Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-27
INTERVIEW WITH BOB 1NGERsoLL.
He Replies to a Critic on. the Subject of
Noses and Gires His Yie,s, of Sundau

ne Replies to a Critic on, the Subject Of
Moses and Gires His Tietss of Sunday.
cincinnati Commercial, Nov. 24.I
Reporter "Well, what do you think of the
attempted argument of the Gazette against
your lecture on Moses?''
Col. 1.-THE writer endeavors to show that,
considering the ignorance prevalent 1000
years ago, God did as well as one could rea-
sonably expect; that God at that time did not
have the advantage of telescope, microscope
and spectrum; and that for this reason a
few mistakes need not excite our special
wonder. BE also shows that, although God
was In favor of slavery, he introduced some
reforms; but whether the reforms were in
tended to perpetuate slavery or to
help the slave, is not stated. The
article has nothing to do with my position.
I am perfectly willing to admit that there Is
land called Egypt; that the Jews were once
slaves; that they got away and started lit
tie country of their own. All this may be
true without proving that they were miracu-
lousy fed in the wilderness, or that water
ran up hill, or that God want into partner
ship with hornets or snakes. There may
have been man by the name Of Moses
without proving that sticks were turned into
snakes. A while ago missionary addressed
Sunday school. In the course of his re-
marks he said that he had been to Mount
Arrrat, and had brought stone from that
mountain. He requested the children to
pass in line before him 80 that they could all
get look at this wonderful stone. After
they had all seen it, he said: you will, as
you grow up, meet people who will deny that
there ever was flood, or that God saved
Noah and the animals in the ark and then
you can tell them that you know better, be-
cause you saw stone from the very noun
tain where the ark rested That is precisely
the kind of argument used in the Gazette
The article was written by some one who
does not quite believe in the inspiration of
the Scriptures himself, and,
WERE IT NOT FOR THE FEAR OF HE'LL,
would probably say SO. / admit that there
was such man as Mohammed, such a CITY
as Mecca, such general as Omar: but I do
not admit that God made known his will to
Moha1nmed in any substantial manner. Of
course the Gazette would answer all this by
saying that Mohammed did exist, and that.
therefore, God must have talked with him.
/ admit that there was such general as
kept him from being shot. Iadmit that there
is a portrait of the Virgin Mary at Rome, but
do not admit that it sheds tears. / admit
that there was such man as Moses, but
do not admit that God hunted for him in
tavern to kill him. admit that there was
such priest as St. Denis, but / do not adj
NIT that he carried his head in his hand after
it was cut off, and swan the river, and put
his head on again, and eventually recovered.
admit that the article appeared in the Ga
zette, but do not admit that it amounts to
anything whatever
Reporter-"What do you think, as a Free
Thinker, of the Sunday question in Cincin-
nati?''
Col. I.-"I think that it is good thing to
have day of recreation, a day of rest, day
of joy
NOT DAY OF DYSPEPSIA AND THEOLOGY.
am in favor of operas and theatres, music
and happiness on Sunday. I am opposed to
all excuses on any day. If the clergy will
take half the pains to make the people in
telligent that they do to make them supersti-
tious, the world will soon have advanced SO
far that it can enjoy itself without excess.
The ministers want Sunday for themselves
They want everybody to come to church
because they can go nowhere else. It is
like the story of a man coming homo
at 3 o'clock in the morning, who, upon
being asked by his wife how he could come
atsuch a time of night, replied, The fact is,
every other place is shut up The orthodox
clergy know thas their churches will remain
empty if any other place remains open
Don't forget to say that mean orthodox
churches, orthodox clergy, because l have
great respect for Unitarians and Universal
lists"