Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-10-24

i - tClOnS, lecture anu OSucuIStlOA'
Lecture Subjects. I
+ Wednesday night--"The Con-
. = fessional.' r.. -,.ns SIZE. .s
: = Thursday night-"The God
= on the Catholic Altar"
+ Friday night THE Faith :
+ Divine" sl,..
~ Saturday night-"The Wor- =
+ ship Of Mary =
~ Sunday night-"Ghosts." I
+++++++++++++< = I
I In a lecture that consumed an hour
OF time. Rev. Father William Clifford
discoursed on what he termed an I'M
tenable tenet: belief that one reli-
gion is as good as another is q most
illogical statement for anyone to make,
and illogical to hold such a belief. The
lecture followed short prayer by
Rev. Father Felix Byrne who also an
swered a number of the questions
which are nightly gathered from the
question box in the vestibule Of the
church. Benediction Of the blessed
sacrament with the pastor, Rev. Father
j. W. Bulger celebrant, closed the ser.
vice OF the evening. A church full
greeted the missioners and the lecture
as we'll az answers of the questions
received the merited attention.
Attacks Indifferentlsn.
"The absolute indifferentism that
confronts the world today" said Father
Clifford, us one Of the conditions we
face. Too many hold the belief and
express themselves as believing that
| 1t matters not what religion you prac.
tice, that all are equally good, one as
good as another 1t shall be my pur-
pose to show you how illogical it is to
hold such tenet,-to show you that
such a belief is not fair to God whom
you say you believe in and would
serve" '<-@
| - Three Forms Stated.
Father Clifford then discussed the
forms of religion saying, there are
but three forms of religion. These
are Monotheism, Polytheism and Pan.
theism."
Pofytheism was shown to be the
pagan belief in false gods such as
Bacchus abe god Of drunkenness, the
god OF Venus or love in which the most
sensuous license was taken in the
name of worship to this false god. OF
Pantheism he said it was the belief
that there is no God outside OF the
visible universe, and visible in motions
and the things of the universe. Last
|ly in taking up Monotheism he said 1t
taught that there Is but one absolute
and supreme God who made the uni
verse, placed the stars in the firma-
ment, created mankind and the things
of the earth: the seas and the things
of the sea, and who does not depend
upon his creatures.
All Not Correct. ."
ITO this Cod" said the speaker.
"falsehood is repulsive and he hates
it. It is negative to him who Is truth
itself It Is apparent to the thinking
person that the God OF truth cannot
think equally we'll Of these three forms
Of religion or worship; cannot think as
we'll OF the Pantheist and Polytheist
as the Monotheist. In Monotheism
we have four classes, the Christian.
the Jewish, the Socinian and the Uni
tartan. $780,. ,, -.. ~. .s,s
"Of these the Jew says that Jesus
is an imposter, blasphemer who died
for his blasphemies. and was q very
bad and wicked man. ...- s.
1.-The Christian says that Jesus
Christ is true God and true man. that
Christ is the second person Of the
blessed trinity made man. that he died
after founding his religion and that
he Is in heaven.
"The Socinian and Unitarian say.
that Christ was q most excellent man;
a good man and great teacher. but that
he never was or never will be the son
OF God
"Thus you have three elements of
Monotheism that disagree; contradict
and are opposed to other
Gan a God whoais truth itself re-
ceive these three opposing beliefs as
equally correct and right when no two
of them are the same, and when the
teachings Of either two not alone con-
tradict the other one, but hold that
what ono believes Of Christ Is held to
be entirely wrong In the other form
or belief? One il true and the others
are false. but It Is not my purpose at
this time to tell you which is right. I
have my opinion in which | firmly be-
lieye I am right, but I shall not force
It upon you. Just think 1t out your
self for the present y
Some Contradictions.
1--WE will for sake Of argument
eliminate the Jew and the Unitarian
and confine ourselves to the other
branch OF Monotheists-the Christians.
There are about 900 different forms
OF Christian religious beliefs IN this
county alone, hence If all are Christ.
fans there must be some point on
which they differ; some fundamental
point. Christ was religious man and
the most exact observer OF the Mosaic
law. and we can agree on this. Yet
YOU Will also agree that he was either
the best man or the greatest hypocrite
that ever trod the earth. The Uni.
tartan says Christ was good man,
but this cannot be a tenable position
for this type Of Monotheist because
Christ said and taught that ne was