real life Did you ever
think OF that3
What we All need is a little more char
ity. III the Methodist. and Congregational.
and Baptist. and every other denomins-
ton on top OF the earth would spend
more time In trying 10 improve every con-
dition OF society as they find II, instead OF
trying 10 bury Il out Of sight. they would.
md more converts than they have ever
round before. and they would successfully
perform Their mission on earth.
human nature has demanded from the
time the world began, n history is honest.
mat entertainnent In the way OF the
drama or something that may be put
down under that name. must be had. We
must be entertained even n II be by moth
Ing more than listening TO the music OF
tho forest
II we can see. we are sometimes sat-
khed by viewing the landscape. and see-