The Labor enquirer., 1884-01-26
DYsAnrrr is strong to-day at Acc.
lNaERsoLLIDs.

lNGERsOLLIDs.
AS probably every citizen of Denver
knows by this time, Colonel Robert G.
Ingersoll, the great modern infdel, de
livered an address in the Tabor Opera
house, last Sunday evening, on the sub.
iect of Modern Theology" And the
1000 listeners who crowded into the
theater have vivid recollection of the
remarks of the learned man; but there
are great many people who did not at
tend, and have only the newspapers tc
look to for information. 1t is for the
benefit of that latter class this article is
printed.
The dailies have persistently misrep-
resented IngersolFs position on the the
illogical question, and have by a series
of reasoning (?) founded on the super
stitions of the people and bolstered up
by the prestige of organized dogmati-
clans, attempted to overthrow his logic.
The Republican has taken strong lead
in this crusade against free thought and
education. So pleased has it become
with itself in this regard that we find it
reproducing column editorials on the
subject. 1t is to one of these reproduc-
tions 1 desire to call your attention now.
! But before I begin l want to assure
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you that 1 do not pledge myself for or
against Mr.. Ingersoll. 1 weakly cham
pion his cause at this time because /
realize that the church-capital-press
combination are not disposed to give
him fair and honest hearing; because
it is my business to fight with the under
dog, and because we are friends; for he
boldly declares, "There should not only
be the necessaries of life for those who
toll, but comforts and luxuries as well"
Let him think what he pleases about
the other world, he is all straight con-
corning this one, and has humanitarian
principles which far outshine his Chris
tian enemies.
The Republican makes its greatest ar
gument out of the fact that "Ingersoll
makes more money by assailing Chris
tianity than ninety-nine out of hun
dred preachers do by upholding it." If
the editor of the Republican had been
bribed to,betray the church, he could
not have hit upon more rapid plan of
earning the fee than the uttering of that
sentence.
That Ingersoll can fill to overfowing
the largest buildings in the cities where
he lectures, and charge large admit
tanee fee, is evidence of one of two
things: Either that by clear, logical
reasoning he proves the truth of his
position, or that the majority of the
people have lost faith in the supersti-
tious dogmas of the past ahd are seeking
the light. Probably it means both.
And what is there or can there be
wrong in Ingersoll asking pay for dis
tributing the knowledge he has spent
years to attain Does the Republican
circulate its knowledge free? Does
Henry Ward Beecher talk for nothing
Does any priest or parson-no matter
how independently rich they may be ?
And right here 1 want to call your at
tention to another point in this connec-
ton: The knowledge which the minis
ters of the gospel diffuse is claimed by
them to be absolutely necessary. to the
salvation of man and, unless you be-
lieFe, you are damned to suffer forever
The preachers know, positively know
that unless you indorse their teachings
you die and go to an orthodox he'll, and
yet they want every penny they can
squeeze out of you for imparting the in,
formation; and the locality best able to
pay secures heablest exponent, regard,
less of the. necessities Of the case.
How does Ingersoll stand on this
head? He don't say believe in my doc,
trine or be eternally damned. He
saws, as far as the after death is con-
cerned, that you are perfectly safe.
whether he or the pulpit be right; but
he says you are being fooled in this life
and wasting your time and money. This
is purely business proposition, and Mr.,
Ingersoll, who is not rich man; cannot
be expected to run business college
on the dead-head plan. If Bob Inger.
soil thought the eternal happiness Of
one creature depended upon belief in
his doctrines I believe he would wrestle
with him day and night, and never hold
out his hand for reward He may be q
horrible sinner, but as moral man and
. humanitarian he could make the aver
age Christians, who assail him, ashamed
of themselves.
If the editor of the Republican was
not 20 frightened by the advancement
made by Ingersoll's doctrines against the
he6ulee enslaying superstitions he as
aail the repeated article might have
..ie1 ef cowardly, false snd preiudiced
4,