Omaha daily bee., 1914-02-23
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HuRGeata Still Another HF0anms
SOUTH OMAHA. Neb.. Feb. 22.-To the
Editor OF The Bee: Possibly the reason
that more people do not go to church is
because 30 few ministers preach the old
time religion OF forty and fifty years ago.
When was q boy ] lived next door 70 a
church where the old fashioned shouting
Methodists held their services, then
across the street was a Baptist church
and only two blocks away the Congrega-
tional church OF which 1 was a member
and the Presbyterian church were located.
In those days OF forty and fifty years ago
all Of those churches believed in and
taught us of the dangers OF a literal
burning hell.
When services were held In those
churches they were nearly always
crowded to the doors and religious fervor
seemed to be at white heat The shouting
Methodists were under such great leaders
as Dick Haney and the other Haneys and
Father Summers and the services became
so intense many times that we could
almost imagine that we smelled the
sulphurous fumes Of hell and could
almost hear the shrieks and means of
those who had been condemned to the
burning OF fire and birthstone through all
eternity.
Those old time Methodists were wonder
ful people and made the world better
from their intensely religious zeal and
fervor. II we had more OF them today
the world would be better off.
When I was boy OF Is, one Of my
most intimate friends was the minister
OF that Methodist church He was
veteran of the war OF the rebellion who
was noted for his valor on the field of
battle and for his high class eloquence
in the pulpit. He preached the old time
religion and became one of the noted
ministers of Illinois. He treated me as
his chum when was a high school boy.
His memory to me is as sweet incense.
for he passed away a good many years
ago.
In these days that are called progressive
by many people, IL is seldom that preach
ers mention hell and when they do they
make IL as mild as possible. So much
so that people have begun to think as the
man at the circus did who stood for a.
long while and looked at a giraffe He
finally said. There amt no such ami
NAL" As preachers seldom mention hell
any more and do not tell OF fire and
birthstone any more, people are beginning
to think that there amt no such place
as hell"
In my boyhood days. many times church
members who danced or played cards
were fired from the church rolls, but in
these up-to-date times churches give balls
for the benefit OF the Lord, suppose.
II the preachers OF the present time
would preach some of the old time re-
ligion, they might draw back many of
those who have wandered away. Instead
OF objecting to the coming Of Billy Sun.
day they had better welcome him and let
him put some of the old time religion
into them. In present times the mini.
sters seem 10 drift with the tide OF
present day thoughts and I do not know
as they are to be blamed for that as
most people seem to want hell made as
oasy for them as possible.
Mr.. Editor. let me add that could
hardly make the above any shorter ant
then / LETT out some things 1 intended
to write. 1 am always astonished at tho
number Of people who tell me they read
my articles in The Bee and many o
them congratulate me on every com
munication send to you.
F. A. AGNEw.