A Sensible Agnostic

The Rev. Mr. Miln, who recently horrified his Chicago congregaron and delighted the general run of sinners by announcing his inability longer to believe the alleged truths of the Christian religión, has taken a load oiï of the public mind. The usual thing for a preacher to do when he falls out with established beliefs is to enter the lecture field. Then everybody squanders money, at the rate of fif ty cents a head, to gazo upon bim as a curiosity. Occasionally he ventures upon the dramatic stage, in which case the coat to tbe public of ten reaches a dollar and a half a head, the results being so dreadful that any one with foresight would prefer to pay twice the money for the privilege of remaining at heme. Sonietimes the self-expelled clergyman starts a newspaper, which makea trouble in the paper and ink trades, for such papers are usually run on credit. But Mr. Miln has sensibly turned his back on the usual thing and gone into the lumber business. Lumber, unlike some kinds of theology, has nothing fme-spun or vague about it; it is a concrete, solid fact; it can be seen, touched, measurcd and compared with other solids by the standard of actual valué. Councils, creeds.traditions and writings can do nothing to modi f y the quality or value of lumber. Mr. Miln's late parishioners may regret that(theirlpastor has dropped frorn the airy realms of spiritual speculation to a level where speculation is based upoii the records of a tape line; hut Mr. Miln hiniself is to be congratulated oa the possession of that rare quality of sense that prompts men to flee frem doubts to certainties, instead of venturing into lields where novices know nothing.