The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-09-12
Che Tendency Of Gbouobt.

kI
nominations protesting Christianity.
In hamlets, towns and cities we may
observe places of worship where all
are, or should be, welcome to cOngre-
gate. Why? To praise Him who rec
ognizes no inequality of men. There
the chosen shepherd exhorts his audi
tors to paths of rectitude, to acts of
piety, charity and benevolence, aud to
practice the precepts of the Good Book.
They listen, reflect and imagine they
are agreed in thought. Leaving the
halls of worship many Immediately,
perhaps unwittingly, adopt the maxim:
Birds of a feather flock together
Now, are prevailing spiritual ideas
narrowed to suit sects or in conform
ity with the admonitions set forth III
the BibIep Methinks the differentia-
tions in modes of worship are some
what calculated to suit various minds.
Therefore, the straining of spiritual
thought to reconcile felicity in minds
Of tramplers on personal and general
rights conduce to demoralize the true
aims of Christianity. There, it appears
to me, can be no doubt but what the
adoption and practice of the command
ments would tend to better the human
race-because they are, think, gen.
orally accepted by every sect. How
ever, the variations of modes of wor-
ship to suit persons offsets the general
aim of Christian precepts-yet, who
can determine right from what ap-
pears to others as right Neverthe-
less to pose as Christian and not
/ practice the precepts is, can only be,
hypocrisy of thought. Is there any
Liberty of man and freedom of
thought are subjects of great impor-
tance! Where is the professed liberty ?
No person is entirely free to act as he
desires! Man is born into this world
as member of the great society of
mankind to conform with the laws of
man is stern necessity whether or
not those same laws are, IN his opinion,
right. To imagine one as an unre-
stricted creature is fallacious. Other
wise society would become unbearable
generally speaking. Are individuals
creatures of perfect liberty, or, rather
indulgers of hypocritical reasoning
Freedom of thought is an idea early
implanted in minds, but, if so, why
should the minds of youth be SO par
J ticularly grated with the twigs OF
thought that emanated from learned
persons? Of course, persons may think
as they please, privately, but the ags
of free thought is after the mind ha!
: been schooled in deducing facts, Civ
: ing them proper consideration, ant
lettering the mind with principles
t ETC., thus many profess in order to at
J, tain ease. Thus, to say person live
8 in perfect freedom of thought i
8 scarcely conceivable! To illustrate
f A writer may emulate the instructor
3 idea; painter some masters work; al
: advocate adopt some great pleader'
!, principles, and SO on.
n therefore, the doctrine of fre
v thinking is another Illusion. l Nigh
# enumerate many other instances where
s by the people of today are deludin
d themselves, but my time is limited
y However, will call your attention t
D. the moral and intellectual ideas of on
70 time. Many might resent the ide
e that morality is on par with antie
n uity's standard. Glance around, in th
If minds eye, at the world. Our larg
If cities, pleasure resorts and publ
places are replete with instances {
re moral depravity. I need mention n
v specific incidents because the people
Is of various lands are familiar with col
re ditions that degenerate the youths an
IS contaminate the respectfully incline
ID Even those carried along in the soci
ty whirl of life, the butterfly existenc
y, occasion columns of vicious writeu]
8; by hoity-toity capers and divorce pr
to ceedings. When, in all history, was n
at tons respectable population appeals
to, to stampo out polygamy as at present
n As to the intellectual advancement Il
al opportunity to acquire learning
e- perhaps, better today than ever. yet,