The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-05-03
Vlnita. Oklahoma. Nay srd.


tives Of two extremes. Il seems 3
have been assumed that there is n
middle ground between John Calvil
and Thomas Paine But there are
great many Of us who have ontgrowl
the orthodoxy for which Ceptail
White contends with such gracious
courtesy. while we are not willing :.
be classed as infdels. At the risk o
being accused of another attack o
THE higher critical measles" may
speak for these? l desire to set forth
in short series of suggestive articles
what religion really means to modern
Christians who are also capable Of
thinking.
Religion didn't originate with Jesus
Christ. Nor with Moses. Nor even
with Abraham. There was religion be
fore there was Bible; there has been
religion where the Bible has never
been read. Socrates. four hundred
years before Christ, had never heard
Iof Moses and the Prophets; and yet
he taught that the gods created man,
and could be trusted to take care of
him. in life or death. Much of the
devotional thought and language of
this old Greek sage could be adopted
with no essential change by an earn
est and consecrated Christian.
The fact is. religion is pretty near
ly universal experience. Some phil
osopher has even defined man as a
religious animal Wherever you find
men, you find religion: some kind of
a religion, at least. A crude religion
among ignorant savages, refined re-
ligion among civilized peoples, but re-
ligion everywhere, up and down the
line. OF course, there have always been
individual exceptions. But so have
there been men and women who could
not see the sun.
If the vast majority Of the human
race were blind, we should probably
believe that sight was a disease. But
because thousands can see where the
Eyes of few are dead, we thank
whatever gods there be" for the gift |
# vision, and pity those who walk in |
darkness. If the rule is more likely |
O be normal than the exception, then |
eligion is mental and moral health, |
md atheism Is, to use Victor Hugo's |
'hrase, to be "classed pathologically' |
n plain English, as a disease If ''Ob- |
erver" be indeed an atheist-which | !
cry much doubt, why should Captain
White abuse him? We don't 'cuss" a
We build sanitarium,
nd try to cure him.
On the other hand, the belief in God /
S Love has been humanitys strong
st comfort in conflict and pain. Its
enters have often borne testimony to
he power and beauty of this faith. A /
reat scientific agnostic once said: Il
ave seen a dead sun rise out of an
mpty heaven to light a soulless earth.
have heard, with utter loneliness, that
he Great Companion is dead" ! can
OF quite understand the unholy glee
18th which Observer tries to drive
S all into the same desolation. If
theisrl be the truth of things, even
he atheist ought to be sorry. He
hould really apologize to the universe
or the necessity of exposing its moral
nd intellectual emptiness.
In their enjoyment of the job of
Iambasting" each other, the disput, ,
nts seem to have forgotten religion
nd in this first letter. want to call
ttention back from personalities to
lie subject of the discussion. 1t is the
ost important subject in the range of
lman thought. For multtudes it is
lie most important. The treatment l
hieh religion has received at the
lnds of its disciples has been enough
kill any fact that was not Divine.
eligion has been misunderstood
lulterated by foreign elements, used
! an engine of political oppression,
ade cloak for wickedness. and an
strument OF spiritual and intellect
Il tyranny And yet, the soul of it,
e faith in a Good God, in the infinite
Gaming of life, and in the harmony
stween man and the world he lives in,
Is somehow survived all these things,
i'd operated, in spite Of them TO gild .
is mysterious human life Of ours
ith a glory like that of the dawn.
Going no farther than the form of
ligion which has been the subject
this controversy; Some of the best
mixers of the world confessed, with
rowning that d
The acknowledgment of God in Christ. c
ccepted by the reason, solves for thee
1 problems in the world and out of it.
Some of the worlds greatest suffer-
S have found in Him an antidote /