National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-24
SOUNDS.
THOUGHTS FROM SUNDAYS SERMONS
Rev. G. w. Wendte Measures Bob Ingersoll by a
Unitarian Standard. and Calls Out an Indig-
nant Protest-ProfessOr Hughes Pic
lures Christ's Second Advent.

The text of the lecture delivered by Rev. Mr.. G..
w. Wendte of Cincinnati, last night at All Souls
Church was Ephesians, iy:15. His theme was A
Unitarian estimate of Robert G. Ingersoll." He
commenced by saying that he did not deceive him
self; it was the magnetism of Ingersolrs name
which had brought so large congregation to the
church. 1t had been said that the general ten
dency of Ingersolls eloquence 10 assist Unita-
rans in rescuing from the grasp ofsupersition.
Certainly Unitarians share in his hatred Of the in
sincere As far his doctrines went TO assist free
thought Unitsrians agreed with him. But, unlike
Claiming or Paine, he brings no arguments,
no proof OF his assertions. He was not an
original thinker. His force consists in his pun
gent wit, his hum1r, his marvellous command
of language, his eloquence of tone; Ih nose
the credit of honesty. As an orator ne belongs 10
the robust school" His wit, his evident earnest
ness, his shrewd MANAGEMENT OF his AUDIENCES
make him almost irresistible 10 the average mind.
Ee is said to have great sympathy WIN Chta-
rians which is reciprocated by them. But per-
sonal sympathy should not bind men to his delaer-
its Therefore while he has done some good to
the Christian world by calling attention 10 some
abSurdities of the prevailing theology, he yet has
done great evil. Unitarians believe him TO be in
earnest and largely in the right, but t!ey object
to the way III which he puts forth his attacks. He
is too harsh. That is not the way great thinkers
do. He has fiery temper, much harshness OF
feeling and distorts the cid belief. That is the
easiest way 10 dspOc of doctrines not pleasant to
you, but it is an erIcneousw way. It draws crowd,
old faith No matter bow high the abilities of any
man they Will not long enable him with impuility
to make mock OF mems religious sentiment. That
sentiment is not lit subject for ridicule or mock
cry. He increases the prejudlccS of his audiences
and encourages a spirit of irrcverence and re-
IgiCus hippancy. Laughter about GCdi What
depths Of irreYeTeEce and want of charity this
shows
Want Of reverence is crying and growing ten
cency with American character and he is not
beneactor who encourages it. 1t IS wise to pull mp
the tares, but not the wheat along with them. The
spirit OF the age has changed the intoler-
ent spirit that once prevailed among Chris
tians on the subject OF difference of belief The
creedS the same, but men are Influenced
by kindlier emotions. Yc Colonel Ingersoll, while
himself sets the example Of being intolerant
against the priests. This spirit is all wrong. We
ought TO speak the truth fearlessly bu speak it in
love- His conception of the radicals true mission
is mistaken one. He makes war en- the church,
while declaring he bears il no ILL., 1t is true the
church is defective, but what moral substitute is
available. Ingersol would substitute the public
schools. But universal experience has demon
Strated that intellectual culture is not substitute
for moral education. The poets represent Satan as
having large brain, but neither heart nor con-
science, and the representation is based upon
proper appreciation of the truth. lngersoll would
substitute science for the church, but it is we'll
known fact that science is potent for evil Is for
good. The church alone Is a generator Of moral
force nothing else can supply.
The lecturer paid high compliment 10 the
preachers of the country. They preach coed
deal of theological nonsense, but this is offset by
honesty of living Besides Protestant preaching
is not absurd now, as it was in IngerSois boyho0d.
Discussing this point, the preacher paid glowing
tribute to Jonathan Edwards, who was the subject
of lngersOlIs intense hate andscO The radicals
deplore as much as Ingersol does certain anti
quated doctrines of the church. While these doc
tTincS are in many respects The invention of men
for their own crafty purposes, yet experience has
shown that everything that endures long time in
religion is based on sympathy with the human
heart. These old crecds may not be true, but they
endeayor to express the truth. For example, the
doctrine of the Trinity as Ingersoll condemns it, or
Moody breaches is false absurd, irrational, in
comprehensive; but the doctrine of the
Trinity as formulate by Augustine, by
Anselm, by AquinaS, is full of beauty.
Infinite God who yet had ethical relations with
the world. TWAS long since exploded was absurGly
false; yet it did good in its day So with the doe
trine of hell. The speaker hated hell justas much
as ngerSon did. But the doctrine contained an
element of truth in it, and was an attempt of the
church to express its hatred of sin. As system
it had great merits, but it practically failed But
because the doctrine of hell was untrue it is no
reason that there should be more responsibility
Colonel IngeTSoll did not believe in moral reSpon-
Sibility. He held that what man did he could not
help doing and was therefore neither to be blamed
nor praised. IfIngersoll had really gTasped the
central idea of modern belief the evolution of all
beliefs he would not scof at the old faiths Inger
soil, moreover Unjust in his reflections Oh the
Bible.
To sum up, it would seem that Mr. Wendte's est
mate of Ingersoll was that he was good talker
but 10 thinker; that he was earnest and honest
but mistaken and inudicious in his way Of COM
ence in others with severity that proves him
cherisher of that same quality himself; that he
was not abreast of modern religious thought, and
finally he did more harm that good.