New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-28
ROBERT G. IYGEEsoLDs NEv LECTURE.
An ATTACK ON OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DARWIN All

An ATTACK ON ORTHODOXY-CHA DARWIN AND
HENRY WARD BRECHER
The Academy of Music was moderately well filed
with people last evening when Robert c. Ingersoll
stepped on the platform 10 deliver his new lecture
entitled Orthodoxy" The audience seemed to be
made up Of people who were not inclined to go
with the speaker to his extreme conclu-
sions. though there were many who greeted
each attack on the Scriptures with applause.
Mr.. Ingersoll did not win the sympathy of his
audience as on former occasions. and was seldom
applauded except for his anecdotes While speak
ing of the inspiration of the Bible he was inter-
ruptod by a man in the orchestra, who said: MT.
ngersoll, will you answer question if | ask it ?"
d" don't know was his reply; the audience Kissed
the inquirer down and the lecture proceeded. The
lecture. although new for the most part contained
much Of what was IN his old lectures.
After the applause which greeted him had ceased
the speaker without introduction, said " 1t gives
me immense pleasure to say to this audience that
orthodox religion is dying out of the civilized
world. 1t is a religion that / am going to do what
little can while live to destroy In its place /
want the religion Of this world This the text
to which for the rest of tho evening he devoted
himself. In the course of his lecture lie said
This century will be called Dqrwns century He was
the greatest men who ever touched this globe lie
has explained more of the phenomena OF life than all
thc RELIGIOUS teachers Write the name OF Charles Darwin
the hand and the name or every theUlOei9n who
ever lived on the other, ana from that has come
more HIGHT 10 the world than from al of those. His
doctrine OF evolution his doctrine OF the survival
OF the ttest his doctrine OF the origin OF species has
moved In every thinking mind the last ycstig,
thOdOx Christianity. He has not only stated but he has
demonstrated that the inspired writer knew nothing of
this world nothing Of the origin OF man, nothing Of geo
ogy nothing of astronomy nothing or nature that
the Bible Is book written by ignorance
AT the instigation Of feari Think OF the
men who replied TO him. Only few years
go there was no person too ignorant To successfully
aver Chare, Darwin; and the more ignorant he the
more cheerfuy be Undertook the task lie held TO
the rcue the and contempt Of the Christian world
and vel when he died. England proud put dust
win that of her nOblest and her grandest Charles
Darwin conquered tho intellectual world, and his
doctrines are accepted facts. His light
has broken ia on some OF the clergy.
and the greatest WHO to-day occupies the pulpit OF
one OF the orthodox churches Henry Ward Beecher Is
believer In the theories OF Charles Darwin-a man or
more genius all the clergy OF that entire Church put
And vet we are told in this little creed that ortho-
dox religion Il about 10 conquer the wOrldl II
will be driven TO the wilds Of Africa. IL must 20
TO some savage country; II has lost Its hold upon
civilization IL is unfortunate 10 have religion that
cannot bo accepted by the intellect OF nation
n IL I'm fortunate 10 have religion against which every
good and noble heart protests let US have good re-
idOn My pity has been eHGed by seeing these
ministers cndeavOr 10 warp and twist tho Passages OF
SCRIPTURE 10 M the demonstrations Of science or course
have not time 10 recount all the discoveries and events
that have assisted I'm the destruction OF Supcrstlt0n
Livery fact IL an enemy Of the Church Every fact Is her
pto Every demonstration IS au nidel Everything that
over really happened o4thcs against TAO supernatural