The Transgressors Story of a Great Sin
THE TRANSGRESSORS. STORY OF A GREAT SIN. A Political Novel of the Twentieth Century. By FRANCIS A. ADAMS, Author of "WHO RULES AMERICA?" Philadelphia: Independence Publishing Company. CONTENTS BOOK I.
unquestioned, such interpretations as the bishop or priest should
teach them. Whoever deny freedom of opinion, in regard to religion,
to all men, clearly violate the spirit of the gospel, the recognized
rights conferred by the Protestant religion, and the sanctions of
our political institutions.
[Footnote 11: John v. 39.]
Admitting then, as you must, the privilege of others to differ from
you in religious sentiment, you should not allow that difference to
be a matter of offence. It should be no disparagement in your view,
nor lessen them in your estimation. However great you may consider
the errors of your neighbors, if you are satisfied they are
_sincere_, you should respect them for their sincerity! Hypocrisy,
in every form, should be denounced. Those who profess to believe
what they do not, or to be what they are not--who assume the
Christian name when they are in fact, but bitter and narrow-minded
bigots--are only worthy to be heartily despised.
Let me caution the young, also, against a spirit of exclusiveness.
In our age and country, a religious aristocracy is no more to be
acknowledged than a political. All denominations stand on an
_equality_, in their rights and privileges, and in the estimation in
which they are to be held as public bodies. No sect can put on airs,
and assume to lord it over others, in any respect whatever, without
subjecting itself to the severest censure. Among the rights
THE TRANSGRESSORS. STORY OF A GREAT SIN. A Political Novel of the Twentieth Century. By FRANCIS A. ADAMS, Author of "WHO RULES AMERICA?" Philadelphia: Independence Publishing Company. CONTENTS BOOK I.