“I wish to inform you that the manuscripts and parchments, in sub- department number six of this hall, all point to the fact that Jesus Christ was born like any other babe and that his father was Joseph. Dishonest, indeed, is any one who would rob Joseph of this honor. ‘Honor to whom honor is due.’ While Christ was a great man, he never had in him the elements of Divinity. Let millions in the world glory in their imaginary theology, yet that is no reason why scholarly research should be put to naught, or why it should be sacrificed. We are living in the morning twilight of a better day when God shall be worshiped and Jesus Christ ignored when all thought of Divinity will center at the true focus and a man will no longer receive the glory that belongs to God.”
The vigorous applause which followed the remarks of this speaker fell with grating horror on my ears. “Can it be possible,” thought I, “that any one can publicly teach such doctrines of Hell, and be thus applauded? Whither are so many of the church and the world drifting that they should give ear to such theology as it comes from the mouth of the Devil?”
Miss Church-Member and her escort left the lecture room and visited a few more of the sub-departments where they saw many objects of literary interest and, with the aid of experts, examined some of the old manuscripts dating back to the time of Christ. They left the hall and were next attracted by the words over the entrance of Hall No. 9 appearing thus:
LITERATURE ON LIFE.
1. Vegetable Life. 2. Animal Life. 3. Mental Life. 4. Spiritual Life.
At the suggestion of Miss Church-Member they entered, and could readily see that the attendants and lecturers of this hall were also of a very high class. One of the speakers elaborated on the theory that life is the result of spontaneous generation.
Another, in speaking on spiritual life, made special reference to the fact that Jesus Christ claimed to be the “Life,” and then proceeded to refute this claim by a series of arguments which were altogether too philosophical to be understood by the two companions.
Finding no pleasure in this metaphysical atmosphere, Mr. World conducted his companion to the adjoining hall devoted to the “Literature of Fiction.”
Here they spent a season delightfully, perusing works of fiction and listening to addresses, all of which advocated the views of Satan.
I heard one of the lecturers, in a discussion on “The License of Pure Fiction” make these dangerous remarks: “The highest fiction of the world is that in which human life is pictured in ideal colors, even though it be done at the expense of truth.