The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-19
Barometer of Public Opinion
The Controversy Grows.

Editor World: In the Atlantic Monthly OF
October there il an article entitled. Religious
contrasts with the subtitle of Letters OF
Panthest and "a Churchmln." The former is
the naturalist, John burroughs. the Intimate as
sociate OF Thomas a. Edison and Henry Ford
IN 'hGlr vacation dayh and warm friend ot
Theodore Roosevelt the latter. H. d. Miles OF
AsheViIl' n {. The correspondence originally
private, was transferred to the pages OF the At
mntic, Mr.. Miles writes four OF the seven let
ters, the first and the last, Mr.. Burroughs the
other three, the seven letter occupying eight
pages OF about 5000 words. The dates OF the
letters are from october 81, 1919, to January
az, 1920.
The views Of Mr.. Miles are in most respects
like those OF Billy Sunday. but there is nothing
In them like those YOU report from the sermon
am old-fashioned enough to believe in literal
fire, II you are saved you will spend eternity in
heaven That's all there Ia to It, and you can
find II right here in this old book
| do not write this letter for the purpose OF
quoting what Is said In another periodical but
to give views of my own expressed In at
the close OF this letter that differ very mate
rally from those In the scores Of sermons
emanating mostly from the Tulsa tabernacle
during the six weeks Of Mr. Sundays stay. 1t
is only right that "A Barometer OF Public Opin-
ion should give expression TO conflicting views
without anybody being responsible except those
whose names are affixed. | give, however
some quotations from Mr.. Burroughs three
81 am Pantheist. The only God l know
Is the one see daily and hourly all about me.
do not and cannot separate Nature and God
II you mako two OF them, then VINO makes me
Ruler OF Nature. OF the hereafter ! have no
conception. This Is enough for me. We must
have religion of democracy and find the di-
vine In the common, the universal In the near
at-hand. such Il the religion of science. The
Christian myths have had their day. only the
moral and ethical part of Christianity. which
harmoniZcs with science, VIII endure It's
legend must perish All Bibles are man-made
but we know the stars are not man made, and
IL they are on our side why bother with any
thing else? PaUtheism. ns Emerson says. does
not make God less. but makes him more. II |
we're to ask you what and where God Is you
would cay he is spirit and that he Is every
where. The good Christian people would be
compelled to say this too Personally Is Unite
There Is vastly more OF the essence OF Chris
tlanity in Chinese civilization than In our own
our material civilization Is the result or con
quest over nature, or the discovery and appil-
cation or natural law, or science. our scheme
OF salvation rests upon the dogma OF the fail
OF man. But mans fall has been upward, evo-
luton gives the key to his rise and not theology
/ bclieVc the Man Of Sorrows was an historical
fact and that would have loved Him had
known Him; but lie Is no more 20 me now
than Socrates Is. All HIS alleged miracles are
childish fables. II He really died on the cross
Hc never rose from the dead. Natural law,
which IS the law Of GOD, cannot he thrilled with
i'm that way. | think as highly Of the Bible as
you do. 1t il the book Of books, yet 1t is only
a book man made. ! wonder II you remember
that the founders Of our government: Washing
ton, jefferson, Franklin dld not accept Chrls,
tanity2 They were Deists. Washington said
in SO many words, in messasc TO congress;
'o'rhe government OF the United states IL not in
any sense founded upon the Christian religion
The founders Of the republic we're frec-thinkers.
You confound our ethical system. which we all
the growth OF ages. what rs true IN Christian
ity Is not new. our civilization is founded upon
reason and science
The following are tho verses. under the title
OF "A creed that | referred to above;
Tho mind that's cast in superior mold
can leave It's thought of God untold,
God or Nature, is not compassionate
II neither loves its creatures nor does them
hate.
God is shown in everything We see,
That iS revelation enough for me
I seek my beings law to know;
No greater gift God bestow.
Obedience 20 It Is py aim
It's better far than wealth or fame.
No one is chancellor Of the Lord,
Can speak to another its sacred word
II I'm this thought | ever dwell
| seek not heaven, l fear not hell.
Millions not by pontlffs led
Know these facts from overhead.
Tulsa Dec. l3. JOHN COLLINS WEIGH.
May We Add Few?
A local crouch expresses a desire to furnish
a list % people who should be aboard when the
battleships are sunk. Nashville Tennesseean
The laugh Il ON the Free.