Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-04
TRIAL OF CHRISTIANITY.

In a recent article written by the
Rev. Philip s. Moxon, D. D., on "The
Trial Of Christianity" he says that it
Is not Christ nor his teachings that
is on trial, but the spurious Christian
ity which leaves human society still
the prey Of greed and wicked oppres-
sion. To the question, Why are the
people, in increasing numbers, drifting
away from the church? he answers:
Because they have begun to suspect
the genuineness of a religion which
finds profit in the practical denial Of
its own primary principles. In innum-
cradle instances. protested Christians
are the chief exploiters Of their fellow
men for gain, and the chief supporters
of political corruption"
The alticle was written and pub
lished before the closing of the doors
of the Real Estate and Trust company
in Philadelphia. But following right
after 1t comes the suicide of President
Nipple Of that institution, man who
said he had no faith in men who smok-
ed cigars and chewed tobacco. At the
same time he was specializing with
other peoples money, posing as a
model of holiness and Systematically
falsifying the books of the bank, ac-
cording to the findings of the receiver.
Dr. Moxon's conclusion as to the
reason Of the drift away from the
church Is in measure true, but not
all men will agree with him that the
drift Is the result of a suspicion of the
genuinness Of the religion. Neither
are they surprised when they know
that certain men who are protesting
Christianity are living lives far from
the teachings of Christ. Men do not
object to hypocrites In the church half
as much as is preached about. That
Is often set UP as straw man and
knocked down But men do become
disguised with churches that cater to
men Of the Nipple stripe No one
asks that the church doors be closed
upon Them but let them humble them
selves with the rest of the sinners 1t
is the fact that men are compelled to
bow down and worship such men as
Nipple, who pose as of the holy Of
holes that make men, not suspicious
of the religion, but disguised with the
manner in which affairs are administ-
cred in its name.
So 1t ii not the fact that such men
are In sghe church, that cannot be
helped, but it is the place they are
given, the liberty they are given to
Cypress others under the cloak Of be-
ing recognized and given the O. X.
of the church as the embodiment Of
all that is good and holy. Such men
should be In the rank with the meek
and the lowly who come to the church
in search for merciful God to forgive
their sins instead Of for the purpose Of
plundering the people who trust them
The question may be asked as to
how such men are to be known, and
the statement made that 1t is all kept
from the public until the crash comes.
There is nearly always some one who
knows, and as a rule he tells enough
people to find out that the answer is,
"Why that can't be true Of him" How
often the man comes forth who knew
of the crooked transactions and when
asked why he did not make his knowl-
edge public, says, II knew people
would not believe it. He is pillar in
the church and 1 never go to church,
and my word would not be taken
against his"
No, there is no suspicion of the reli-
gion, but men who are honest and up
right, though they may "smoke cigar
or chew tobacco prefer often not to