The Devil begat darkness; darkness begat ignorance; ignorance begat error and his brethren; error begat free- will and presumption...; free-will begat works; works begat forgetfulness of God; forgetfulness begat transgression; transgression begat superstition; superstition begat satisfaction; satisfaction begat the mass-offering; the mass-offering begat the priest; the priest begat unbelief; unbelief begat hypocrisy; hypocrisy begat traffic in offerings for gain; traffic in offerings for gain begat Purgatory; Purgatory begat the annual solemn vigils; the annual vigils begat church-livings; church-livings begat avarice; avarice begat swelling superfluity; swelling superfluity begat fulness; fulness begat rage; rage begat license; license begat empire and domination; domination begat pomp; pomp begat ambition; ambition begat simony; simony begat the pope and his brethren, about the time of the Babylonish captivity.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I understand that only the rich can be members of Dr. C---'s church. The Lord Christ, also, is therefore ineligible. I will remain... outside with Him.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
And so it goes, back and forth, good church-members all, which means that their banter contains nothing off-color, and by the same... token, nothing that was coined later than the first batch of buffalo nickels.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church-- I keep it, staying at Home--... With a Bobolink for a Chorister-- And an Orchard, for a Dome--LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
We ought to be cautious in taking even the best ascertained opinions and practices of the primitive Church for our own. If it coul...d be satisfactorily shown that they esteemed it authorized and transmitted forever, that does not settle the question for us. We know how inveterately they were attached to their Jewish prejudices, and how often even the influence of Christ failed to enlarge their views. On every other subject succeeding times have learned to form a judgement more in accordance with the spirit of Christianity than was the practice of the early ages.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Now folks, I hereby declare the first church of Tombstone, which ain't got no name yet or no preacher either, officially dedicated.... Now I don't pretend to be no preacher, but I've read the Good Book from cover to cover and back again, and I nary found one word agin dancin'. So we'll commence by havin' a dad blasted good dance.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »