River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-04-05
Letters from a Layman.

Dear Friends:-Ali of you that
know that the history of the civiliz-
ed Europe from the year of one A.
d was the history of the Church,
will not need any rehearsal of it in
these brief epistles. For what is
history; with what does it deal?
History deals with man in his rela-
tionship to home, church, state and
education. The church is the one
great family Of the Fathers chill
dren. 1t was the ruler through the
Ozark Ages" of state, and we all
know that for centuries she was the
sole educator of the human family.
She gave the world some of THE
finest systems Of government
the Republican form, as it now is,
included. She gave the world our
| greatest masters in the fine arts.
And where is there a better, purer,
and nobler literature than that given
by that Divine Institution? If she
has done all this, and far more than
space can allow us to speak of, why
does she not demand our best ener-
gies and support? We are unappreci-
alive to an awful extent if we do not
consider these great things that have
| been and are the gifts of the One
Holy Institution of divine origin. 1t
has always been perplexing ques-
ton why people-quite a few, at
least-will have but little to do with
the church until they are facing
death; and then like all towards,
plead for mercy.
Now, l am willing to grant you
that there is one thing, at least, that
keeps people away from Christian
ity, as they see it from an outsiders
point of view; and that is, that if
Chrirtianity stands for brotherhood,
and love, and for forgiveness, and
many other such ideal things, why
can't they live peaceably together?
In other words, why can't they
practice little more of the true
spirit Of Christianity?
Now you have asked a question
which every fair minded Christian
should consider. For don't know
anything more abominable and dis
gushing than the bigotry of some
Christians to-day. And those ex-
tremely liberal kind are liars on the
very face of their actions, because
they preach one thing and practice
the contrary. zone is as good
as another" but yet they be-
long to the one. If one is as good
as another, why don't they give up
and go into the other? Each "man-
made" church by that process
would soon be found faithful COM
municants of one Of the main
branches of the Holy Catholic
church. You will think me a Cath
Ollie if l had not already spoken of
my relationship with the Methodist
which, though l be faithful mem
Der, would not restrict me from be-
ing member of the Catholic
church, would it?
Even though the church has CIV
en- the world so much, and though
her ministry have been the schol-
ars and thinkers, and poets, and
painters, yet the ignorance of some
preachers of to-day is appalling.
For l asked a good, pious old
preacher the other day "who was
the first member of the so-called
Methodist church," and he said,
1ssTohn Wesley, he left the Church of
England because it was dead" |
wondered if the good brother was
correct, for he had made many fail
ures in his preachings. So I looked
it up. Here are the remarkable
facts. l give the place in reference
SO you won't have to take my word
for it. He wrote in I74o:
81 dare not renounce Communion
(smembership' as we'd say with the
Church of England. AS minister
teach her doctrines; | use her Of
fees; conform to her Rubrics; |
suffer reproach for my attachment
to her. As private member, hold
her doctrine; | join in her offices
eservices' as we'd say in prayer, in
hearing, in communicating ctaking
Holy Communion as people usual
ly say)."- Vol. VIII, P. "A.
Will continue this in our next let
ter. Fraternally,
ANON.