Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-12-23
Peoples Column
RELIGION AND
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
To the Editor of THE EVENING
JOURNAL:
Sir-I have read with much in
terest the different articles in
your paper at different times, name
ly the Russell-Cooke controversy.
Your editorial of Wednesday. Nov
4, was particularly pleasing TO me.
am very glad TO think that we have
in the City of Wilmington one news
paper, at least. which still believes
in that religious liberty that our
! f1refathers enjoyed when they wrote
| the Constitution of the United States.
But why are these ministers of
| the union so concerned over Pastor
! Russells version Of the Bible APP
pearing in your paper? If they will
answer this question honestly they
know down in their hearts that many
of the man made creeds that they
arc trying to defend had their birth
in the dark ages when men were
| burned at the stake they know well
that many things they teach will not
stand the light OF reason; and fur
Their hey know that we are living
in an age when men are more and
more each year asking for a reason
for what they believe. and they ar
rive at the conclusion, II they are
TO keep their flock together, and hold
down their job. their only hope 70
accomplish this is to keep their 10Y
lowers in ignorance, and this is Just
why they are so opposed to Pastor
Russell.
Pastor Russell calls to men TO use
! L., -. ~
fer to the public. other than to open
before them the scripture in harmony
with the reason and common sense.
Take for instance the teaching Of
the minister Of the union on the pun
ishment. The creeds of the various
churches teach that our Heavenly
Father while He was creating the
earth created also a great gulf which
they call He'll in which He intends
, to torment forever all who fail Il
/ attain 10 a certain standard of char
I acter, which He Himself determined
should be very difficult to obtain. Ill
= placed our first parents on the Cart
4 and arranged that they should il,
( crease. multiply, and fill the eartl
and at the same time permitted evi
q TO exist and temptation at ever.
q hand and made the way to life
= narrow and difficult one and thel
these creeds tell us that all who fai
l. to walk this narrow way, made mar
4 row and difficult on purpose tina
only a special class would wal
thereon. all the rest. the Lord ha
I. prepared place large enough an
- full enough to last through all eter
y nifty. where they are to be everlast
ingly tormented and then they tel
e us we ought to love this God tina
/ arranged this plan to torture Hi
d creatures before the world was.
'e Pastor Russell shows very clearl
that this fiendish invention OF III
st devil has not the remotest supper
h in Gods word, that while the punish
Df ment that will be melted out to tn
incorriglbly wicked will be sever
e. and lasting il will not be torment,
st it will be death,-the wages of sin
death.
A. And not only will the punishmeI
* be death but this death will con
only to those who after having
90 fair trial under conditions favorab
~ 10 Righteousness, reject Gods wo
- derful love and prove utterly unWo
thy of life.
Life everlasting has been ma
" possible to every one of Adams ra
IN through the death Of our Redeem
OF at Calvary. and only those who 7
~ ject life when il is offered them W
SO. merit that just punishment the o
er posite of life-death.
ne NJ L. RITCHIB,
ct Chadd's Ford, Pa, Dec. %, 1914.