National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-05-24
AN INFIDEL GATHERING.
ChriItianity Discussed Some Of the Lam
Arguments Of FIet-Thinksrs - They Al

Chris tiAnity Discussed Some Of the Lame
Arguments Of FIet-Thinksrs - They Are
Attained Of Their Doctrines.
A notice published in Saturdays papers, an
nouncng discussion ofthe subject, 1.-THE Chris
tian Religion Fraud" succeeded In attracting
about forty people to Lyceum hall, on E street.
yesterday afternoon. On account Of some mis-
understanding the Hibernian association were
holding session when the men who were going
to explode Christianity arrived, and the debaters
were compelled to linger around the doorway for
upwards Of an hour. The group was composed Of
nOtoriety seekers and their dupes, men who were
attracted by curiosity, q few Christians, who had
come through q instructed zeal to combat the
rantings Of men who are incapable OF healthy
belief Of any kind, knd perhaps few whose Honest
desire for Investigation in every subject induced
them to attend.
While waiting on the stairs numerous topics for
discussion came up. One man thought that he
had clencher on the subject Of Gains wife, and
went about putting out his cheeks and making
was in the land Of Nod that Cain married and
how she came there.
Another thought that It was good joke in the
Governor OF Missouri to have his people pray for
the destruction of the grasshoppers, and chuckled
away in the hot sun till the Precipitation covered
his face.
About four O'Clock the Hibernians let them have
the hail. and
THE AETI- CHRISTIANS
filed into the room. DIR. VIM. Boyd opened the
meeting by explaining that they HAD been re-
fused the use OF Clarke's hall on account of the
character Of the question which came up on that
day. On his motion, Mr.. +. Burlingame took the
chair. A little difficulty occurred at the outset.
Mr. Burr said that the question advertised was
not in order. as 1t had been chosen for previous
Sunday, and that Boyd ought to be called to ac-
count for the phraseoiogy OF the notice, which
smackCd of brRggadOcio He did not wish to dts
cuss the question 81 that form, and moved that
the discussion be on the character rad moral
teachings Of Jesus.
Alter some whispering between the chairman
and Mr.. Boyd, the chairman decided that the
question was In order, and was sustain-i by
vote.
A Mr.. Cheek opened the discussion, with the
privilege Of speaking twenty minutes, those who
followed him being cOnhne to ten minutes each.
He started out to prove that Christ had no exist
ence, and that the Bible teachings were false.
He read extracts showing the similarity in the
accounts of PrOmetheus and that of Christ.
Critics he said denounced the Scriptures as for
geries, and read more extracts. He asked If it
was necessary Tor God who created man to per-
form miracles in order to convince man that he
was God? These miracles never were performed.
II has been proven that
THE WHOLE BIBLE IS FORGERY.
He was told that this God would not allow hts
children TO suffer, yet there were thousands sta
ing who prayed at the same shrine with the rich
an.
Mr.. Human, who was the next speaker -on-
sideTed that MI Cheek had not maze a point n
connection with the subject. Mr.. Cheek had
spoken Of the manner in which the temples of the
during the history Of the human race. Mr. Cheek
dCrGd not say q word about the good that Chris:
tiauity had accomplished. He wanted them to
give evidence.
At this point q collection was taken up to cary
on the good work. during which DIR. Boyd bogP1
his harangue; He asked If Mr.. Cheek had given
no evidence of fraud. Did Mr.. Human mean to
say that all Mr.. Cheeks authorities were fares?
They could not assume that, when they advertised
thing to be fraud, they meant that there was
some chicanery connected with it. The speaker
said that the system had began with fraud at
the council OF Nice. Constantine the Great was
called so because he was q villain.
Rev. MIR. Lucas, Of virginia, next arose. He
thought il behOOVed Dir. Check to show that what
he had denOminated a fraud was what Christ b ad
taught. The question vas, whether Christ Q nd
his system Of morals were frauds. He did not 10
slider that the council Of Nice bed any connection
with Christianity.
Ii TILE sRIRM1 SIZING
aro,e between Lu"1s aud Check as to the mean |
ing Of Christianity. Mr.. Lucas then contend
that people do not claim miracles for Christianity
They claim them for Christ. He considered the
question: uYder discussion illogical. They should
Mr.. Burr then arose and said that neither
Christ nor his apostles had existed. Paul was the
author of Constantly, The Cbci-ea1s in the
| ty Of Jesus, and they then wrote up little |
biography Of such a man. The sensible Jews of |
that period considered It a fraud and said that |
enc to set on this one. He said that the Go 0el !
teaches vagabondism, not to take thought for The
Il
other cheek when smitten on one. |
Mr.. Young spoke earnestly for Cfr.st' "Ntsy. |
History had shown, he said, that frauds sooner or
later Iell to the ground. No one ever knew a |
..aud to exist any length of time among IntelIi-
IT people. They were told to set aside anything
chat they did no. under. land. The existence OF |
the universe is mvstP. ,: but should they, for !
that reason, saw that 1t did not exist? A man |
who lacked Christian principles lacked an impOr-
t9nt elenC 1t OF manIoo1. he retired to Lic |
and the reception that it had met with during the
last two cenIuIiC7
Mr.. L-LIsON
was the last speaker. The opposition, he said, |
want to show what he would oe without Chris |
tianity. The weakest support that he had ever |
head was that no fraud could live. 1t was fraud
to claim that these teachings emanated from !
Christ as every element Of them he been written
three Thousand years before Christ. They had |
heard nothing new. Men, he said, steal each |
others pocket-books in the name of Christ, aud |
mol baG been burned in his name.
Mr.. Boyd then got up. Some who were afra / |
that he was about to give another harangue |
refer again to the eIectment from Ciarke's hall.
He wanted to show the people of Washington,
he wanted the great Repu Ollie to understand, |
that be could never be drowned out, but would |
always be found standing up. The Constitution |
Of the United States was born in intidelity, III
be came to this country because 1t was intidel
country There was a slight effort at applause, |
and Dr. BOYD, alter giving full tine for It to sub
side, moyeU 10 adjourn sine die, subject to ell,
which was carried, and the meeting dispersed
Before retiring several OF the speakers ask |
that no report Of the proceedings be published, |
or that in any event their names be suppressed. |
lhus h.ng evidence that they were ashamed of |
the doctrines they had enunciated. The best way |
Tor them to Keep their names out OF the paper IS
to remain away from meetings Of this character. |