Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-11
INGERSOLL'S MISTAKES.

Ignorance or Deceit Characterize his,ReIig-
iOus Observation-Disclosures of Sermon by
DIR Dana in Plymouth Church last even
ing.
Taking Col. Ingersoll's recent Chicago lecture.
entitled what shall do to be saved?" the
preacher noted in succession its more prominent
points. Taking his text from John, Xxx, 81,
"And be not fsithless but believing" He
spoke first of the mournful spectacle present.
ed by this gifted man standing to ridicule and
misrepresent the religious convictions of the
great majority of his countrymen, foIfeiting
the name of a gentleman by his coarse carica-
lures of things deemed sacred. He has, in this
lecture, eutdone himself, and surpassed pre-.
vious utterances by the extremes to which he
has gone in this instance.
The first palpable error Ingersoll falls into,
is in declaring that the disciples of Jesus spoke
only Hebrew. But such authorities as the En-
cyclopedia Britannica would have inf ormed him,
had he been wise enough to consult it, that
long before the time of Christ Hebrew was the
exclusive property of scholars and its further
history that of a merely literary language"
The four gospels were written in Greek, and
in that language could De read by the Jews OF
Palestine as we'll as by the great GENTLE world.
Ingersoll ia in error in asserting ''it is not
known who wrote the gospels, and that they
''were not written till hundreds of years after
the Apostles were dust" On the contrary
there has been substantial agreement from
the first, that the gospels were
written by the authors whose names they
bear. They were known and IN wide circula-
ton before the close of the second century. Ia
tian, who died int70, composed a harmony of the
Theophilu', tishop of Antioch, about 16S A. D.,
wrote commentary on the gospels. Clement,
of Alexandria, Tertullan, born 100, were
familiar with and allude to them as current
writings. The best critical authorities, Ger
man or English, put the composition of the
gospels in the latter half of the first century.
Johns gospel, which Ingersoll says John never
saw, was not gotten up till centuries after the
other three, has by great critic Ewald,
supported by a long list of great scholars, been
ascribed to John as his work. and to date not
later than the close of the first century, adding
these strong words: "At this moment the facts
are such that no man or woman who does not
1ciN knowingly to choose error, and to reject
the truth, can dare to say that the fourth Cos
pei is not the work of the apostle john"
He is incorrect in saying Matthew says
nothing about believing. On the contrary
he is most explicit in showing the place and
part OF faith, in representing it to have been
the condition of physical cures wrought by
Christ. Faith, as travestied by IngersoIl, is
one thing. as the principle of trust by which
the soul links itself in affection and loyalty to
Christ it is wholly another thing. As the root
and source of good works and holy living
Matthew clearly presents it.
Matthew taught the necessity of repentance
of commandment keeping, which was of the
heart and not simply external and formal.
There has been no other claim put forth, until
this ChiCapo critic arnka and Of
the nature of gospel faith, asserted it cannot be
found in Matthew's writings.
He charges that there are interpretations in
the gospel, but proves none. Matthew 10, 81,
has not been disputed; it is in the received
text, and stands unquestioned. Matthew 10,
80 has no exegetical authority against. Such as
Afford TlschendOrf and others do not question
it. The most that can be said for the closing
verses in Matthew is that authorities are di-
vided; those who deny their genuineness at
tribute them to another writer unknown, and
concede to them great antiquity and currency
in some of the best manuscripts. Such as De
Wette, Schwartz and Strauss, etc., hold that
they were written by Mark.
interpretations, which Ingersoll says number
by hundreds, are really very few and of
minor consequence, affecting no great doctrine
OF the new testament scriptures.
He ends in confounding the church and
Christianity; the former has eve been and is
Stlt1 UecauSS VI Iuo ILL p6IltCb
nature which entered into it. But Christianity
needs to be Judged in its essence, as expound-
ed and exemplided by Christ. Its poor and
mean work to ridicule the church, and say it is
Christianity as we'll as ridlcule, and destroy
liberty because of the excuses and mistakes
of its advocates and friends.
Many other weak and unsupported state
ments of the noted infdel were exposed, and
the harmful influence pointed out, because of
his uufairness and his contradiction of all the
best Authorities.
man who has the opportunity of doing so
much good, of building up a manly faith and
true goodness. is in bad business when tearing
up the faith of thousands and pouring only
contempt on religion which is dear to the
best lived of the race. The English orator,
sheridan, in his speech in the French revolu-
ton. said that betokened undcountable deprav-
ity. The sermon carefully maintained its
points and aimed to commend itself to the So
Der, second thought of those who might have
been followers of Ingers oil, or ut all events MT
in sympathy with the preacher and the belief
of the ehTrchpS