National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-30
. CONES LECTURE.
The Views Of Religion Entertained by Man
- Of the World.
"IngersolIisn," Attacked and Its Weak
Points Exposed,

evening, was logical and effective argu-
mont in support of tho established beliefs of
the Christian world, without appealing
to revelation. The lecturer took on the
character of man Of the world, and argued
from the standpoint Of searcher after truth,
who sought to satisfy his mind with tho de-
auctions of reason, rather than by tho exer-
else of the faculty of faith. Mr. Cone begun
his lecture with the remark that the man
who bespeaks the attention Of the public
ought to make haste TO give q reason why
he has the audacity to seek hearing. This
would BIO true even If tho subject we're
triAing, but IL must gather weight with tho
importance Of the matter discussed, and is
overwhelming when he dares to take up that
subject which Is ever recurring, always on
during; that subject which has most pro-
foundly engaged the worlds master minds
which has given birth to every theology;
and Immortality. Everyone recognizes
tho fact that during tho past
few years there has been widespread agi-
tatlon on spiritual Subjects discussion
which has heated the public mind until it
boils and sputters. 1t is the privilege and
duty of every woll-wisher of humanity, the
man of the world as well as the scientist and
the philosopher, to do his best to discover the
true form of belief for human happiness BY
q man of the world Is meant one who has
gone on his way wishing we'll to tho world,
an earnest man of independent will and
mind, who has thought his own thoughts and
lived his life in his own way, without af-
fectntions, shams, or make-believe, one who
has been an honest doubter of revelation and
earnest scarcher after the truth for his own
satisfaction, and having reached conclusions
which he would act upon in the most solemn
aSairs of life.
The lecturer wanted it understood at the
outset that no did not intend to invade tho
pulpit. lie had not the ability, tho inclna-
ton nor the spirit to preach, nor was there
any pretenson to piety in his discourse IL
was not a sermon, but simply an argument
addressed by man of the world TO men of
the world and to all doubters, TO whatsoever
school they may belong The religious need
no argument, their safe assurance is from
within and above. He proposed to deal with
the facts of nature, without any old from the
faculty OF faith.
In dealing with the question of science and
the Bible the lecturer gave some account of
the five geological epochs into which
scientists have divided the earth, and their
several subdivisions, arriving finally at tho
period when, according to the evolutions, u
structureless specll of protoplasm lay in the
depths of the misty seas. From this
germ as they maintain, tho highest form
of organized life has come, q thinking
man. Prof Haeckel ascribes the origin of
life to a chemical process, in which inorganic
carbon combinations produce tho material
substance called primeval slime, in which al!
vital activities are imbedded. Each individ-
ual living particle of this structureless mass
he calls a moneron, the oldest moneron origi-
mating in the sea from Spontaneous genera
ton" Here Is q break in the universally
observed law Of causation. The appearance
of life on earth is tho miracle of miracles
Spontaneous generation is the uncausod effect
of all the wonders of creation. What is this
but demand on the part of science that we
shall believe in miracle, which far surpasses
all the recorded miracles. Materialism de-
nounces all other miracles Us unworthy of
belief, but when we come with the ultimate
inquiry and demand to know the origin of
life, we are told that miracle has been per-
formed by matter At this point scientific
materialsm is obliged to give up her dictum
OF 81 know" and to rest her whole fabric on
the shadowy foundation, ~ believe" When
we come to demand the exact knowledge
which science ever claims to have in the
presence of the miracle of life, she raises her
nerveless hands and cries, Have faith, not III
God, not in omnipotence, not in great first
cause, but in q process purely chemical-in
primary organic combinations"
"A destroyer of old systems and brilliant
propounder of new Ones" was the topic next
treated. He has solved all mysteries in the
light of his great intellect. By the beacon of
his wise declarations mankind IL to be guided
in the one true way. From this description
but one form can emerge, the author of I'm
gersollism." Said the lecturer: while l
have not the pleasure of personal acquaint-
ance with this gentleman, | fully accept, be-
lieve, and re-echo all that his dearest friends
say for him personally, and this is to declare
that he has honesty of purpose, great, good
heart; high order of intelligence, and I'M
equaled eloquence; all that goes to make up
an attractive, brilliant, and lovable man.
But in regard to his theories l cannot speak
with the same respect. For, after careful
study of all that no has euunciated, | must
soy, with all the force that language can con-
vey, that there is neither reason nor learning,
science nor philosophy common sense nor
sound conclusion in word that he uttcrs.'
The same idea underles all his lectures, rs
not only the same idea, but the identical
form, figures Of speech, and even words APP
pear in all alike. In the preface to his pub
lished volume Of lectures he complains that
in the discussion of the press reports they
have been manned and mutilated by "ortho-
dox malice" and he further says that moth,
ing can exceed the mendacity OF the religious
press. Mr.. Cone said that Mr.. Ingersoll
could have no such cause of complaint against
him, for he would quote only from the cor
rect and authorized edition" of his lectures
1t does no good to call him "babbling Bob, ~
as one great Clergyman did in public lee
ture; epithets answer nothing. His pre-.
misses and conclusions turn their backs on
each other and rarely meet; he is inconsecu-
tive, Illogical, and unlearned; still he babbles
beautifully, and this has given him a large
following and wide influence among certain
classes of minds. 1t is clear to any man that
reads him that he has never pulled the labor
ng oar of hard study and honest investiga-
jtion. As q denOuncer of every thing he has
real genius. On religion he charges most OF
the miseries and many of the crimes of man.
kind. Did he ever hear of any crimes being
committed in the name of liberty? Does
that make liberty any less sweet and dear?
Prayer he pronounces species of hattery
offered to God with u view to wheedle favor
out of him. Faith ho says is mixture OF
ignorance and insanity. Gods" he says
''man has always had, and he has made them
out of everything; but all these have disap,
peared with the first dawn of science, except
the big God, who is fast clearing out" INC
god" he further says, twas ever in advance
of the nation that created him." In all this
ii is simply bold audacious assertion or flat
denial. His position is unique, and apart
from all other philosophy; for while there
have been other inildels, there have been
none who laid claim to knowledge of all
the mysteries that surround us, There have
been other men who worshipped natuTei but
there have been none who did not recognize a
region Of the unknowable. The whole his
tory of philosophy, from Aristotle to Kant
and Spencer has been to determine the limits
of the finite human mind, and to show it,
utter incapacity to deal with the Infinite and
unlimited. He stands alone, the incarnation
of destruction the genius OF mere assertion