, 1922-01-11

rats, and since there is no pleasure
in their existence it is best that they
should die.
And yet, Reverend, you claim that
your God created these teemfng mil
lions. made the conditions, and then
used this awful method of undoing
His work-your loving, merciful char
table God. My lear Reverend, what
a monstrous proposition,
My God is a much better and more
rational God. but you, being a man
of n idea, / do not suppose that it
would be possible for me at your age
to convert you.
l do not intend to be s%acriligious
for I am strictly a religious person,
nor do | wish to ridicule as l have
much respect for everyone's creed,
and only ask that I may be allowed to
have mine in peace and not
be burned at the stake, or forced Ell
Their by law or custom to conform to a
blind belief that will not stand analy-
sis or reason.
am perfectly willing that you
should worship your Methodist God
dAd oboCiN C ang odDDdll YUM ElOOSe.
and that others should worship what
ever God they may select whether it
be the so-called Heather God. the Sun,
ar Alligator, a Sacred Cow. a Flame
Of Fire or a Totem Pole: it is all the
same to me and I only ask that you
won't inject your religion and your
God into Il governmental affairs,
and allow me the same privileges
that l accord to you.
You may condemn me to your Me
thodist hell II you want to, and ask
your God to see that 1 get there, just
so that you don't have the power to
burn me at the stake while here on
eartht
My God is one of loving mercy, and
not of vengence. My God does not
claim that he can control the laws of
nature and change them at his will.
In fact, my God is one of every day
common sense, and He tells me all the
thousands of beliefs that have both
cred the minds of men since the first
one came to earth will not change one
fact.
My God has but little respect for
the person who wallows around in
the dust, who begs and whines and
calls himself a worm: nor has he any
respect for those who after living a
life of indulgence get scared at the
last hour and take advantage of the
bankruptcy act of Sin and claim to
have their accounts. which are in the
red. evened up and their pages show
as well as the pages of those who
have practised self-denial all their
lives and have made an effort to leave
the world a little better for their hay-
ing been in it. Nor has he any re-
spect or liking for those who having
been slapped on one cheek calmly
turn the other. He knows it never
got anyone anywhere nj that th,se
who nractice such a theory will never
accomplish anything in this life.
My God likes, and respects, and
favors the person who stands %squarely
upon his two feet and will put up a
fight to a finish for what he honestly
deems to be right and Just for him
self and the world. He has no liking
for those who leave everything to
George but he does like the persons
who assert their independence in act
and thought, and who are willing to
live and die according to their best
understanding OF things as they are.
If there was no other reason for
condemning the Methodist God, the
fact that he created and allowed to
remain on earth such fanatics, JOY
l1f1lare apd naatc nc tho Raw HenrS
Bowlby and the Rev, WILDER Crafts
would be reason enough.
But we are more liberal, we do not
even hold the Methodist God account
able for such outrages as the Rever-
ends Bowlby and Crafts, they are Just
accidents like coolies and the itch
and can be e%radicated by the use Of
d~isinfectants and patience.
AS I have said, I have respect for
everyone's religious belief so long as
1t Is not overbearing and offensive II
it is true, it will survive: if 1t is false.
it will pass away and be forgotten as
thousands already have and 10 laws
that can be enacted will save it.
1t is extremely difficult. as we are
finding out, to enforce laws which are
obnoxious to a large percentage Of the
people.
Most normal people make an effort
to obey all fundamental laws but
strongly resent any law which en-
croaches upon their personal rights
and liberties.
They insist upon following the die.