The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-05-26
WEEKLY.
Chr QnteItiqetrrfr,
WEED ON IaGERsOLL.
DAILY.


ChrIstinuIty and InAdellty Us Under
stood by the Veteran journalist ana
Correspondent.
To the Editor Of the New York Herald.
Men entertaining in6del opinions TO
the last twenty or more years, and unit
the appearance Of Robert G. Iugersoll
have seldom obtruded themselves up1r
the public. There is nothing in the man
ner or matter OF modern divines either 4
provoke or invite antagonism. CleTgymeE
do not, ss formerly, dwell and linger upor
the dark features Of theology, Nothing Il
now heard OF the fate OF "iniants not {
spaa long" The ministry Of our day is I
ministry Of peace, charity, and good will
This generation learns to love and serve
rather than to dread aud distrust, oul
Crestor and Savior. Whatever grounds
existed formerly to tempt scotters and re-
yilers, the religion Of our time disaTmi
and silenoes unprejudiced criticism.
Col. Ingersoll, whom ! do not know,
has the reputation OF being gentleman
OF education, with wellstored mind and
attractive personal manner, who speaks
fuently and eloQuently, A man thus
gifted can do much good, but much more
evil, aCCordingt0 the principles espoused
and the line Of conduct marked out for
himself. Col. Ingersoll, 1t seems, upon
bis entrance into active life, chose the left
instead of the right pathway, and be-
came reyiler OF, instead OF believer in,
q religion which has been making the
world wiser, better. and happier for al
most nineteen centuries. Without ques-
tioning Col. Ingersolls sincerity, or inn
pugning his motives, am persuaded that
II half the time and labor expended In
certifying himself with arguments against
religion had been devoted TO an intelligent
aud impartial consideration OF the evi.
denCes establishing its truths, the country
would have hBd, instead Of revileT, a
gifted follower Of Him whose mission, Ia.
bors and character, viewed merely from
worldly standpoint, inspire admiration,
affection and gratitude. IL II not, there.
fore, painful to zee men richly endowed
perverting their gifts, miSusing their tai.
ents, in presumptuous revilings and ribRld
jestings against Creator aud Savior
from whom every earthly bounty and
blessing emgnatos?
No &C. OF the Savior's life and no word
He ever uttered has been or can be con-
strued or tortured into hostility TO the
welfare and happiness Of every member
OF the human family. Human laws are
founded upon the Divine law. Al that
concerns our happiness here and our
hopes oil happiness hereafter Is derived
from the Scriptures. On the other hand,
what has intdelity done for us? Who
profits by its teachingsP After depriving
lie followers Of their belief in 8 future,
how does 1t compensate them? What
does 1t offer In exchange for lie OF
morality? II, for example, Col. Inger.
soil should be summoned to the bedside
Of q dying friend or relative, what words
OF comfort or OF hope could he olfsrp OF
what service could he be to that stricken
friend? Would no sggfavate the suffer.
ings OF ono whose last hours needed
soothing by telling him there was nothing
but the cold DARK grave awaiting him ? This
cruel theory Is repealed not only by reve.
lation, but by the laws Of nature. Nature
10 instinct with evidences and Conhrma.
tons OF the truths OF revelation. The
vegetable and floral world only die to live
again. The products OF the earth live and
die annually. The buried acorn repre-
duCes the living oak. And yet in6dellty
insists that man, the image Of hls Creator,
wonderfully endowed and gifted, under
whose auspices the world has been en-
Iightened, elevated and adorned, is after q
brief existence to be 90 though he had
never been. Contrast the labors Of Vol
taire and Paine with those OF John Yves.
ley. Gan 1t be said with truth that the
former two made any one better or hap.
pier? Hundreds OF thousands Of the fol.
lowers OF John Wesley have lived and
other hundreds OF thousands survive, re.
joiCing in their conversion from oinful
10 Christian life. The memory Of Yves.
ley Is everywhere cherished by the good
and the pure, while Voltaire and Paine
are only remembered for the evil rather
than for the good they did.
II II be urged that the promises OF the
Savior have not sill been realized, that sin
still abounds, and that the world Is as bad
as ever, II may be answered that religion
ia working out its mission; that its benign
influences are constantly extending; and
that light is radlating from II to the darkest
recesses Oh heatnenlsLn anu luoISyi - iIet
CURES no argnment 70 ushongstn.e the iac.
that rrace isimproVea ny Gly ,i. Or
that CIVILIZATION owes lug , 1ngIh anu p Pr.
Rress 10 rellgion' 10 IelleloIb ii'usn .ah
we are indebted LOT 81. tnS Ie Huh " ,.ona
benefit Rocleiy; Onr SUNDAY SCHOOLS GI. weLe
Instituted IN oDeulehce 70 pvIne Con n.
mand. In these SCHOOLS CnIIu, ,ei,ha Sre
taught without money anu Mi'n ...Ui
price" ell that concerns tneit pteseuS Tm WEI.
fare and their future nappines.siL ine a01
intellectual nurseries nave ehslCn asa a ta.
iertiIiSed, and continue 70 ehtlcn anu leti
tilize, every CITY, vliIags; 1an!et anu sIli
household throughout w Ontlsslan mOt' :.
religion mas done ho'nlng oLe sliaI ~ "
bIess our race WIN me HonseC[n..uE lnu
ences Of SUNDAY SCHOOLS FConefS SnouIu
be shamed into silence.
WHAT RELIGION HAS Doug FOR NEW YORK.
O,r c;tv furnishes many EXAMPLES Of
Nis...aon ~ ,oi,,,nn E,,,y vo.,v
the Deu'ncenCe vi iU',s'O"' ~ ,, e"'o
AL al ZNH4 - n n