The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-10-15
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1T is a source of much pleasure to
knOwtthSt the Stkres,coshsred giddy-
Drained. sloppy-s!ashed, dish-wateF-
ed political brawl in the First con-
grcssional district is over. Logical,
sane, political discussion is enter
tanning and instructive. but child.
ish screeds and dude power deduc-
lions are an abomination unto tn"
chosen people OF Israel.
To those of us who have not pass
ed through an abnormal school. It Is
still mystery lewa this universe
the worlds, systems and suns ever
succeeded in moving along so smooth
~ 6efore Roosevelt arrived to regu-
late all things well. Will some one
who has stood at Armageddon and
battled for the wad explain?
Billy Sunday has often been "siz-
ed up" but never more completely
than in the following communtca-
ton which recently appeared in a
Pittsburgh paper: II am surprised
that any minister of the Gospel
should for moment countenancc
the methods of Billy Sunday. Re-
ligion should be TOO sacred to be dis
cussed in the language of the slnms
The crowds that are attracted OT
this means come from curiosity as
they would rush to see street fight
or a circus parade. The few WHO
think they are impressed soon back
slide. The money Of Christian peo-
pie spent in this way is thrown
away and the irreligious are con-
firmed In their irreligion when they
see Christians so easy"
The union of all the churches is
still great theme for discussion,
and while it is of course only \
dream, It is yet a very interesting
problem. No one ever expects any
thing of the kind to ever come to
pass and indeed this would be q
dcary old world If every one thought
exactly alike on any one subject. It
would be an era of universal mental
stagnation. In this connection W"
desire to quote from an article writ;
ten by the late w. G. Brown. a strict
~ original thinker:
Church unification has long been
the dream of many earnest souls,
who regret to see the various icnom-
nations wasting energy warning
upon each other that should pc
brought to bear on the legtons OF
Lucifer; but even the most SAN
guine must admit there is little pros
pect of their dreams becoming ausht
more tangible = at least for soEc
ages yet. The bloody chasm which
Luther and his co-IaboYers opened
will not be bridged during the life
time of the present generation and
human wisdom is not competeh' %
formulate creed. to devise a dec
trine upon which the Protestant
world will consent to unite. The
present tendency is not tow"rd
church notification. but greater and
more sharply defined division. IN
st cad of dogmat!G controversy dying
away. It is becoming more general.
In the meantime, a majority Of man
kind in highly civilized countries "e-
main away from church-take nc
thought of the future, or seek trdth
in science rather than revelation.
Dogmatism is til" fruitful mother o.
Doubt. BY assuming to knew too
much of Gods great plan. by al
tempting to stifle honest inquiry and
seal the lips of living scholars Win
the dicta of deal SCholastics, by
standing ever ready to brand as bias
kphemers all who presume to qucS-
ton or dare to differ, the church has
driven millions OF God-fearing men
into passive indifference, or overt Oh
position, and the number is rapidly
Increasing. The church does not
realize how stupendous this army
really is. Not every man who re-
CARDS the church as but a pretends',
proclaims that tact on the house
tops. Instead Of cOnquerIng the
world, the church is rapidly losing
what 1t has hitherto gained"
S. C. MUSGRANE.