Show A LAUGHABLE HERESY A paper called the evano Evang evangelist disc dist seems to desire the revival of the old sectarian heresy that laughter and merriment are sinful and ought nor norto to be ba indulged in by bv christians itco it co bains the annexed paragraph grin in the record of the life of christ on earth we have no intimation that he ever indulged in laughter not one of the prophets or apostles ever attempted the exercise of wit in their writings nor is there anything in the description of heaven to lead us to that laughter Is indulged in there we have no intimation in the new testament so BO far as we remember that the son of man ever washed hla hia face will the evangelist ge list therefore argue that washing the face is wrong and should not be indulged in on earth or in heaven and why was man endowed with the laughing faculty if he is not to use it for what purpose Is the of wit formed in the human cranium does not scripture say bay there is a timo time to laugh as well as a time to weep a time to dance as well as aa a time to mourn the gift of humor and the power to laugh are characteristics which form a wide gulf between human beings and the brute creation much laughter laught 12 that isi is immoderate laughter laught is sinful sa as is all intern per pern perance perntice nce atice it is sin bin against ones own body and that is sip bip against its creator but bat laughter in moderation is healthful to 10 body and mind and when indulged in at a proper time and in a proper place is good for man and therefore pleasing to his maker wo we are pleased to know that although the somber views of the evangelist were prevalent among sighing sectaries sect aries many years ago in these later times more common sense obtains obtain and that the time is close at hand band when religion will be entirely divested of the nonsense with which it has bla been enthralled and the proper exercise of all the faculties and powers with which mankind mankin dare are endowed will benot be not only permissible by but part of that rational religion which ought to enter into and regulate all the acts and sayings and thoughts of the sons and daug daughters litera of the great bcd beware of the person that never laughs he is either a designing hypocrite or deficient in qualities that are essential to the makeup of a genuine man |