Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1910-02-03

PEOPLES PULPIT
Tho Courier Will Publish Signed
or Unsigned Expressions From
Its Readers Upon Receipts; Name
OF Writer Must Be Known to
the Publisher, However. & q
THE SABBATH QUESTION.

Editor Courier
In Fridays issue you gave space to
a criticism Of an article of mine pub
lished some days ago. May l crave
space for brief reply? In the first
part of his criticism Mr.. Jones twits
me with being foolish. Further on he
accuses me of doing no good, of being
an agitator, and of creating confusion
in the neighborhood.
Warming up on his subject. he la
bells me egotistical and domineering,
and finally, brands me ignorant.
I very much regret that we were not
favored with some indication of the
source of his deductions. | have care
fully re-read my letter, as published.
and could not discover it.
Does the gentleman mean to imply
that a statement of facts is evidence
of egotism?
/ would fain believe he has not
weigher carefully the trend of his re-
marks. Personalities are in bad form
in discussing publicly an important
subject 1t draws the readers atten-
tion from the point at issue.
This Is my principal reason for
adopting pen name. Anonymity is
reprehensible only when used as n
cover for villification or unfair meth
DDS.
leave the reader to Judge, from
both my communications, whether
the epithets are applicable. Truth
needs no such weapons. "He who
pours water into a muddy well does
but disturb the mud My purpose is
fo tho nnrENna1jfv "
of Mr.. Jones.
He asserts that "the question of
which day of the week should be OBJ
served as G Sabbath was settled by
the Christian church under the direc-
tion of the Apostles" gratuitous as
sertion may be gratuitously denied.
Ny position before the public, in
this discussion, is that of student
of the Bible If he will re-read my let
ter, he will see that did not place my
self outside the records.
| He further says that. this agitation
does no good-but is an injury to
morals and religion" How the attain
ment of truth can be injurious to
sound morals or true religion, is be-
yond my comprehension.
Millions of Christians have been put
to death for teaching the truths Of
Christianity. Is this a valid argument
against it?
For years the 18th of October has
been regarded as Columbus day. Is
this legitimate reason for continu
ing 1t on that date?
Senex notes with some surprise
that "the calendar now in use was got
ten UP by Julius Caesar" He recalla
however, that the wise man is ever
learning, and memory brings to mind
these words from the fifth eclogue OF
Virgil: Is.
fortunate senex,' happy old man
I had supposed the calendar now II
use" to be the Gregorian.
1t will, no doubt be equally surpris
ing, to most readers to learn that "ac
cording to the Bible Sunda,
is the seventh day of the week." ant
the Christian world whole day in er
ror in regard to the day of the resur
rection; that Easter Sunday was Sat
urday although the Bible plainly say:
that the holy women "rested on ths
Sabbath according to the command
ment," and upon the first day of tht
week, came unto the sepulchre."
The Jewish people, who have beer
keeping the Sabbath for 3,4OO years
will. no doubt, extend him vote o
thanks for the information.
Il / can assure Mr.. Jones that ther,
are not few of us who would be in
terested in learning how changes il
the calendar in connection with dates
can affect the continuity of the days o
: the week. Or did the entire humal
race get up some fine morning an,
forget what day Of the week it was?
SENEX.