Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-10
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our Earliest Frost.
BENSON, Sept. s.-To the Editor OF The
Bee: have noticed I'm The Bee OF late
items about frosts in August. l came
here in the fall OF 1853. and isve had a
chance to observe the weather since. on
August g. 1858 we had a frost that killed
nearly everything. l we'll reoollect II, as
/ was on the jury in a criminal case, the
trial OF Cyrus Tate for killing Isaac II.
Neff ELIJAH ALLEN.
"a Greater Ak-Sar-BeR."
CHULA VISTA, Cal. Sept. s.-To the
Editor Of The Bee: Your editorial Of
September 1 on "Ak-Sar-Ben's Growing
Greatness is timely. as the organization
IL now of age and should put off its
swaddling clothes and by publicity be-
come semi-national. or even national. in
Importance and attract to Greater Omaha
thousands OF guests each year to view
the Ak-Sar-Ben exposition, which could
be inaugurated along commercial and ed
ucational lines. Within n circle of 800
miles of which Omaha is the center there
are 100000 people. and by active pub
licity a large attendance could be assured
for a period OF at least one month during
the fall season. A Greater Omaha de-
success. II. J. PENFOLD.
sundays Religious Despotfsm.
NORTH PLATTE. Neb.. Sept 9.-To
the Editor Of The Bee: You are right TO
curtai a personal immRterial discussion
of religious questions. But upon funda-
mental principles, as set forth in this
Billy Sunday movement, 1t would seem
that Christian courtesy on the part Of
Rev. Sunday would make II proper that
an ordinary citizen might talk back to
him. On the contrary, Sunday fortifies
himself behind his self-assumed authority
from God to tell the people what to do,
and no one can talk back.
This is practically religious despotism.
The question now arises, Is religion des-
potism? Does it destroy a mans indivd-
uality and render him the mental defend
ant upon some other? II so. for what
purpose? All history shows that all re-
ligtons have been the prime factors of
every despotic government. A government
may be representative in form but des-
politically administered This depends
upon the individuality and ability of citi-
Gems for self-government. mo citizen can
possess the intelligence and individuality
that qualities him for a competent free
citizen whose mentality is controlled by
any other mans religion.
There are now approximately 100000
people in this country. BILLY" Sunday
is one of Them and BILLY" Bryan is an
other. BY what authority does Sunday
presume to be a religious dictator? Is II
the intelligence and logic that he demon
strates on the platform? II religion is
not intelligence and logic. what is It? Is
~.
people and make them the victims of a
despot's hypnotic power?
There are in this country, say twenty
different factions of the Christian religion
that do not agree. If they agreed they
would be united. Billy Sunday pro-
poses to bring them all to Jesus. How
does Sunday know they are not already
there? Is Sunday wiser than God. who
organized these different factions when
he was doing all things well?" Does
the $4,000 that Sunday gets for redeeming
Omaha represent the salary of Jesus? Do
the poor and lowly from whom Jesus
came pay any part of Sundays $4,000?
They do indirectly. after the religious
plutocracy of Omaha have jackscrewed IL
out of them. Does Ma Sundays smiles
and silk dresses bring any comfort to the
honest workingmans wife who tolls early
and late to pay rent and take care of a
family on her husbands wages of $50
day? How many families in Omaha would
embrace themselves with Joy unspeakable
IL want and sickness and suffering were
driven from their door?
Sunday poises himself in air and damns
those who do not accept his dictation. If
every one accepted Sundays dictations
one day Sunday would be out of business
tine next. Sunday don't want to convert
everybody. He just talks about it and
takes up collections. Sunday damns the
underworld that gave him a Christ to
talk about The $4,000 Sunday receives
from Omaha, the diamonds the Sunday
outfit wear upon their sanity breasts
represent so much blood money wrung by
religious plutocrats from the underworld
LUCIEN STEBBINS.