The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-12-05
Redistribution.

instructive. The singing Was Ne'1
good, and Rev. Holman pTeacneu
an excellent sermon-excellent DC
cause of its sound commonsense
and frankness. Have you noticed
that when a preacher throws OH
creed, and talks right out just what
is in his heart, neither knowing or
caring whether what he says IS
orthodox, that he breaches wellF
He does it every time, if there is IN
him material for sermon.
Mr.. Holman said he would not
want to live in community where
all the inhabitants belonged to the
same religious denomination; II
ever he found himself in COM
munity of that kind he would leave
it as quickly as possible. The
thought behind that is that when
ever a denomination gets to be very
strong it wakes narrow and 1ntoler-
ant. That has always been the
case in the past, and it is probable
that human nature is not yet fully
regenerate.
But Mr.. Holman also said that it
did not make any difference, as at
fecting salvation, which denomlna-
ton one belonged to. On the tace
of it that looks like a contradiction,
because the first statement argues
the necessity of denominations and
the second one, their uselessness.
It is not contradiction, though.
Denominations are human inven-
tons. Until quite recently each
was very certain-had a "testl-
mony" in fact-that it had a mo-
nopoly on truth, grace and saliva
ton. Knowing itself SO endowed,
each, with great zeal and vigor,
sought a monopoly of temporal
power, as we'll; for, who could pos
sibly be so richly equipped to man
age this world as candidates-elect
for the government of the next? A
keen ambition to superintend this
world, and a pious enthusiasm to
build up the kingdom Of heaven
have heretofore been equally char"
acteristic of all denominations.
Upon occasions, religious sects have
exercised almost absolute temporal
power, and in every case the reign
was marked by cruelty and bigotry.
From which it is argued that many
denominations, as they serve to pre-
vent any denomination from getting
too big, are good things in the world.
AS one by one, the denominations
have begun to lose hope of monop-
olizing temporal power, they have
come to more and more clearly per-
ceive the danger of it, especially, as
they discern from past experience
that denominations, having secured
temporal power, were ten times
bitterer against the people of other
denominations than against the un-
UNCONVENTIONAL.
With abatement of denomina.
tlona1 zeal for, temporal power, has
come broadening of religious view
Advanced thinkers are daily com
ing to a more realizing sense of the
tact that no denomination has a
monopoly On truth, grace and SAL
walton; that God can and does work
independently of denominations
that love is the supreme and all.
embracing virtue; that the spirit is
everything, the letter nothing. Yet,
denominations are useful, in a hu.
man sense, to protect humanity
from his own imperfections. So
Mr.. Holman was logical as we'll as
candid.
From his discourse may be de.
duced some benevolent truths, not
the least of which is this: In past
time, it has been the habit of the
denominations to divide the so-called
Christian world into two great
classes, religious and irreligious
How false and unjust such sweep
ing classification is, we NAV NOT
say, but that it is false and unjust
there can be no question. Mr..