Daily Republican., 1879-06-12
An Infidel Over q Co FIN.

Rev. DR.. William Y. Brantly preach
ed on Sunday night in the Seventh
Baptist Church, Of Baltimore, on the
subject of IAN Infdel Over a Coffin"
being discussion OF the Grafton Of Col.
Robert G. Ingersoll at the funeral Of
his brother, Ebon G. Ingersoll, in
Washington City ,on Tuesday week. DR..
Brantly addressed himself directly to
the issues involved in the creed of the
deceased as stated by Col. lngersoll :
"He believed that happiness was the
only good, reason the only torch, JUS
tice the only worship, humanity the
only religion and love the only priest. "
The funeral, DR.. Brantly said, was a
singularly sad one, for there the Bible
was closed and there was no voice of
prayer heard in the house or at the
grave. Flowers there were in profusion,
but no recognition of the Being who
made them. The consultations of reli-
glen we are accustomed to seek were
carefully excluded. One of the sad
things there was that it was the funeral
Of an intidel. The only officiating priest
was free thinker OF the most pro-
nounced type, who has not hesitated to
proclaim his sentiments all over the
land, seeking to inject his skeptical poi
son into the minds Of the weak and
credulous. He was, as it were, mis-
sionary infidel. His speech over the
coffin, beautifully worded, has been
given just as it came from the mouth Of
the speaker. The speech has been sent
on its mission of evil with every ad-
vantage that could be given by beauty
of style and choice of language. Sup
pose men lived according to the theory
that happiness is the only good. The
question as to any action by man
would simply be how does it affect his
happiness or minister to his enjoy.
ment The questions of justice, honor
or respect for the rights of others are
thrown away entirely. What would be
our position if this rule obtained in
Heaven as we'll as earth If Christ in
Heaven had only said, ''I am happy
here," He would not tor our sake have
become the man of sorrows and az.
quainted with grief. Where would be
the patriotism and self-sacrifice under
such creed ? But is reason the only
torch Close the Bible and what woulC
reason tell d! We should see million.
born into the world and march on anc
on, and meet the same dark conclusion
called the grave, where they fail ano
disappear from our sight. Reason gives
no answer to the question can mar
live hereafter beyond the blind pagar
groupings, which say possibly or prob
ably he may. Reason can only Dispute
or ,errify by its uncertainties, net as t.
what will be, but what may be. The
torch goes out Just where we need il
most. That humanity is the onl y rel
gion is what an intidel wrote in Paris
and added that death was but an eter
nal sleep. 1t is indeed right to be kinc
to your fellow men, but if that is all o
what avail will it be III the hour o
death when we need a friend strOnge
than man! Justice as the only WORSHIP
might be admissible if men were only
just, or for angels who are pure, but 70
fallen man he would ask justice to b.
tempered with mercy. That love is tn
only priest, with the creed put forth, j
absurd, for we want no priest if ther
is no God, and no sacrifice if there is n
sin. He did not wonder with this cree,
that Col. Ingersoll should say that ever.
life must close with tragedy, deep
dark and sad, but how gloriously i
that repudiated, in the revelation of tn
Bible, that death with the Christian j
only the throwing off of an earthl.
tabernacle, under which he groaned
for "temple not made with hands
eternal in the Heavens