The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-02-19

vestlgatIon of the Bible and OF the Chris
tiaR sy seem.
Paine did not falser, from the first page
to the last. He gives you his candid
thought, aud candid thoughts are always
valuable.
The lecture then proceeded to answer
the question, Did Thomas Paine r|ecantl
citing the evidence OF many of his friends
that lac died holding the religious opinions
he had published. and asking if he died "a
Christian why was he pursued hy Chris
tians, and why did they denounce his death
as cnwardly. He had offered 81 900 in
gold to any minister who would prove that
Thomas Paine recanted in his last hours.
The New York Observer accepted the WA
ger. and then told "A falsehoed about it. but
he kept after the gentlemen until he forced
them, IN their paper, published on the lst
day Of November, lS11, to print these
Words I'VE have never stated in any
form nor have we ever supposed. that
Thomas Paine ]renounced his intiiciity. The
accounts all agree in stating that he died IA
disappearing intidcl.'
THE VEN large WAS
that Paine died in restitution or want.
That. Of course, would show that he was
wrong. ~(LaIghter.) Christians boasted
that the founder of their religion hat not
where to lay His head, but when they found
u man who stood for the .ig lts of nal-
when they said he died poor, that was ev-
idence that lis doctrine was a lie. 1t
wouldn't Go. ~(Lau9hter.) To show the
falsIty of this charge Col. Ingersoll quoted
from Palne's will to show that he was worth
upwards of SD. 900
The lecturer then addressed himself to
the query Did Thomas PAYNE live the
life OF a drunken beast, and did he die a
drunken, cowardly and bcastly death -
He denied that Payne's wife obtained a eli
vOrce from him III England for cruelty and
neglect. or that he was a defaulter and fed
from England to America, challenging a
production OF the recOrds-for they must
be in existence if the allegations are true.
He also denied that Payne was a drank
ard. These three charges stood upon the
same evideuce-the word OF Grant Thor
burn, whose testimony in Col Ingersoll's
judgement, should be throw aside as Who'll
~ unworthy of belief. since Thnrburn was
known to have been a liar. The evidence
on these points was overwhelmingly against
the church. Would Christians have the
fairness to admit it? Their witnesses were
merely the repeaters of the falsehoods of
James Cheathanl. the convicted libeler.
Was 1t in consideration of the services of
a drunken beast that the Legislature Of Pen
sylvnnia presented Thomas Paine with G5
90? Did the State of New York feel in
debted to a drunken beast. and confer up
on Thomas Paine an tate of several hun
dred acres ? Did the congress of the Uni
ted States thank him for his services he
cause he bad lived a drunken and beast!y
life Was he elected a member of the
French convention because he was a drum
ken beast? Was 1t the act Of a drunken
beast TO mt his own Ifn in ;ooror}r ~, 80
ting against the death of the king ? Was
1t because he was a drunken beast that he
opposed the reign OF terror'-that he en-
deavored to stop the shedding Of blood, and
lie all IN his power
To PROTECT EVEN HIS OWN NEH
What crime had Thomas Paine commit
ted that he should have feared to die! The
only answer You can give is, that he dcni-
eli the inspiration of the Scriptures. If
this IS a Grim the civilized world is flied
criminals The pioneers of human thought
the intellectual leaders Of the worId
the foremost men in every science-thc
kings Of literature and art,-those who
stand in the front rank OF investigation
the men who are civiiizing. eleyating. In
struct'ng, and refining mankind, are to day
unbelievers in the dogma of inspiration.
Upon this question the intellect of chris
tendon agrees with the conclusion re chcd
hy the gen!us Of Thomas Paine. Centuries
ago a noise was maize for the purpose of
frightening mankind.
ORTHODOXY Is THE ECHO OF THAT NOISE.
The man who now regards the Old Tesla
ment rs, III any sense, a sacred or inspired
book, Is, IN my judgement. an intellectual
and moral d%cformity. There is III it so
much that IS cruel, ignorant and fcrocious,