Las Vegas morning gazette., 1881-05-01
INGERSOLL'S REASONS.
Why Col. Bob Has No Use for the
Christian Religion.

ture in Booths Theatre, New York,
OH Sunday evening, April Gath. The
theatre was packed, aud the audience
were raptly interested to the end i'll
what is termed "Pope Bob's' greatest
effort. We republish an extract of a
portion OF the lecture:
want a religion, said the speaker,
that will deal honestly with the heath
en-. that will respect the rights and
leal Justly with all men, no matter
how poor one has come to be. AnOth-
er objection | have is that the relig-
ion is fcunded on what is termed an
inspired book. What is meant by in
spiration Do you mean that God
wrote tho book? don't know. Do
YOU mean that God took possession
of mans mind and caused him to
write it? | don't know. Do you
mean that it is true? The Christians
must Of necessity believe that the BIZ
bic is true, but if that is so what is
the need Of its being inspired! Gap
plause.) " hat mean by inspiration
is the extent of the thought am able
to give when listening to the sea or
reading u book. | get from Shake
spearp, he greatest human being that
ever lived, such inspiration aa L can
receive by the exercise of my mental
capacity. The inspiration is in the
reader, not in the writer They say
the Bible is inspired by God that in
some way he produced it. Did He
produce it us lie did the rest Of the
world? No one knows. Formerly tie
Bible was regarded as a standard au-
thority on geology and astronomy.
Does not Christians so regard it now!
According to that book personal
God made us all! | don't know
whether he did or not, but it seems 10
me that perfect being must produce
II perfect universe; not an imperfect
one, rs this earth is The Bible says
thai God picked out a certain people
and began to civiize them. lie could
not spare time to tend to the Egyp-
tians or to India, but He selected a
few of the tribe of Abraham and tried
to see what he could do with them.
lie established most perfect despot-
ism. Did he open a school? Not one.
Did He teach geology? Not at all.
Did He reach astronomy or the first
principles of medicine? No. He took
Ihe people and in order to get them
under control He began to perform
miracles. 1t is a fact that no priest OF
one tribe can astonish the prize OF
another tribe by telling miracles
This miracle business reminds me OF
q story. n company of men were en-.
gagged in relating strange and won
derful stories. Among the number
sat a man who betrayed no emotion
whatever Of pleasure, nor did he en-
ter into the conversation. Present.!
the man was asked if he heard a GER
tain wonderful story related. lie said
yes. "Wcre you astonished!" "Nnl
at AL, because am liar myself"
said the man. Loud laughter and
applause ] SO it is with miracles.
They were related to hold together
people, and their purpose was accom-.
plishcn.
MIR. lngersoll then took up both the
Old and New Testamcnts and called
attention to several inconsistencies
and criticized their general tone, es.
pccially he first four books of the
New Testament. He could sec 1t
reason for having four gospels when
one correct edition would have been
enough. He took exception to the
orthodox doctrine that a man seventy
wears old. who has committed every
kind Of a crime, can be saved by con
forming 10 certain creed, while the
man who has been kind husband, i
good father and has lived to help
others Will go down to cterna
wretchcdness. He arraigncd the
Church for its hypocrisy, and he thel
argued that if Christ was in fact Goo
then He knew the history of the ms
cry Of the world and yet He died will
voiccess lips. Why did lie not tel
the people that they must not kill
that they must be absolutely free, in
stead OF going dumbly to His death
He argued that some of the doctrines
of the Bible were advocated an(
taught by pagans centuries betnr'
Christ was born. Another objection
raised TO the Christian religion wa
that it taught the doctrine of eterna
pain. God has no tight, said the lee
lurer, to make man whom he in
tended to damn. A being of infinite
wisdom has no right to make fail
ure, and surely man who is going L
be cternally damned is not conspic
uous success. He ridiculed the theor.
Of the atonemcnt, and said the old He
brew sacrifices had this advantag
over the present system, that it re
quircd prompt payment for trans
grcssion. Now when we sin we sa,
Charge it; put it on the slate.
Iaughter.) DO you want to know
why the Lord used TO require shee
for certain sacrifices? III tell you
1t was because the priests liked NUT
ton. Laughter) No man can si
for me no man can be virtuous fo
me. II | can't 90 to heaven OH m
own merits don't want 10 go at all
don't want TO be in heaven on suffer
ance. | don't want to feel that | ar
in the worlds poorhouse, supporte
ly the town.
Mr.. Ingcrsoli combatted the doc
trine Of non-rcsistance and said tn
inventor of it was a weak man, VIII
did the bcst he could under the Cll