The daily gazette., 1881-01-17
DR. CALDWELL oN1NaERsosL.
THB GREAT fNFIDEL DRAGGED FACE
TO FACE WITH THE "GoD OF THE
HILL TOPS"

TO FACE WITH THE ''aoD OF THE
HILL TOPS"
An unusually large audience gath
cred at St. Paups N. e. Church, yes
terday morning, to hear the pastor,
Rev. ]. II. Caldwell, D, D., deliver his
sermon In reply to the recent lecture
Of Col. Robt. G.. Ingersoll IN this city.
Every seat In the church was occu-
pied.
The scripture lesson was the Goth
chapter Of the First Book of Kings,
descriptive Of the signal defeat of Ben
hadad, the king Of Syria, by the Is
raelitss. The text was the 23d verse
Of this chapter "And the servants Of
the king Of syria said unto him. Their
gods are gods Of the hills therefore
they we're stronger than we but let us
fght against them In the plain, and
surely we shall be stronger than they"
Also the following "And what con-
cord hath Christ with Beliale or what
part hath he that belicveth with an In.
fidcl f''--2d Corinthians, 6I5. BIZ
In opening DR.. Caldwell said he
could not help being personal in this
sermon. He would speak of Ingersol-
iism as system of infidelity propo-
gated by Col. Robert g. Ingersoll. He
could no more separate lngsrsollism
from the man. than he could separate
tee from its shadow. Ingersoll is
only tfe tree, but Ingsrsollism is its
deadly shadow.
The plants that are chilled by this
dismal shadow must have light. Some
Of his own plants had cried out for the
light and by the help of God he WAS
determined TO give II to them.
TnE LINE OF BATTLE.
When the King of Syria was defeat
cd by the IsraeliLes he went down up
on the plains thinking he could make
a stronger fight there. lngersollism,
said DIR. Caldwell, has chosen to stand
upon the plains of the earth. But
take my stand upon the Godborn hills
and say, "Come up and face my God
on the hill tops l know that whether
on the hill tops or the plains, my God
is stronger"
FORMS OF INFIDKLITY.
Ingersoll has attempted 10 defend
infidelity. Inhdelity is, in its broad
est sense, disbelief Of Christianity ; IL
is not merely bad faith, it is no faith at
all. lngersoll's attacks upon all creeds
and faiths has made Ingersollism infi-
deity.
II is not more disparaging that
Christianity disagrees in its forms than
that infidelity disagrees. There is an
essence of unity in each--in one a
unity OF belief and in the other unity
Of unbelief.
DIR. Caldwell next proceeded to de-
scribe the different forms of infidelIty,
a. follows:
Athsism-an absolute denial of God,
which the ancient Greeks held to be
synonymous with wIckedness. 1t 10
no better now.
Materialism-which merges God in
to matter and holds that outside of
matter there 10 nothing. Materialism
and Atheism are twin brothers, and
the former has been called the Gospel
of the flesh. 1t denies all spirituality.
IngersOllism accepts this when it bids
you fear no God but yourself, and uI =
holds the natural law only. Ingers0l.
lism teaches man to save himself. H.
gersoll Is determined to save himself,
and BY his remuneraliye lecture does
save himself-from poverty.
Pantheism-which acknowledges the
universe AZ God, and whose motto is
lone aud all" lngersollism Is Pam
theism when 1t denies the spirituality
of God.
Deisin, or naturalism-now called
ationallsm-which adheres " the supre-
macy OF human reason.
All OF these forms blend together and
the tie OF unity Is their an.agonism 10
Christian belief. Its essence 10 deadly
enmity TO the Christian faith aud all the
creeds Of Christian religion.
lngers0ll, said DIR. Caldwell, is an
orator, OF wonderful magnetism, who
draws all kinds OF people TO him and
0ewitchesr them with his eloquence. II
such talents As he possesses were wisely
dirt cted he could win an enviable repu.a-
ton and immortal honor. But he tries O
tear down the grandest, nobiest, holiest
institution that ever brought happiness
10 the human race. He Is a preacher OF
principles that will ultimately attempt
10 violently compel society TO adopt their
teachings.
The sermon next compared Ineersoll
with Valtaire, Hume, Rosseau, VolDey
and Payne claiming that while they
equslled hum la deuunciation of those
who believe In the Christian religion
they were his superiois in intellect, ,cul-
ture and learning, aud made no public
speeches against religion.
One ofthe peculisrities Of fIngersollism
10 It's venality. He must have none tor his
campaign Christianity. He u infinitely
worse than thc.old iDfidels. Valtaire, was
rich built handsome chateau, at which
many . poor Protestant received assist
ance; aud once he built q church and
dedicated It TO God. DR.. Caldwell would
like TO see Ingersoll take some Of the
money derived from his lectures and
help some poor Delivers.
Ingersollism Is mainly directed to
tickling tue human nslbilities. He
makes people laugh, an that's how he
makes his lectures pay. 1t 10 good TO
laugh, and Christians often laugh, but
not at lngersoli ridicullng the Christian
religion. HE laughter is sordid and
therefore TO be despised.
INaKRsoLLIsM's GREED.
Ingersoll has his ereedo Il belleve.)
He derives bic creed from his bIble--the
universe. His gospel Is the gospel OF
cheerfulneas, good health, freedom Of
thought, liberty and intelligence. In
y l. -