Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-13
CONES LECTURE.

The following is a synopsis of lecture
on "Ingers0llism' delivered by Theodore
c. Cone. at the Young Mems Christian
Association building, in New York city,
a few evenings ago Mr. Gone is GeOr-
gian. son OF Hon. Frank Cone, lawyer
Of great ability who practiced in Middle
Georgia about 80 years ago. An able
writer and critic who heard the lecture
wrote a criticism on 1t. He placed Mr..
Cone in the front rank of lecturers. The
criticism appeared in the National Re-
publican. MI. Cones effort was a logical
and effective argument in support of the
established beliefs of the Christian world,
without appealing to revelation. The
lecturer took on the character of a man
of Inc world, and argued from the stand
point of a searCher after truth, who
sought to satisfy his mind with the de
auctions OF reason, rather than by the
exercise OF the faculty Of faith. Mr..
Gone begun bIs lecture with the remark
that the man who bespeaks the at
tentiOn Of the public ought to make
haste to give "a reason why he has
the audacity TO seek a hearing. This
would be true even If the subject were
trIfing but it must gather weight with
the Importance Of the matter discussed,
ANA is overwhelming when he dares TO
take un that subject which is ever recur..
ring. always enduring; that subject which
has most profoundly engaged the worlds
master miuds-Which has given birth TO
every theology; that subject Of subjects
God, soul ana Immortality. Everyone rec
0guiZes the fact that during the past few
wears there has been a widespread agita-
ton on spiritual subjects, a discussion
which has heated the public mind
until 30 b0ils and sputters. 1t
is the privilege and duty Of
every well-Wisher of humanity. the
man Of the world as well as the scientist
and the philosopher, to do his best to dis
cover the true form of belief for human
happiness. by "A man Of the world is
meant one who has gone on his way
wishing well 10 the world, an earnest
man of independent viii and mind, who
has thought his own thoughts and lived
his life IN his own way, without ahecta-
lions, Shams, or make-believe, one who
has been an honest dOubter of revelation
and earnest Se1rcher after the truth for
his own satisfaction, and having reached
conclusions which he would act upon in
the most solemn affairs of life.
The lecturer wanted it understood at
the outset that he did not intend TO invade
the pulpit He had not the ability, the
inclination nor the spirit to preach, nor
was there any pretensiOn to piety in his
discourse, II was not sermon, but slmp-
~ an argument addressed by IA man of
the world to men of the world and TO all
d0ubters, to whatsoever school they may
belong. The religious need no argument;
their safe assurance is from within and
above. He proposed 70 deal with the facts
of nature, without any aid from the fac
Ulty of faith
In dealing with the question Of science
and the Bible the lecturer gave some ac-
count Of the five geological epOchs into
which scientists have divided the earth,
and their several subdivisions, arriving
finally az the period when, according TO
the eyOluti0us, strUctureless speck of
protopasm Law in the depths of the misty
seas From this germ, as they maintain,
tle highest form OF organized life has
come. thinking man. Prof Haeckel
lScribes the origin of life to a chemical
process, I'm which Inorganic carbon com
uiuations produce the material substance
called primeyal slime, in which all vital
activities are imbedded. Each individual
living particle Of this structureleS5 mass
he calls a mOner0n. the oldest mOnerOn
originating i'm the sea from Spontaneous
CeneratiOn.' Here is a break i'm the uni
Nl-s8lly observed law of caus-
alton. The appearance of life
on earth is the miracle of miracles.
Spontaneous generation is the uncaused
stect of all the wonders ofcreatiOn. What
is this but demand on the part of science
that we shall believe in a miracle. which
far surpasseS all the recorded miracles.
Materialism denOunces all other miracles
as unworthy Of belief, but when we come
with the ultimate inquiry and demand to
snow the origin of life. we
are told that a miracle has been per-
formed by matter. At this point scien-
tic materialism is obliged to give up her
lIctum of Il know and 10 rest her whole
fabric on the shadOwy foundation, Il be
heyc." When we come to demand the
exact knowledge which science ever
claims to have i'm the presence of the mira
Gle OF life. she raises her neryeless hands
and cries, nave faith, not in God, not in
omnipotence, not in great first cause,
pUt in a process purely chemical-in pri-
mary organic combinations
A destroyer Of old systems and a bril-
liant QrOpOunder Of new Ones,'' was the
topic next treated. He has solved all
mysteries in the light of his great intel
lect. BY the beacon of his wise declara-
tons mankind is to be guided in the one
true way. From this description but enc
form can emerge, the author of Ginger
sollsm.' Said the lecturer: while l
have not the pleasure of a personal ac-
Quaintance with this gentleman. l fully
accept, believe, and re-echO all that his
dearest friends say for him personally,
and this is to declare that he has honesty
oi purpose, great, good heart; high or
der Of intelligence, and unequaled elO-
luence; all that goes to make up an at
tractive, brilliant and lOvable man. But
In regard to his theories / cannot speak
with the same respect. For, after a care
fui study Of all that he has enunciated, |
must say, with all the force that language
can convey, that there is neither reason
nor learning, science nor philosophy,
common sense nor sound conclusion in a
word that he utterS.o The same idea I'M
derlies all his lectures, as not only the
same idea, but the identical form, figures
Of speech, and even words appeer in all
alike. In the preface to his published
volume of lectures he complains that in
the discussion OF the press reports they
nave been manned and mutilated by ''Or-
ilOd0N malice" and he further says that
nothing can exceed the mendacity
oi the religious press. Mr.. Cone
said that Mr.. Ingerson could have
n7 such cause of complaint against him,
Tor lie would quote only from the 'cOr-
rect and authorized edition" of his lee +
lures 1t does no good to call him s'bab- /
.ine Bob, as one great clergyman did /
I'D z public lecture; epithets answer I
lnns. HIS premises and conclusions /
t-tn their backs on each other and rarely I
meet, he is Inc0usecutive. illogical, and I
uuleaned; still he babbles beautifully.
and this has given him a large following /
ald wide influence among certain classes +
Oi minds. 10 is clear to any man that 4
reads him that he has never pulled the /
la'0ring oar of hard study and honest in /
NestlgatiOn. AS a denOuncer of every /
tang he has real genius. On religion he I
charges most of the miserieS and many Of /
the crimes of mankind. Did he ever hear /
90 any crimes being committed in the /
name of liberty? Does that make liberty /
any less sweet and dear?
trayer he pronOunces a species of fiat /
terry offered TO God with view to wheedle i
favor out Of him. Faith, he says, is a 4
mixture Of ignorance and insanity. /
Gods he says, ''man has always had, /
and be has made them out of everything, /
put all these have disappeared with the /
AIst dawn Of science, except the big God, /
VINO Is fast clearing out" ''NO god" he /
further says, was ever in advance Of the |
nation that created him." In all this /
mere Is not the least attempt at argument. |
II IS simply bold, audacious assertion or fiat I
GENIAL. His position is unique, and apart /
rom all other philosophy; for while there |
nave been other infidels. there have been /
none who laid claims TO a knowledge Of /
an Ine mysteries that surround US. There I
nave been other men who worshiped ma !
tNIe' out there have been none who did /.
hoJ recognize a region of the unknoWa- /
'-e' The whole history of philosophy, I.