The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-01
A POLITICIANS WEAKNESS,

POLITICIANS WEAKNESS.
Mr.. Bradlaughs repeated failures to secure
a seat in the House of Commons is an addi-
tional evidence of the difficulty in creating
among Christian people enthusiasm for an
infdel. He may be never so talented, may
have done never so much good in war; in poll
tics or in government, but if his revelations to
men of the inner life and spiritual nature are
negative and unwelcome, the free-thinker and
agnostic will inspire no feeling warmer than
respect in the hearts of his fellows. Mr.. Brad
laughs religious principles have blighted his
reputation and branded his name with some
thing which the masses of Christian England
avoid as they would the pestilence. Nor will
Mr.. Ingersolls name or reputation, to the end
of time, ever overcome the moral shock
to every sensitive and religious nature who
falls on his essay on the gods, or whose eye
catches the fy-leaf illustration of Christ cru
Gifted between two malefactors on the one
hand, and the telegraph poles, with cross-bar
anu wires, Oh Une Otnef. Inc linpllcaJoH
here is that science has done more for the
world than Christianity-th electricity is
greater than divine love, Volta before Jesus.
Mr. Ingersoll freely admits that his views cost
him the governorship of Illinois. The hearts
of the masses do not warm toward free
thinkers. Hume and Voltaire may command
respect, but not love. They spoke no word
filling life with the sunlight Of hope and sur
rounding the grave with the halo of immor-
tality. Paine stands a little closer
to the hearts of his countrymen,
for he had noble qualities. He fear
lessly advocated what he considered right.
He had literary genius, and was not only
patriotic, but also philanthropic His decla-
ration that 'the world was his country, and
doing good his religion" and his assertion
that "any system of religion that shocks the
mind Of child cannot be true system" are
grand and candid, and will probably live
longer than anything Mr.. Ingelsoll has writ
ten.
But Mr.. Paine is dead, dead to the hearts of
and are making the United States what it is,
and what it is to become, and in spite of his
Common Sense the best defense and most
successful exponent of the American revolu-
ton, in spite of his ''Rights of Man. the de-
Tense of the French revolution, in spite of the
marvellous eloquence and power with
which Mr.. Ingersoll vindicated both
his private character and public
services, Thomas Paine can never stand in
the hearts of his countrymen where he might,
had he added TO his patriotism and philanthro-
ply regard for Christianity. Mr.. Ingersoll
cannot lead the people along the track of
Hume, of Voltaire, of Paine The blind
lead the blind. Paine failed Ingersoll has
failed. His following is lessened by every
utterance, by every essay on theology and re-
ligiOn, by every open grave by which he
utters his vapid nothings Other men have
stood about the cheerless mounds and read 81
am the resurrection and the life" and the
people have gone away comforted as Mr..
Ingerson never comforted or knew comfort.
Mr.. Goblet, in 1919, took from Long Island
back to his countrymen the bones
of Thomas Paine, intending that as
Paine was an Englishman, the English people
should build splendid monument over his
remains But he failed, for Paine was known
in England only as Voltaire is mainly known
in America and Mr.. Ingersoll in England
not as politician and reformer, but as an nfdel.
Paine's political writings could not save him
in Esgland, and Cobbett was driven from the
inns while placards were placed announcing
that "the bones of Cobbett and Paine have
been ordered to quit the house" This coun-
try does not recognize God in its Constitution;
in many States affirmation stands with solemn
oath; the Bible may or may not be read in the
schools; but not only our own history,
not only the experience of such as
Paine and Ingersoll, but the whole
history of Europe and of America since the
Christianization of those countries, goes to
show that no one can have warm place in
the hearts of the masses who steadfastly ig-
nores and makes light of that which his fell
lows believe to be the basis of all modern
progress and civilization. Mr. Bradlaugh is
not on the road that leads to political prefer
ment
In a DaDer in the February Nineteenth Cen