Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-03-22
4 Letter From
The Country

The Optic gives space tn another
long epistle from Rev. s. T.. Barker
not because II believes a dozen people
are Interested in his position. bur les
the writer should believe himself Il
be wronged, The reverend gentleman
believes In church unity, but he ba
lieves the mountain must 90 10 Mo
hammet and not Mohammet 10 ths
mountain. In other words. he believes
that the millions OF Christians who
differ with him should come to the
few hundreds or thousands who agrce
with him.
However. the Optic does not intend
to devote any further space to this
question. II the reverend gentleman
wishes to believe that for each indi
vtcual act he may find some exac'
scriptural guide. he assuredly has the
privilege. II he wishes to believe tina,
the many millions who are using mu
steal Instruments In their wor
ship are In mortal error. be
has that privilege. too, notwithstand'
Ing that the reason and Intelligence as
well as the study OF scripture leads
a countless majority to believe such
u narrow view ridiculous.
Such views Of Mr.. Barker advo
Gates are kept alive only by adver'
tisement, 10 The Optic will advertise
them no more after publishing the
letter which follows:
To the Editor of The Optic:
II Is bad to be disbelieved., but
much worse to be misunderstood
Your correspondent Of last week did
not desire to be understood IA offering
an excuse or an apology for the d.
vision among churches IN general, OF
any n In particular, hut rather, to
insist that there Is no valid excuse
for divisions, and that the present
condition. not only In our midst, but
throughout the country, Is not only
pretty nearly ridiculous" but entire
~ SO.
II God hath given Us all things
that pertain to life and Goodness
and II "all scripture Is given by in.
spiraiion. and is profitable for doc
trine, reproof, correction and instruc-
ton In righteousness. that the man o:
God may be perfect. thoroughly fur
nished unto all good works or Tim.
3:16-I7) there surely a be no valtJ
reason for a diversity with reference
to Christian duty.
II In our work and Worship we do
what the Lord requires, the HOLY
Spirit says, Blessed are they that do
His commandments, that they may
have a right to the tree Of life. and
may enter in through the gates into
the city" tRev. 22:l4J
II In our worship we do that which
the Lord has moi commanded. the
lowly Jesus says I'm vain do you wor-
ship me. teaching for doctrine the
commandments. OF men"
The commission says. teaching
them TO observe all things whatso-
ever | have commanded" Not what.
soever have not forbidden" tSee
Matt, 2S 2O.l
TO an outsider it must look extremely
ridiculous to see Intelligent people fail
understand the above scriptures,
and to fully realize that ITO fear God
and keep His commandments, is the
whole duty OF man" Are we trying
to do than our whole duty"
WI are told that years ago this
matter was fought out By Presbyteri.
ans. Christians" etc. | deny that the
matter OF instrumental music and 50
for spreading the gospel were
by Christians years ago. So
a negative IL equal to an affirmative.
without proof. How then can the
question he settled? II BY age. 1
It. II b. good looks. it's q tie.
But seriously. These societies AMI
Instrumental music go hand in hand.
Statistics from society headquarters
for 1906 say In Ohio, the home Of the
and Ats advocate, the "Stand-1
ard" one half Of the churches contrib
buted through the society. indiana,
one-third and Is falling back" Ill.
nois. three-eights. and at q stand
STILL Texas. one-eishth, and has|
come to ! halt" Out or 500 church.
- Ia lowe. 162 contributed, and lei
"hasty retreat"
In Missouri, out of''1.70O churches,
1s7 contributed, and Is resting"
Something radically wrong" like
he Arkansas juror that told the Judge
.ttef' being on . hung, jury two days,
that he had eleven . very contrary
1aen to contend With"
The general feeling Of the people
today IL that there II something radt
cally wrong with the man who tries
o erect barriers between brethren on
such trivial matters. Was II not the
general. feeling OF the people, that
cruciied the Lord the int time
when the presiding Judge decided that
CksSs vas =Go~ Eult In kl6E' sfh4l
'maA. who erects such barrierS nj
lpfNRSNg Sh9tkysaAsthe boy wiz RE-
10 "6e stif" while his brek her
.poked beans in his ear" Bad dhap.
was he notY
Every Chrtafiau ahouid hc ready Yyl