The citizens of Lucas encounter an "anti-Christ"

Remsburg

Missionaries in America have come in all shapes, sizes, genders --- and outlooks. And many of them have spent at least a little time in Iowa, including John Eleazer Remsburg (1848-1919), among the most widely known late 19th and early 20th century apostles of free thought; a prolific author whose books remain available today.

Perhaps the most widely known of his works is The Christ, published in 1909.  In it, he argues that while Jesus may have been a real person, the Christ of the gospels is in large part a myth.

Before death came in California during 1919, Remsburg estimated that he had delivered more than 3,000 lectures across America, much of the time while headquartered in Atchison, Kansas. At least six of these stops were in Lucas County and nearby Humeston back in the summer of 1895.

Newspaper files confirm that he spoke in Hatcher's Hall at Russell on July 1 and 2, 1895; then traveled to Humeston, just over the line in Wayne County, where he held forth at the Opera House on the evenings of July 3 and 4. On Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 12 and 13, he was speaking in Lucas.

The Chariton Herald of Aug. 15 carried this brief report of his lecture there: "J.E. Remsburg the Free Thinker was very well patronized Monday and Tuesday nights. He set many to thinking. Lucas has never heard the liberalists' side of the question before. One of our people was much worked up over the lectures and attempted to swallow Remsburg, but not having any lacto peptin, his digestive organs could not stand such a dose."

A week later, in its edition of Aug. 22, The Herald allowed a few inches of space to a correspondent identified as "T.R.A." who may or may not have been that "worked up" audience member. T.R.A.'s words were published under a headline that left little doubt about his (or her) views --- "A Modern Anti-Christ." Here's the text:

"It is a grave mistake to say 'that it is doubtful whether there is a God or not.' It is not in the least doubtful, but the most certain thing in the world; nay, the foundation of all other certainty. That there is a moral government of the world admits no reasonable doubt.

"Monday and Tuesday, August 12 and 13, we had a Mr. J.E. Remsburg, a Free Thinker, at Lucas. I cannot style him 'Reverend.' I would style him an anti-Christ.

"The moderators announced that he would lecture on 'The Bible and Morality.' But in speaking on the moral principles taught in the Bible, he harped on the immorality of certain parts, historically inserted, leaving the moral precepts abounding therein. Thereby he  affronted and insulted our good Presbyterians, Methodists, Latter Day Saints and others. He seems to have come to Lucas with the idea that the Christians in Lucas were as irreverent as the Free Thinkers, and needed to be taught that it was wrong for Jacob to be assisted by his mother to secure the patriarchal blessing when he had bought it for a mess of sod pottage. Esau was like some of the Free Thinkers; his perception was so limited that he could not comprehend his own weakness and perverseness. We fail to see wherein the likes of Mr. Remsburg can be of any benefit to any community or to the world at large."

Sadly, I don't know who "T.R.A." might have been.