The Portland daily press., 1878-03-08
,INGERsoLL AT CITY HALL.

Wouldn't sober and impartial listener to
this modern Thomas Paine, whatever he thinks
of his creed by which he seeks to annibilate all
other creeds or of bis orstorical gymnastics be
compelled to ask what is all this buster about?
When Mr.. Ipgersoll comes before an audi
ence 10 these days and begins to champion free
thought aud inquiry and rave against "Blue
Laws" aud swear that be will show the cler-
gymen that he will believe what be has mind
to, doesn't it really seem that the man has just
wose out of troubled sleep and Is frightened
at the hobgoblins Of his own feverish brain?
Who has prosecuted this brave and modest
man? Who has threatened to cast him into q
black and loathsome dungeon, or to thumb
screw his splendid reasoning? Who has So
cialy ostracised him for claiming right to go
to hell and determining to have that right?
Really this bluster seems all for nothing.
For the ministers and churches are simply sit
ting back and laughing at the mans threats
and plying bis pedsntic conceits. That's
what they are doing and nothing more. But
isn't that after all the thing that maddens Mr..
I. and makes him rave SO? Does there once in
a while clergyman strike out from the shout
der and damage this Boosting pugilist's brazen
face as did Dr. E. o. Haven at Syracuse, N. Y?
Can Mr.. Ingersoll claim that he is denied right
of speech? He must allow what he claims
free and fearless discussion. Is the eentl man
socially ostracised from the society of the mill
lions who will have religion anyhow? Why COM
plain of such ostracism since such people are so
contemptble and ridicnlously small folk? And
who is the ostraciser? Certainly Mr.. Iugersol,
for hasn't he put us into that little sdugout'
and showed us off to infamy-to hell? If the lee
fnr 10 Gntfarnp hes 10.
then what is he roaring about? Your sober and
impartial listener would probably ask another
question. If this whole subject of religion is
to be disposed of by an appeal to SKULLS,
pei him to admit that the skulls of Christians
must be of peculiar type, and have that pc
culiarity in common? If the man in the dug
out" was the representative of Christianity
then all Christians should have the "dug OUT
skull. But is it really true that Chrssostom
sess inferior skulls and Voltaire and Paine aud
Ingersoll are distinguished by superior skulls?
Now, to be fair. suppose that Mr.. Ingersoll
should get up skull show and put bis own on
exhibition with the rest, aud we will fairly test
this whole matter by skuils, and if Christian
ity even in the dark ages can present nothing |
but the "dug out" skull we will surrender, but |
If it is found that this awful religion has some
fair kind of skulls-that the skull of Mas |
sion, John Wesley, Chalmers, a Jonathan |
Edwards or Sir Isaac Newton, or Daniel Web |
ster who said that all there was ia his style |
worthy of imitation was due tn his love of the |
Scriptures; or the skull OF Washington, or |
Lincolp, who said, "Thauks be unto God VINO |
hath given us the churches;' or the skull of |
President Hill or Joseph Cook does compare |
favorably with the skull of the blatant inf lei |
Ingersoll, may we not ask him to be q little |
more careful of his geDeralzations and little |
less sweeping Ia bis CONCLUSIONS?
Skulls is the doctrine of NUN bskulls. An |
other question from your impartial listener. |
D'dn't that attack on the Catholicism of the |
M ddle Ages that fearful apostasy from the |
true faith which was no more like Christianity |
than Judas Iscarot was like st. John and |
which was condemned by Christians over and |
over sgain before in6dels we're tortured |
by sympathy seem very much like "bark- |
ing at an old hole?' Mr.. Iugersoll ought |
even, understand that the Christianity Of |
the Middle Ages was scarcely more than |
a nominal thing; kings became votaries of |
Christianity aud brought their hordss along |
with them. by their edics whole natioss
were unchanged. Christianity was nearly over
whelmed with flood of barbsrlsns aud hadn't |
1t been founded on eternal truth would have |
been forever buried by this mass OF crude ma
terial. Thousands of so-called Christians in |
those ages never saw a B bic, and to make |
Christians responsible for what those monsters |
Of the Inauisition did, is. if done sincerely,
proof of ignorance; and If done ipsiucerely, |
proof of malignant falsehood. The man who
does it is by just so far knave or a fool. There
is not precept of Christ OF His apostles that |
sanctions persecution"
Bat alas the Door womani No longer shall |
we hear the voice of "Poor Lor' But he is
displaced by the poor woman; tyrannized |
over; ensaved aud damned blythe Christian
The ch,ld is driven and hooted;
whipped around the parlor with bastnsdo and |
made thief by the Sunday School! Oar phil
1sopher is not only Rip Van Wlnkle but
Wilbarforce!
For such infamous ISLANDERS Mr.. Iugersoll
merits the contempt of decent people. We |
don't wondar that the PREss said "ass, ass"
-~Ihen- Ids lAtess phi slosophe de-
voton to truth is so great, whose soul II lofty
that he swears that he wonid lie if thumb
screw we're to hurt him; who cheers the child |
that dis honors his parents; who complains of |
Christianity because it is big0ted AMI narrow, |
but who champions bis own cause by attacking |
with most vsnomous spleen and sneering wit |
all who disagree with him! Really if infdelity |
can't send us something beside this tumble |
down raft, We purpose to stay 10 the Gospel |
ship A LISTENER.
Portland, March Z, 1873.