The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-20
XIV
HUMBUGs OF AGNosTTCrsM.
tContinued.)

HUMBUGs OF AGNosTTCrsM.
tContinued.)
Don't talk to me about not believing
anything that you don't fully understand
and can't put your hand onr' says TO
federation the other day. Such talk IL a
disgrscs to your family and an insult to
an the generations that have COMO before
and have handed down q good name 70
you. Don't you know that you are respon-
sible to your children for such language?
You earned yosrr wheat last fall and put
Il into the barn without q murmur. Yet
you don't know any more about that lit
tia secret that operates down there IN the
soil that makes the seed germinate than
you know what makes the planet Mars
noat around in space without any OF your
assistance. n you think thS Creator OF
your body and soul is going 10 give you
all OF hts secrets you are mistaken. He
knows ~ well az do that II you knew
very much more about some things that
there would be no such thing as living
with you"
We've lived together more'n thirty
years now, and brought up a sixable fam
ily. and we've tried to make them an o.
narnent to society under q religious train
Ing. But now liberation, their nather.
who has been a member OF the Congre-
gHtional church at Westminster over
since we was married he don't know
whether MS best 70 know something or
nothin' during the rest OF his life. Just
simply because ne likes tho sound Of the
word Agnostic. and having his neighbors
know that he IN a real liberal thinker
He's got into this notion by listening 10
arguments and taking thcm for granted
without looking into the real truth that
underiies them. Bat n doesn't make any
difference what he thinks. I've got duty
to perform 30 our children, and I'm goin'
10 perform II ~ have to encounter Satan
himself
Yesterday I SAYS TO federation. saws 7.
A man might tell you that there wasn't
any such planet aioatin' round I'm space
as Venus because tho Devil had got mad
and kicked II out OF the Solar system. and
you might be fool enough to believe II ~
YOU was too stubborn 70 look up into
the heavens some bright night. when Won
could see II as plain as the nose on your
face" 80
It's a mans muleishness that makes an
aSnosdc out OF him. when he can't see
any longer the beauties OF nature and the
grandeur Of the handiwork OF the Al
mighty, and refuses to recognize his own
capacity 70 read the possibilities OF the
ruture life, in short forgets that he's a
human being endowed with an Immortal
soul. which Is within his being as much
az bis hsaT fs; then II Is when he en-
braces agnosticism which Is loaded with
caustic so powerful that II burns out the
eyes OF every other mans soul who lis
tens long enough 10 hear what he he
lleves TO be the song OF some enchanting
siren, but In reality Is the rlImblines OF a
dtecordant life, which some kind ~
steam piano IL playing under the maninu
lation OF the devil himself It's the easiest
way TO hell that know OF and I'm not
talRlhg or fire and birthstone now Don't
take everything for granted, for II YOU do
you wont know where you are.
n rev days ago, one OF our neIghbors
vas 'aIking ABOUT Jacob gettln ell OF the
ring' streaked and striped cattled that
should De born that year. and that nearly
all were striped because he put colored
Dousns In the water where the cattle
urank' thereby causing the strange re-
suit. Twas Mandy Jenkins and she was
tellin' In TO Ruth Heminway. When she
got through. Ruth said she didn't believe
there was any such story I'm the Rible
She knew there wasn't. But Mandy knew
better! and said shed find II for her
But Ruth was stubborn and said she knew
she got II all out of comic almanac
ana that was all there was to IL.
suppose Mandy had taken II for granted
that Ruth was right without trying 10
prove her side of the argumentp Then the
comic almanac would have been the IN
strument In the hands OF Satan to work
out another OF his nefarious lies Rut
tne chapter was found. and he had TO
crawl into the dark
| was telling liberation ahou, 4, a.,
the way OF an illustration, and I saws 70
him. says l. The fact that Ruth didn't
beileve there was any such narrative I'm
the Bible didn't alter the fact and her
confidence In somebody's else statement
would have shown that she had a kernel
or faith In her make up that would prove
oi Value to her when subjects Of greater
importance should be brought up'
Wen, says he, 'it's pretty hard work
to believe implicitly everything that is
told and written down IN books want
something tangible. When 7 buy a horse
| want To see the animal IN nv harm he
fore I'm satisfied that I'm the owner OF
him. notvithSanding I've paid down. the
money"
In other words" saws r; you don't
believe you've been elected TO the general
assembly, and won't believe it until YOU
find yourself arguing before the house
January In that marble building on the
hill"
20. Well that's different" SAYS he "of
course | know I'm elected
I'D like 10 know how YOU know it7"
says T.
why, because the town authorities
have notified me of my election" saws he
We'll" says |, you've got 20 take
their word for u the same as you have
the word OF God that you're To have
eternal life. II YOU are M for it Now.
do YOU suppose YOU can afford 10 have
more confidence IN the town clerk than
YOU should have in the word of the Al
mighty Father OF the Universe?"
Now, II you'll stick to the question"
says he, "as they say In the house OF
representatives. l can talk with ye but
n you're going To mix religion and poll
tics up together Amt got anything more
TO say"
Il amt mixin' up nothing" says l.
ANY rule that won't work both ways
ain't wuth following. Why don't YOU
practice your agnostic nonsense on town
and other temporal affairs. which YOU
can't swear 20 and don't know any moro
about than you do The hereafter until
YOU have entered into The actual expert
ence This having a. mountain or faith