Gilpin observer., 1909-12-16

steal; not to bear false witness, etc.,
are. we all well know, much older
maxims than the New Testament
would have US to believe, and 1t Is
surely untrue to say that Christianity
gave man moral truths previously un-
known, so say that Christianity
brought into the world nothing new,
and no improvement by its advent
has been made in practical morality,
and If we are now enjoying q civili-
zation hitherto unknown 1t Is not the
result of the moral effect of Christ
ianity any more than the effect of
other profane religions from which
the tenets of Christian morals were
taken. and when 1t is drummed into
our ears that to Christianity alone all
our advanced civilization Is due, I
seriously rebel.N
more admired than intellectual attri-
butes, the moral attributes produce
less real good, and in fact, II accom-
panied by ignorance and great power,
they produce in every instance, great
evils and misery, SO we can lay 1t
down as truism that morality ad-
mits no new discoveries, but scienti-
fic enlightenment does Proof: During
the middle ages the spiritual classes
were far more numerous than the in
tellectual classes, and religious litera-
ture outweighed all others, but Just
as soon as this spiritual and moral
wave began to decline, the intellect
ual started to advance; as one sank,
the other arose, and bore on its
crest such men as Darwin, Spencer,
La Conte and many others.
l therefore say that until the in
tense Christian idea began to die out,
very little progress was made, but
when 1t began to abate, then the bet
ter civilization began to dawn, and
the Christian world became less war
like and the people became better
educated.
The Christian religion flourished in
Europe for some centuries as history
informs us, and would have been
flourishing today as Of yore no doubt,
had 1t not been for doubt. When man
becomes sceptical he inquiries, and
until the desire for inquiry possesses
the individual he gains nothing.
Christianity, We will say, is respon-
sible for much that is good in the
world, but all of the moral sayings
that have been uttered have done the
world SO little good compared to any
of the leading scientific discoveries
that religious precept fades into in
significance. All the great struggles
between science and religion prove
this assertion. Nc age of faith can
produce Darwin, Spencer, or a
La Conte. The minute we accept any
thing on faith alone, the battle Is
lost, SO l unhesitatingly say that
doubt is the greatest ciyilizer the
world has ever had, for without
doubt we have no inquiry. and with
cut inquiry We have no knowledge"
My humble opinion IS that the real
cause of the civilization of this Chris
tian world is. First: The ability of
the inhabitants to grapple with and
subdue the forces of nature to the
wants of man. Second: Honest doubt.
Third: Commerce. Fourth: Gun Pow
der. Fifth: Literature. And l regret
to say that my silent opinion is that
religion and the universal outgrowth
the results thereof. that is, the re-
duction of pure religion to theological
dogma, not only the religion of Christ
but all religions of all people, is
rather a hindrance than q help to
civilization.
/ have thus written that you may
straighten me out if you can. We
started some years ago to search,
and We have sought in the same line
all those years. feel that you have
been greatly broadened in your reli-
gious ideas. l know that have been
greatly uplifted through my search.
At times, though / seem to lose
sight, not of an infinite, omnipotent
God, but of a theme or purpose.
can see the help to the aggregate.
but it is hard to see the benefit to
the individual, yet we must say if the
aggregate is benefited, surely the
individual has reaped some benefit.
Faith, l have none: hope, yes.
know l am a deist. and IL Christ was
great man l am a Christian: If
Christ was God. l am not.
We stated when / left Central,
more than a year ago, that we would
now and then compare notes. | sub
NIT to you my first book of notes.
Sincerely.
FLOR ASHBAUGH.