Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-13
BELIEF IN GOD
Continued from PAGE One)

Piled for the family without giving
number. Signatures were not re-
quested, but quite a number were
signed. There was but one signature,
however, on those answering mo" to
all the questions save the Sth and
yes" to that.
To the first question. "Do you be-
lieve in God?" 127 yes and 5 no.
OF those replying yes" two quail
fed, mot a personal God"
DO you believe in immortality ?"
was answered yes by III and mo"
by IL. Three simply put down ii
question mark. one said; Not as
generally accepted" and one. ION
conditions"
DO you believe III prayer as a
means of personal relationship with
Code" was answered yes" by 100
and no" by II and l omitted say
ing.
do you believe Jesus was divine
as no other man was divine?" was
answered yes" by III and no by
II.
"Do you regard the Bible inspired
in a sense that no other literature
could be said to be inspired ?" elicit
ed affirmative replies from 119 and
negative from Is.
One hundred reported themselves
active members of church, while
20 are not; 100 regularly attend
church while % do not.
One hundred and nineteen would
rot wish to have their family grow
up in a community in which there
is no church. but eight declared
they would be willing.
Relative 20 family worship in the
home IS have it and ~ do not and
10 do not state.
OF the 132 making replies 112
y ere brought up in a religious home,
with either father, mother or both
parents religious, and II were not.
To the question whether they send
their children to any school of re-
ligious instruction, 81 wrote that
they did so. II that they did not,
while the remaining 81 either made
no report or stated that they had
10 children.
One hundred and twenty five
think religion in some form is a nee
essary element of life for the indi-
vidual and for the community; five
think otherwise, two did not answer
that question. Some wrote qualifi-
cations on the blanks. For instance,
one response stated belief in God
and in the divinity of Christ and
that religion in some form is a ne
ceSSary element of life but that the
writer did not believe in immortal
ity, in prayer, or that the Bible was
inspired and would be willing to
have his family grow up in a COM
munity in which there is no church.
One wrote mo- to all the ques-
lions but 10 and u, in other words.
while brought up in a religious home
and believing that religion in some
form is a necessary element, had
none for himself.
Another brought up in a religious
home. believing in God and sending
children to Sunday school and reg
ularly attending religious services.
does not believe in Immortality, in
prayer. or that Jesus was divine.
One brought up in a religious
home has no use for religion in the
home or elsewhere. Another like
minded adds this postscript: II think
religion in any form is no goods
harmful
Another qualities his belief in i'm
mortality with: ION conditions One
places an Interrogation mark in
answer to questions No. 2 and 5. An
other questions immortality. An
others opinion of some form, of
religion is the Holy Spirit as wi
tai"
One believing in God and the di-
vinity of Christ, does not believe in
prayer or the inspiration of the BIZ
BILE but is an active member of a
church. Another active member of
a church does not believe in a per-
sonal God, immortality, prayer. d.
vinity of Jesus, inspiration of the b.
BILE This he explains by saying God
and good are synonymous in his
mind: that we are immortal only as
our good deeds live and have an
everlasting effect; that a prayer is
fervent wish, expressed or not, to
make the world better even in a
small way: that Jesus was the best
example of what we should all try
to be-"
One reporting active membership
in church does not believe that re-
ligion in some form is essential.
This expression from between 40
and 80 persons, while not large, is
a response requiring the writer to
take time at a busy season. to make
an effort without hope of reward
and with little encouragement, there
having been but four appearances of
the QUESTIONABLE in the paper. The
question suggested by this is wheth-
er any other topic would have arous-
ed as much of interest. under like
conditions.