Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-08-13
THE PEOPLE'S FORUM.

20 Letters from the people on
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president Lincoln's Test Of Church
membership Some Personal Thoughts
Editor Democrat:
Abraham Lincoln was not member
of any church, but perhaps at heart he
was as well qualified as any man who
has ever been president of the United
States. He is credited with saying
that whenever any church would in
scribe over its altar, as a. sole qualiti-
cation for membership the Saviour's
condensed statement Of the substa Y.
of both Law and Gospel, to wit:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul and with all thy mind, and Thy
neighbor as myself that then he
would instantly join that church.
There are perhaps millions of peo-.
lie in the world today who either in
ords or thoughts are asking if Mr.,
Lincoln's creed is not all that is nee
2ssary? He believed that ChEistiani-
ty was mans religion and that toe
much of historic creeds, and that in
order for it to meet the needs Of men
today, it must satisfy the intelligence
OF our age. Mr.. Lincoln was becoming
an old man, when he made the fore.
going observation and therefore must
have had honesty In his soul, when he
did so. 1t may seem strange to re,
ligious teachers, working under dog
n. attic restrictions, but this writer
" ishes to inform them that as think
ing men become older and move up to
where they face the coming night,
they are unable to give credence to
much they were taught in their earlier
days, and who is ready to charge them
with dishonesty, or other evil thought
in the matter? Most men who have
taken the right thought in life have
aimed to live sane, normal, healthy
lives, or at least have had instincts for
such lives. They love life as such,
and are quickly conscious Of anything
that threatens to check or mar It's
even flow, and is a man wicked for so
doing? This writer confesses he has
always longed for full measures or
life, the same as food and water, and
regrets that he has not been so shap-
ed and situated, as to get 1t from
original sources, i'm the country
where God made Things, rather than In
cities, where things are tainted by ar
tificial conditions. The water must
come from far of, the food must come
from far off, society must be far-fetcn-
ed and even the worship of God must
he as If far of. 1t is true you have
the opportunities of social enjoyment
and we all love to share our pleasures
yith others and have no other am
tons, but there in cities you must rub
up with SO many birds of plumase'
whose only object in life, seems to be
a desire to travel in disguise. Most OF
us are quite gregarfous in our habits
and love to herd with other men, and
b,. hail-fellows well met; yet we ike
tn choose our own crowd, enngenta1
ones Yin whom we are interested ami
who are in return interested In us.
Some of us do not drink, smoke, chew.
dance Bunny-hug, trot Turkey-trot, or
even wear knee-breeches within vel
low ton boots, so what else would
any sensible man look for, in such
crowd. except "Austerfty," and nothing
n the world will sooner kill common
modest men and women than genule
austerity. Hence the Injunction very
| naturally is, draw not near" WIZ
hen are we looking for but the ord1
| nary townsman, the countryman, tn
.armer. the store-keeper, the livery
IAN, the railroad man, the da1ryman
he mechanic and in the bunch, let u
include the small banker as well a
| he ordinary lawyer and doctor and al
| ,thers who have use for you, and yo'
ave use for them, and if you do no
eeel drawn to this class, then you me-
rest assured there is something radl
,ally wrong with you. 70 be sure tn