Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-26
MoCKING IMMORTALITY.

MOCKING IMMORTALITY.
Some Reflections Oa a Recent Event Hhat
Fd,th Does for Civilized Life.
Philadelphia Press.
The narrow margin between civilization
and savagery has had no recent illustra-
tions more marked than the two funerals,
of Actor Thorne in New York, last week,
and of Jack Mccormick, Chicago sport -
buried on Sunday last. Both were
sympathizers with Bob Ingersoll, and both
left special requests, or orders rather, that
no religious services should be celebrated
over their remains. Each doubtless felt
that anything like religious ceremony
would be mockery, and so there was none.
In the sports case the pall-bearers took a
drink over the coffin after it was lowered,
and emptied the dregs upon it; in the
other, with Stuart Robson to deliver a
brief panegyric, they showed a little more
dignity, but expressly denied Immortality
or religion, read characteristic telegram
from Ingersoll, and then, without cere-
mony, turned away, with as little feeling
as though they had buried horse or a
dog.
Such exhibitions shock the good taste
and the good sense of the average man,
because there is no just occasion for them.
Even this, perhaps, is the lowest view that
can be taken. Why should men deride,
defy and mock at Immortality, and say
'there is no God" when, according to their
own admissions, they know nothing about
it? Is mere brute or savage courage so
noble trait that ii is to be brazenly f1aunt-
ed GU the border of the unknown land?
Does it heighten the admiration of any
but literal fools to see men reckless in the
presence of death, when, with the possbil-
ity of Immortality and God beyond, they
are as helpless as babes against what may
be in store for them? And why is i'm
mortality such hideous doctrine that
hatred of it is to be celebrated in rifles de-
signed merely to insult all its believers?
Men can train themselves to do almost
anything in the way of physical endurance
for the moment. The Indians, it is said,
when tortured by Indian enemies, have
Knocked the latter by suggesting new tor
lures, which they bore unfinchlngly to
show how little they regarded mere ply
steal pain. The savage emperor of Mexi
CO, when stretched by Cortez on bed of
Goals, defantly asked: SIS this bed of
roses?" 1t is quite possible that Mr..
Stuart Robson and Jerre Dunn, actor and
sport, could, with little mental prepara-
ton and alcoholic fertilization, calmly walk
into blazing fire hand in hand, disrobe
and lie down to roast, if not to rest; but
would such an exhibition do any more
good than the defiance of the Infinite and
this heathenish disregard of death which
it teaches? Their mere infdelitY is mat
ter for themselves alone, but their blatant
advertisement of it, coupled with a pitiful
attempt to insult the Creator of the uni
verse, is an insult to everyone who believes
civilization better than barbarism, and
shows, dimly, perhaps, what we might ex-
pect in a state where their views obtained
to the extent that Christianity now domin-
ates in civilized society
But back of this defiance of the Infinite
and assumed indifference to Immortality
is another motive, especially shown in the
preface to the actors funeral. These men
had attended funerals where the preacher,
having conscience, did not praise the
dead. They formed contract to have no
such funeral over their remains. They
didn't care to deserve a preachers praise,
but they would have none of his criticism,
expressed or implied. They did not
believe in God, eternity, heaven or hell,
but they would be praised. So Mr.. Stuart
Robson said of his friend: IF he had
| faults never saw them" she had few
enemies and many friends" His faith
was summed up liz these consoling words:
1.-THE future is dark, impenetrable cur
tain, which no human being has ever
drawn aside AMI come back to tell the
tale" And then he drew it aside-and
vanished. That was all.
| Men do not look often to daily journal
engrossed with the affairs of busy world
for teachings as to Immortality. And yet
it is not out of character, even if not
common, to repel these hideous assaults
on faith that alone makes life bright to
millions of sorrowing toilers. 1t does
more than that-it gives to civilized life
all the peace, hope, security, contentments
chastity and Joy, that there is in life. II
this statement seems broad, let the doubtel
ask himself what self-Genial or regard
for human rights could be expected in q
nation from which all belief in i'm
mortality was blotted out? Indeed would
there be, except briefly, any nations at al
where every man was merely a law to him
self while he tarried before the 'impenetra
bic CURTAIN who expected nothing from
the future, and whose only Joy was The
present? The regard shown now for Law
and order by respectable inidels is ne
criterion for such state of society. NJ
matter how low the nation may have sunl
since the flaming sword was placed ovel
the gate of Eden, the influence of religion
has shaped human destinies and legisla-
ton ever since. Even paganism was bet
ter than blank infdelity, and its influence
kept society above the lower deep Of
degradation and humiliation. For inf
delity-such as these men teach-in it
entirety, means nothing short of socia
and moral anarchy. followed by annihil
alton. If they do not know the meaning
of their doctrine they should give It con
sideration.
At dinner at one of the hotels yesterda!
were two ladies in conversational mood
One was relating to the other her first ex-
perience with sewing machine. She
said: ''The machine came while ma wa
out. thought it would be such sarpris
to her if learned to run it before she re
turned. So l took the instruction book