The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-17
AFTER STRANGE GODS
s4
United States Settling with
Theological Speculation
IS METHODISTS CREEDS
"HoIy Rollers" and Other Odd
Faiths of the Country

H J. Dam. NT.tlnS III the Sl. Lot"s nc
public says:
The United States, at the present time
is s,nnlv SETTLING with theological specu.
lation. 4 well-informed writer in the
Christmas Century calls it "a hot-bed Of
fanaticism.' The rapid advance of two
such widely separated faiths as Christian
Science and Dowieism the former already
boasting Of more than one hundred thou
sand thoughtful ard satisfied followers
shows the eager demand among the peo-
pie for new faiths: and TINS question is
not only an interesting but an important
one, whether it be considered from the
standpoint of the sociologist. the states
man or the church.
There are at present in this country 156
sub-denominations of the leading Chris
tan churches-eighteen different kinds OF
Methodists, for instance. and twelve dir
ferent kinds of Baptists. All these have
churches and pastors and are dosmatic-
ally distinct one from another, represent
ing i56 separate systems for the worship
of Cod and the attainment of heaven.
These are based upon the Bible.
Outside of them are 143 more organiza-
lions, independent OF one another, each
having churches and pastors and each ex-
pioring the eternal mysteries with the
DRY and a guide-book of its own. Any
one who writes for a magazine of gen.
eral circulation. upon topics of tran
ecendental or occult character will find
himself overwhelmed with a correspond
ence so extraordinary as TO be incredi-
BILE
The letters. weIl-written and well-ar-
gued. present views absolutely at vari
ance with the generally accepted results
of human experience. Each, however.
represents an organization. church and
a pulpit or prophet and as a class are
interesting and well worthy study.
Scientific men, when arguing with
Christian Scientists over the metsphysi-
cal and least important aspect of their
faith, have often wondered at their per-
sistence in certain claims, the unrelia-
bility OF the evidence of the senses for
instance, when this claim. if admitted
would seem to remove from the field the
whole physical universe, including Chris
tian Science and all things else. This
tenet is. not az alfvital TO the fundamental
principle OF Christian Science and from
present and historical evidence is likely
TO be abandoned in the course of time, as
the deeper principles develop and expand
The general law in the case is, however.
most curious 1t is only the incredible
which attracts. 1t is only the incredible
which succeeds
There seems to be 3 strange and wide
spread mental appetite for that which is
entirely foreign to and at variance with
our ordinary experience As children love
fairy tales. so The grown-up children Of
men, when they seek u new faith. are
best pleased with that which gives the
widest scope TO the imagination.
Present day instances Of this are many
and few will illustrate the entire class.
The followers of the Prophet Koresh.''
having their headquarters in Chicago,
ard more or less populous communities
elsewhere in the country would upset ell
our knowledge and well established ideas
of universe.
They believe that the earth is a sta
tionary concave cell. 5000 miles in dia-
meter, and that people, sun, moon and
stars are on The inside; that. in fact. we
live on the inside of the earth as upon
the inside skin of a hollow orange, the
sun, stars and planetary bodies occupying
the position Of the suspended pips, as it
were
they not only ardently believe this as
q class, but are very combative in main
tanning it. All suggestions of an astron-
omical. geograp hical or nautical charac-
ter are swept aside with contempt, if not
pity.
They have for ten years published a
weekly paper. The Flaming Sword. which
declares and supports this cosnosony.
and are ever making new converts.
\ perfect parallel to them exists in
London, where a similar organization.
with considerably more than a thousand
members. has long published a weekly
paper 10 prove that the earth is fat. the
American and European continents being
surrounded by a ring OF polar ice
Now no one can imagine the arguments
which are brought forward by these be
lieVers I'm support of their claims until
he attempts to combat them. He may
even be surprised and disguised on chal-
longing them without preparation 10 find
himself driven vanquisAed from the field.
They represent the well-known snares of
reasoning by deduction. Given any prop
osition whatever. our existing state OF
philosophical ignorance permits a very
good showing TO he made for it, however
absurd it may be.
Up in Canada are found many thou
sands OF Woodworking. God-fearing and
comparatively wealthy people OF the
farming class who are ever on the alert
for the appearance of Christ. Their Pc
culiar belief is that they must receive
Iiu, In \ state o< nature and tho Mount
ed Police though they do not share their
faith. are more eoncerned(a about the sec
ond coming than even the believers Them
selves.
The cry WAS raised one day last winter,
the women and men began 10 strip them
selves and sing hymns. and through three
inches Of snow and in the face OF an icy
wind thousand men and women en-
,ceiy naked troered northward over the
prairie. CRYING loudly and singing the
glory OF God
The police managed 10 get them hack to
their homes but their was achieved only
after hours OF struggle.
In August last the same thing occurred. +
nut in this case the police were assisted
oy many young men Of the town. These
people are all Russian settlers. who
brought their faith from Russia but the
boys. who have grown up in this country.
are abandoning it, Some of them were
so earnest as TO lay their whirs across
the naked backs OF their own mothers
and sisters and>drive them home. and
even aided in taking the prophets 10 /
jail
out in the farming district of Oregon i
ILL., p.