The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-09-24
"A CRUEL DOGMA. =

"A CRUEL DOGMA"
To the Editor of The Gate City:
1 read your paper largely for the edltorlals.
enjoy them for their variety and stimulating
thought. there one in recent issue to
ton, "A Cruel Dogma" The writer seems to take
the position that man who dies for his country
in battle, no matter what his past life may have
been, thereby wins for himself a place in the very
presence of God For after all, heaven, to the
OF thodox preacher (and is of orthodox min
lister that the editor speaks) means state OF pc
der of whom the editor speaks should have done
everything in power to get away from God
battle according to the editorial, must immedi-
ately go spend eternity with the God he SO long
want to 60 where the good uncay school people"
are: perhaps the brewer and the saloonkeeper for
whom so many newspapers are fighting SO
gallantly (and may hope vanly) would be
congenial. But, irony of fate, he has died IN bat
never could stand while on earth Orthodox PEG
pie you know. believe that heaven Is place where
those go who believe in Jesus Christi Sunday
school people for instance. The preacher men
toned may meant probably did, that the sol
der does not believe in Christ will not get TO
that same heaven even though he does die for his
country But says the editorial, it's a cruel Dog
ma" that he won't But maybe the editor
was thinking of the same kind OF heavens
Then why assault the New York city munster mn aa, II
hing a'0 "'is 80 - -.
In battle he goes to his happy home. Is he right?
Will the even "unspeakable Hun" get to
present war we are hghting Gods battles for Him
isn't it lucky He has us to aelp Him:-Who IS
going who was on GOuS Sue III ioiiaei
wars? And even the editorial doesn't go so far
say that the soldier who is ngnting against
Pardon my lengthy talk AMI be assured of my
eager looking forward future editorials whether
agree with them o. not
Keokuk Iowa Sept. %, 1918.
The Gate City cheerfully comedies its court
eous correspondent all right to any convictions
he NAV hold concerning the future state OF men
who NAV fall in battle While this newspaper
does not quarrel with his conception OF heaven
as "a place in the very presence OF God, 5l 1t
was not the phrase used in the editorial; nor
did it take the position that any soldier was
going there It seems more reasonable to De-
lieve though it is pure speculation, that the
statement about many mansions" indicates &
future life in which there are states Or grades
fitted to development and desert Being less
certain than the New York City minister that we
fully understand the eternal plan, we are con-
tent to leave to the Great Law the militant
atheists the 'unspeakable Huns and the
evil and depraved who die either III
battle or in bed; and have not, our CORES
pondent notes, dogmatized about their future
state. But in spite of all theologies there has
been and is a pervading, persistent belief, feehng
instinct hope which creeds can not Kill out o.
minds that souls must gain greatly
who suffer for the right, who battle for justice
and liberty or make the last supreme sacrlflce
for any noble cause. Sharing this opinion, we
are not willing to take the New York City min
ister's word for it that they are lost, whatever
meaning he attaches to that word. AS he ad,
vances nothing but his opinion on the subject
no evidence, no cogent reasoning-we are not In
terested to combat his views, to which he IS en-
tirely welcome, but only to record our dissent
tberefrom.
Yet we consider the minister's course in rails
ing that question indiscreet, unjustifiable and
as serving no good end. People whose loved
ones in France were not before they went par
ticuarly interested in religious matters, and not
at all in theology, must have their feelings har
rowed by this bigoted dogmatic statement that
their boys who fall in battle are lost. Unac-
ouainted with this preacher, unaware that hs
does not voice his church, or any church, ano
failing to reflect that his individual opinion is
of no more value than any other persons, par
ents and wives who attach Importance to Ii
must be needlessly and cruelty distressed.
A GERMAN ASSET DISAPPEARS.
Already the advanced troops Of the British
army are capturing quantities of coal in their
approach to Lens, and the rapidlty with which