Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-28
For Sunday Reading
Ill Se,ts of Obini;on,
Preacher's Reply to Edison.

Rev. Percival +. Marston Of the New
England Congregational church de-
clared that Edison's charges were not
logical.
"Mr. Edison says he believes in a
supreme being, but not in a hereafter, y
said the clergyman. His mistake, for
such 1t Is. must not be classed as a
mistake Of science. but as Of scien-
fist. He believes in a God who is SUI
preme. all wise. but in man only as a
being who has existence here for a
brief season and who. in all the vast
eternities, has but this LIES little
chance to live. to love and to be loved
Il do not wish to see the old warfare
between science and religion revived.
There never was any real conflict be-
tween these two friends Mr.. Edison
believes in a being supreme and ALL
wise. Would such being as this
doom man. his child. to extinction
Would He take away the hope Of the
more perfect life. which is the souls
great aspiration? I can not believe
that this is logic. and know that it is
not love-"
Rev. John Thompson, pastor Of the
Gary Memorial Methodist church at
Wheaton. declared that Edison was in
consistent.
Edison undoubtedly was irritated
when he spoke" said the minister.
1.-THE Inconsistencies of his utterances
are manifest to all thinkers. First he
says he is only plate on record or
apparatus receiving impressions from
the outside world.
II that is true, will Edison please
explain consciousness? A plate is not
conscious of the impressions made up
on it, but the mind is conscious of it's
operations.
He says he believes in God. It has
always been so that those who be-
lieve in God must believe in a future
life''
Rev. Frederick E. Hopkins, pastor OF
the First Congregational church. Gary
Ind. declared that If religion had not
been inspired by the Holy Ghost and
immortality it would have persisted
long ago.
''Mr. Edison may hate the thought
Of parting with fame. his family and
his money" said Rev. DR.. Hopkins, cor
he may view with satisfaction the way
his memory will be kept green a long
time, and find satisfactory immortal
ity in that. II Edison would only go to
the two great bibles God has written,
one in the church and the other in the
world, he would find more rational
and satisfactory answer to the SUI
prone being and immortality question
thar he will find in science
NJ. NJ. Mangasarian. in his address
before the Independent Religious So
ciety, sided with Edison on the ques-
ton Of Immortality
ut is quite true that Edison knows
nothing OF the soul. but who does?" he
said 40 sneer at Edison is not an
argument for immortality. He publicly
sttaes that there is not sufficient evil
dence OF life after death. To say that
the bible or ancients or the American
Indian believed in a hereafter proves
nothing.
Edison commits the very mistake
however, that he -criticises in the
theologians when he assumes a su.
preme Intelligence without furnishing
the evidence to support his belief. II
| by q supreme intelligence he means
merely force Of nature, that IL not
enough to protect him against the
charge of atheism"
Minister NJ Advertising Medium.
| The minister's door bell rings Enters
a dapper young man, with his com.
mingled aroma OF cheap perfume and
cisafets, with his Chesterfield polite.
ness ana German accent" with q pro.
posal that the clergyman shalt accep,
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