Life — April 12, 1906 — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ITOR OF LIF Because of the attitude you take toward the missionaries in your paper, it leads me to wonder if you are sorry that you are enjoying the advantages of Christianity, and regret that the very carliest_ missionaries preached Christ to the Gentiles and did not p it within Jewish boundaries. T should also be interested to know how you interpret Christ's last command: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature?” Alice Byington, 2d. Stocksrincr, Mass., March 20, 1906. ‘0 THE EDITOR OF LIFE May one who values Lire’s intelli- gent expression of the “saving grace of humor” give Western echo to the regret of the Washington correspondent ? Lack of up-to-date information is evi- dently responsible for your attitude. The modern up-to-date missionary does not go forth to supplant religions other than his own, but to supplement them with the highest expression of his own faith Surely that “ touch of humor which makes the whole world kin” cannot afford to treat ill that greater touch of love—to which it ministers. Sincerely yours, 1M. H. St. Paut, Mixn. 'O THE EDITOR OF LIFE: I noticed in your valuable paper of March 15 that Mr. T. H. Hamlin accuses you of “sneering at missionaries and mi sions in foreign countries.” Criticism is not often pleasant, even if deserved, and if Mr. Hamlin can show injustice in your remarks as to facts, he will make a point that has not yet been covered Missionaries do good in many ways, but not all the good they might do, and the de- ficiencies have only been attacked by Liv Christianity is not a pleroma of truth, or are the clergy, missionaries or bishops on such a lofty pedestal as to be beyond eriti- cism? One great defect with the missionaries is that they feel that they have the whole truth, and forget that many of the senti- ments of Jesus are scattered through vari- ous religions, and the followers of Buddha, Confucius and the Brahmans are not heathens. The work of the missionaries in China and Japan is not to replace other systems by -LIFE- Christianity, but rather to blend the good of each in a universal whole About three hundred years ago the Catholics were driven out of Japan on account of their interference with the laws of the country, and if certain later accounts of the actions and spirit of the missionaries in China are truc, the same fate may yet await them. Francis Alger. Yarsouti Port, Mass., Nov. 23, 1906. AR LIF Tam from Kansas City and have been. in New York six months. New York is greatly superior to the West in some ways, but we are immeasurably superior to you in others. Out where I come from persons arriving late at the theatre are not seated till they can be done so without disturbing others. Why not the same custom in New York? In all my experiences I think I have never “cut the trail” of what I con- sidered quite such a public nuisance as the person who crawls over and disturbs half a dozen people in an effort to reach his or her seat, in the middle of an act. Westerner. New York, March, 1906. Serer FROM A NOVEL TURNED PIERCELY UPON HER.” 465 Our Correspondent Is Right O THE EDITOR OF LIFE. Under “Italian Bird Shooters Sen- tenced” you make the, for you, surprising statement that “if they merely shot sparrows it would not mattersomuch.”” Why? Isnot a sparrow worthy consideration? And is it not worth at least as much as the Italian who goes shooting birds? FLEW. Burrato, March 21, 1906. DITOR OF LIF When I visited Chicago a month ago I was amused at the rivalry betwee local papers over the Buster Brown pictures. Both papers put forth the claim that theirs were the authentic ones. I do hope that LirF. is not going to introduce to us afresh the Buster Brown iniquity, and yet it looks like it, for I see poor Tige (Buster's dog) in the cartoon, crouching behind Roosevelt, who is dancing a minuct with Bryan. I mean the cartoon entitled,“ When That Day Shall Come." I cannot understand why Roosevelt has a different eyeglass to what he wore when he signed Magna Charta at San Juan, neither do I grasp the meaning of Ireland standing behind Bryan, unless it means that on “Around the world with Bryan” Ireland has been left behind. Tam duil, Iam afraid, for I do not see very much in the cartoon and if I laughed at it, as I sup- pose it is intended, I should be like the schoolboy who was being flogged severely at school, but the more the schoolmaster laid on with his cane the louder laughed the lad, until as the master grew tired the youngster was shaking with uncontrollable mirth, At last the disgusted tutor cried out, ever are you laughing at?” “Please sir, you're whipping the wrong boy,” roared the young student. I hope this letter will not make you mad. I don’t get mad myself, because I, as well as you, try fo get all I can out of Life. Yours in the sunshine, Harry E. Roe. Detrort, Micu., March 16, 1906. R LIFF D Your stand on the divorce problem appeals to me as reasonable and religious. :thical and social considerations of the most imperative nature demand that eccle- siasticism and traditional customs shall not tyrannize over our lives and homes in this twentieth century. Lire is an advocate of family serenity and human liberty. Long may Lire’s banner lead the van up the steep heights of Time. y truly, Frank Lowe Phalen. FAiRHAVEN, Mass., March 28, 1906. two. comicbooks.com