The daily gazette., 1881-01-05
SECOND EDITION
COL. INGERsoLL's LECTURE.

COL. INGERsoLL's LECTURE.
Between six and seven hundred peo-
pie, despite the weather, assembled in
the Opera House last evening to hear
Col. Robert q. ingersoll deliver his lee.
ture on "What must we do I'd be
Saved" Mr.. Iugersoll spoke for
about three hours, holding by his ora-
torical power his audience In rapt at.
tention. At times the dropping Of a
pin might have been heard, while at
others there was continued applause
and laughter.
In beginning his lecture, the speaker
begged those present to throw aside
their creeds, and remember only that
they were men and women, who had a
right TO express their opinions, and do
their own thinking, despite all creeds
and dogmas. After calling attention
to the religion of the present day, he
called attention to the most religious
countries in Europe, Portugal, Spain
aud Italy, where the church is mis-
tress, while the most prosperous nation
to day is France, the nation nearest
infidelity, while in religious Scotland,
during the year 1877 over six thousand
women were arrested for drunkenness.
Did the fear of religion and eternal
damnation prevent them from getting
drunk. He next took up the Bible,
and desired to know If any one knew
who wrote it, there was NO name sign
ed to any of the chapters. He had al~
ways thought it strange that the Bible
should have been written in Greek,
while the people of that time spoke
Hebrew. Of late years it has been adj
mitted that the manuscripts had not
been properly translated, and there is
now a committee engaged in revising
the book and cutting out interpretations
and he could not tell until he saw the
new translation whether he believed it
or not.
There is no evidence in the Testament
that Christ ever wrote one line for it
or that he ever wrote at all except one
time when he stopped and wrote line
upon the sand, but whatever he wrote
has not been preserved.
There is no record in the book that
he ever told any one to write q word
for the book. He never said while
with his Disciples /: Matthew, remem-
Der this Mark, don't forget to put
that down; Luke, be sure you have
this in your Gospel; John, dent for
get it. He thought that being con-
ing from another world with an inf
mite message should have to say The
least verified it by his own signature,
He next spoke of Christ, and said
the man Christ he believed to have
been a great, splendid and sincere man,
and he had infinite respect for him.
He believed that he was an infidel in
his time, he was regarded as BIAS
phemer, and his life was destroyed by
hypocrites who have in all ages done
what they could to trample freedom
out of the human mind. For the man
Christ he had infinite respect and glad
ly paid his tribute 10 him. Thespeak-
er said that if no had lived in that day
he would have been Christ's friend,
should he come again while he lived,
he would gladly be his friend. That
is for the man. The theological Christ
he did not love. He did not believe
that Christ worked miracles, that his
birth was miraculous, or that he as
cended into heaven bodily he did not
believe in any laws contrary to nature.
Branching off, the speaker next satd
that some time ago he had made up his
Inind to find out what was necessary for
him TO be saved. II he had soul lie
wanted to save it. Save 10 from What?
Poverty? No. Crime? No. Tyranny?
No. But what shall We do to be saved
from the wrath of the God who made
US all? IL q cd made Us he will not destroy
US. The doctrine of eternal punish.
nent had covered this world with tears,
and he despised 1t and defied IL.
He next read a number of 3haptets
from Matthew, among Others being
For If ye forgive men their trespasses
your Heavenly Father willforgive yours;
but II you forgive them not, then yours
will not be- forgiven. That was an offet,
and be accepted it. He read extracts
from the books of Matthew, Mark ami
Luke, and not one word was said about
bslleving anything In order TO be saved.
The only place where 1t is mentioned
is in Johu, and that is where the trouble
com meDced, but the book OF John was
written centuries before the others, and
is filed with inter polatlons by tho church
in order 20 give them some foundation
20 base their oreeds upon.
The Catholic Church has preserved
these creeds and miracles and she
claims TO be the only church. In ST ain
che rears her head and is arrogant,
while in the United States she crawls,
This 10 the Church which says To beauty
ful young girls of I6 or IL years of ago
to put on a veil woven of death and
night. kneei upon stone and you will
please God He was opposed 10 such
institutions and thought there should be
law prohibiting girls to renounee the
beauty of this world, and enter one OF
those dungeons until she Is az least Old
enough To know what she wanted. He
also thought there should be a board of
comm ssioners appointed TO visit such
places at least twice a year aud throw
open the doors to all who desired to
walk out once wore to liberty and 10y
For not believing in The creed OF the
Catholic Church thousands and millions
have Suffered death by all manner of
Lortures, and IL their bones could be
gathered together, the would makea pile
higher than any pyramid, lat which even
the eyes of the priests would shed tears.
Th.a Enia0onal church If it had A fa a