The Daily Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883, 1882-03-19
lngerson VS.. BIack, ct al.

lished from the North American
Review, upon the Christian relig-
ion. 1ngersoli icontributes some of
the articles attacking it; that earn
est Democratic statesman, Jere
Black. and a "Professor" Fisher
(who unlike the apostles of old is
not fisher of souls } come to the
rescue in "defence" Of Christianity.
Ingersoll's articles are readable.
What is new is not good, what is
good is not new; yet they are
readable. The irreverent Robert
argues about the Christian religion
like any other paid attorney argu-
ing the cause of a criminal GLEN,
against his conviction. He picks
out good deal that is shaky in
the old Testament and some things
that are not tenable in the New and
argues that the Christian religion
is a lie, sham, a monstrous fraud:
and unworthy the belief Or support
of-thinking men. The upholIers
of in6delity are fortunate in their
champion; did the truths that
Christ taught depend to-day, upo"
the feeble rejoinder of the two
men who attempt to answer him,
it would indeed be bad for the
millions who hold their simple
faith IN the doctrines Of the cruel
fed Redeemer as being above
and beyond anything that this
world can give or take away.
Ingersoll's arguments are spe-
cious, his opponents weak; his
pleas are cunning, their defense
like broken sieve; his thoughts
are well expressed, their words
come like raw recruits firing in
each others faces. II the matter
depended on the book on our desk
any one would say after reading
it, .'this man is right; the Chris
tian religion is a huInbug." It is.
matter of regret that Messrs
Black and Fisher, in conceivins
the idea that Ingersoll deservet
an answer, did not or could no
get; up something that would in
deed be an answer, and not
mumbling whine. This is an agt
of infdelity, OF doubt and ques
ton. 1t is not that people dom
want to believe, nor that the
don't want to be saved; bnt.we ar
passing through cycle of dishe
lief, aud if, as the current of inf
deity rushes by, some few may b
found who 90 with it, that need r.
feet no discredit upen the man
who simply throw out an extr
anchor and cling to the ancien
faith that has done SO much fc
them.
Ingersoll is aclevcr plagiaris
ANY man can see where he geI
his ideas. He has read all tn
works of radical thinkers froi
Arian to Rousseau, and dressiu
up these stolen children of fsrc
in the racy diction of the day e,
hibfts them as his own oiisprin,
and thousands read ami admir-
his printed- words; ignorant of tt
fact that.xhe, is nothing more {
less than;a clever literary. pira
who talks that way because it pay
As for his yituperation of tho:
who in all ages have worn Il
livery of Heaven to serve Il
devil in, who have used the Chri
tian religion for cloak to COW
their own wickedness; it nee
but be asked. "What would yC
think of a man, who, going fro
Astoria to Portland in a steamb o
would grumble at the manageme
of the steamer and find fault wi
her captain or crew because the
was a murderer or a thief amoi
the passengers" In thousands
churches throughout the count
this pleasant Sunday morning a
,multitudes Of people beating the
breasts and ostentatiously prese
at Divine service, who, had th'
their deserts, would be in the per
teptiary-but that does not alt
or subvert the fact that in tho
same churches are vastly great
multitudes of good, pure, men al
women who earnestly practice