Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-02
49..4.s.t.9.99 .s.S.3-3. 3.S.93
tFor Sunday Reading. !
Al Sorts Of Opinions. !
Infidelitx.

! Editor Public Opinion. Reading
in your August number the criticisms
of William II. Stead against Rev. Reu-
ben A. Tolrey calls to mind this gen.
eral rule to judge infidelity by namely:
whenever you find a man in his
prime, say twenty-five to fifty years,
of age, moral, upright, liberal, gener-
Gus. kind, law abiding, honest and
pure, and an fnfidel, you can put your
finger on man reared by a pious,
Christian, God-'believfng, God-fearng
and God-serving father and mother.
one or both, or backsider from some
church" The children raised and
taught infidelity from their youth or
infancy UP never make men possessed
with the attributes and character above
mentioned. 1t has been my privilege
to see several instances as above. and
they were all as above stated without
on exception. w. H. OAKLEY.
Port Townsend. Wash.
The Exclusion of the Unitarians.
To the Elditor Of The Sun: Sir: Toll
Grant readers of the article in yes
terday's Sun on the exclusion of the
Unitarian delegates from convention
of federated religions, soon to be held,
must, according to their individual
temperamemts. have been amazed. dis
gusted or amused. 1t is safe to say
they were unanimous in considering 1t
a most ridiculous incident.
Freedom of belief is today so much q
matter of course, and religious intol-
erance so antiquated that thinking
persons cannot but look with some
thing of surprise at such a show of
narrowness. such an outcropping of
nonsense, as the action of the doubt
less we'll meaning committee who app
proved the measure displays. There
is suggestion of mediaevalism about
such an act that accords LII with twen-
tieth century ideas.
do not know what may be the con-
stitution of this excellent federl ion,
but it seems beyond comprehension
that there can he anything objection
able In the Unitarian doctrine-as
there is avowedly nothing objection
able In the eminent men chosen to
represent it-that could warrant such
a procedure.
When shall we learn that the only
true religion lies not In a subscription
to the mumbled formula of a creed -
not in the acceptance of this outworn
dogma, or of that: but is individual
and subjective, and springs from a
purely personal conception of divine
power? IRWIN SPEAR.
New York, Oct. IA.
To the Editor Of The Sun.-Sir: The
action of the executive committee OF
the Federation of Churches organized
on an alleged basis of breadth and in
clusiveness in a united effort to uplift
society, in excluding Unitarian dele
cation consisting of Edward Everett
Hale, John D. Long and President Eliot
Of Harvard, will be widely and deeply
pondered by independent thinking men
DESTROYS of the welfare of their fell
lows.
am of no church, but know that
a large majority Of the great names
of our country, in craftsmanship, in
literature and in philanthropy, have
been Of the Unitarian belief. The foun-
der of Christianity said: by their
deeds We shall know them" these fed
Grated churches have improved on that,
and say: by their creeds We shall
know them" While they would re-
ceive with open arms any of the emf
nent Christians bringing orthodox Gre
dentials, who have been robbing pol
icy holders and the public, they have
no room for such man as Edward
Everett Hale.
1t is this sort Of thing that repels
men from churches, and I doubt not
this act will lead many young man
of high principles, generous enthusiasm
and broad sympathies to resolve never
to hamper himself by any connection
with the sort Of bigotry shop capable,
individually or collectively, of such
action. ONE.
Washington, Oct. 10.