New-York tribune., 1885-01-19
PRAISE FOR INGERSOLII
MIR. NEWTON DISCUSSES HIS LECTURES

4 MR.. NEWTON DISCUSSES HIS LcCiUhcc'
| GOOD AND EVIL OF HIS woRK-AFTER THE PEN
! TATEUcH AGAIN.
| The Rev. r. Heber Newton made the subject
! OF his sermon yesterday The Good and Evil OF Mr.
Ingerso" In his discourse he refraned from mention
| Ing Mr. Tngerso by name but made the references 70
him clear. Among other things he said: ut Is re-
markable phenomenon which country has witnessed
during the last few years. brilliant and eloquent
| lecturer has beon going through the lana
| talking to crowded audiences with a sweeping
attack upon all that Is ordinarily understood
| to constitute tho Christian religion
Whatever other preachers may find it wise to do this
seems yise speak earnestly and frankly con-
cernng the influence OF this gifted and eloquent speaker
II appears TO that he is doing incalcula5e harm
along with good Those who differ with him should
be the frat to acknowledge frankly the many merits OF
| the No questions his rare ability. He Is
master OF his art Every one admits his sweet aud
gracious personal character All confess that whatever
destructive work he does he is constructive in this at
least that lie would build happy homes around every
household andplace within them men and women living
saney and nOby Further than this 1t seems to me tnat
frankly confess that even in his rough attacks
upon our religion he doing certain needful work He
who knows the extent and depth OF the olscurantsm
which prevails within churches will be forced to ad
NIT that such attacks upon the faith OF
Christendom have their part in forcing forward the
growth OF reasonable religion Here Is one or the nrst
orators in the land with all the power Of his wonderful
sarcasm. rddng the supersttous, the shams and the
illusions which still find hiding place within
the churches. One must admit that there
is such audacious cOnOclast. Nature
is overnice in picking her instruments when sne
job OF demolition before her. Luther was oy
no means model conoclast. 80 profound IS my own
conviction that the greatest foo to religion to-day Is tue
of opinions longer In harmony with reason and
with conscience but still thrust upon by authority OF
the Church profound my conviction that the lie
religion depends upon It's being reasonable, upon ts
being freed from the burdens of superstition and upon
its being made absolutely open to all human thought,
that for cannot but admit. even
in the coarse and rreycrent wit OF our
Western orator. a service toward this end. Out OF
such singing attacks there must deeper convc-
ton part the Church that there Is that In the
body of its beliefs which lays open to such trenchant
blows.
Consider what meant by such system Of thought as
Calyamsmi Con slder awful blasphemy the pop
ular doctrine of hell really Consider what thorough
fetch have made oi the Bible! Conslier how the
ordinary lcepton OF the Christian it6 opp ,ses itse
to the strongest instincts OF rcasOnl Consider what "A
OF legend and miracle have been taken mp into he
body OF beici. aN being its essential nidteraI'
| Of the human nini to resunst it, Old ID
the Church Consider all tui and you will see that there
may need for such violent attacks ~ these OF our eo
| quent lecturer.
|
| "Hlving admitted all this in simple justice to tho
man. and In sim pie truth facts o, tue situation,
may speak more frankly of the bad c OF his work ls
defect that while doing very needni Work OF de-
strncion he Ia decide lily OVERRIDING it. Let us have some
discrimination In any work OF clearing out The mis-
chief that his head In the fire OF his onset and
| attacks Christianity itself and our very
| faith. Goethe has laid down tho rule
that reverence is the heart Of religion. There
ia no fear OF any doubtcr who stands amid the wonders
Of Nature and the greater maryes OF human lle WIN
barred head IN attitude OF awe The worst unEer Lo
"A young man IL when he learns tocs nj everythhS mat
he had sacred and 10 turn the very words OF te
Eternal into witty bon WoL me loottin tin Ic mo-
our age the loss Of reverence That whlch SHOCKS ne
snircted by the hand Of coarse hnmor. lie rs doing
makes or any .,rRS, SrRu".S' nS the modern mind
Lord. Jokes aud Jc'ts with Him. Whatever we thinK lei
IN ,hs mater OF our lecturers discourses md him
continually pushing his attacks To an unreasohaOe anu
nits of the wall but the wall Of the temple itself
Thi. srikngly true concerning his onslaghts on the
the traditional notion OF the Bible When IN certain
lecture arrays. In Formidable hle the Mistakes OF
| lion concerning the Pentateuch When he
m the 'e PsutaseS for which we need prize it.
overloes the work again Admit al the mistakes o.
The nature and value OF the Pentateuohthe book which
holds oldest thoughts OF man upon the deepest PROB
lion ms touched the hand Of religion, the foundations
OF great nation the germs OF wonderful people, poy,
and The roots OF the nOblest religion OF antiquity Bnt
while the churches insist upon having IN tho Pentateucn
literal infble history of the creation OF man ana Oi
he fonudng OF Jewish Church. IL II need thht the
folly OF such "a theory should be shown, even IN such
strong colors those our lecturer throws upon he
canvas All this aud honest mon have seen ana
confessed voluntarily within the churches 30 Iar from
theiI having thought that the val OF the Pentaech
as thereby they have learned to recognize
in IL n new ant higher value. The lecturer d9sA hot
nerrelye one whit than do the impossDilly OF
reading these books fathers read then; Dut We
perceive what does not seem TO scc that We nave lost
nothing in this loss while gained great deal
| We may frankly admit all Ia said against the
traditional notion 0f the Bible and yet truly claim hat IL
IA hook like unto which there ia none other In the
world book which the world cannot yet AFFORD 10 90
without a book which You will do well 10 revere lie!
n. admit that IN the Church there are manliold ana
serious defects. grave and shameful iaults Le us ne
glad that 80 doughty foe this great Go!lath OF the
Phillses walks up and down before the armies oi Je
hovsh ridiculmg their feebeness We may thuS nc ne
aroused 20 make civilization the Christian society when
N il in name what is not In fact Before we cast
AWAY rashy Christianity let us consider VOL Wha'
u. hmm