The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-02
INGERsoLL's ANSWER.
HIS REPLY TO GLADsToNE's DEFENSE
OF CHRISTIANITY.
He Reiterates His Well Known Theories
and Renews His Attacks on the Scrip
lures = His Argument Against the
Christian Faith.


Gladstones defense OF religion in a recent
number OF this periodical,
Mr.. Ingersoll opens his letter TO Mr..
Gladstone with courteous allusion: at
gives me pleasure" he says, ''to say that
for your Intellect and character have the
greatest respect; and let me say further,
that shall consider your arguments, as
sertions and differences entirely apart from
your personality, apart from the exalted
position that you occupy in the estimation
Of the civilized world gladly aclrnowl-
edge the inestimabe services that you have
rendered, not only to England, but to man
kind. Most men are chilled and narrowed
by the SHOWS of age; their thoughts are
iarkened by the approach OF night. But
you, for many years. have FASTENED toward
the light, and your mind has been AN au-
lumn that grew the moro by rcaping.
Col lngersoll enters at once upon the
argument that ut is hardly possible to con
seive Of the years that lie between the
caves in which crouched our naked ances-
ors crunching the bones OF wild beasts,
and the home OF a civilized man. with its
,opfJlts, its articles OF luxury and use
9Th its works OF art, with its enriched and
Illuminated walls. Think OF the beloved
years that must have rolled between these
shores. Think Of the vast distance that
man has slowly CROPPED from the dark dens
md lairs Of ignorance and fear TO the intel
cctual conquests our our day.
PASCAL ANALYzED.
"The church has always despisod the
man OF humor, hated laughter and cncour-
aged the lethargy OF solemnity. Ii is not
willing that the mind should subject its
creed TO every test OF truth. II wishes 10
overawe II does not say, lie that hath
mind 10 think let him think but lie
that hath ears TO hear let him hear" The
Church has always abhorred Wit--that is
10 saw IL does not enjoy being struck by
The lightning OF the soul. The foundation
Of wit is logic, and il has always been the
encmy Of the supernatural, the solemn and
absurd.
'lou express great regret that no one
NJ the present day is able 10 write like Pas.
cal. You admire his wit and tenderness
and the unique, brilliant aud fascinating
lmanner in which he treated the profound
I Test and most complex themes Sharing in
Slyour admiration and regret, | call your at
tention to what might be called one OF his
religious concentrations, Disease is the
natural state OF Christian Certainly il
ranno, be said that have ever mingled
The profound and complex in more ias.
inating manner"
TiiE OLD TESTAMENT 1NCoNGRUITIEs.
Col. lngersol proceeded at length. and
with the battery Of arguments and illustra-
lions so familiar 10 American students 20
attack the Old Testament, accusing Jeho-
yah OF establishing slavery, Of command
ny Ills generals to destroy all men, women
md babes. OF not giving the Canaanites
he Ten Commandments; OF encouraging
he savage Jephthah 10 destroy his daugh-
"a. Suo ysa -ipiend, asks the colonel,
shat Jehovah allowed lis children 10 en-
dave each other because duty lay for
hem in following the command Of the
Most lIigh2' Was IL for this reason that
lie caused them 10 eXtcrminate each
lther? DO you account ior the severity Of
His punishments by the fact that the poor
creatures punished were not aware Of the
nnormity OF the onenses they had com
mittcd2 What shall we say OF q God who
has one OF Ills children stoned 10 death
for picking up sticks on Sunday and allows
another 20 enslaye his fellow mani Have
you discovered any theory that will ac-
count for both Of these iacts?'
cuRIsT's LAW oP NARRiAoE.
Col Ingcrsoll enters upon the Darwin.
ian theory of evolution and takes up
ChHsts teaching Of the indissolubility Of
marriage.
"Why should a husband and wife be
compelled 10 live with each other after
love IL dead2 Why should the wife still
be bound In indissoluble chains TO a hus-
band who Is cruel, infamous and false?
Why should her life be destroyed because
Of hist Why should she be chained 10 a
criminal and an outcast? Nothing can he
more unphilosophic than this. Why GIL
the world with the children Of indi1er-
once and hatred7
The marriage contrac, Is the most i'm
portant, the most sacred, that human be-
ings can make. Il will be sacredly kept
by good men and good women. But II n
loving woman-tcndcr, noble and true
makes this contract with n man whom she
believed TO be- worthy Of all respect and
love, and who is found 10 bc a cruel,
worthless wretch, why should her life be
LOST
"Do YOU know that tho indissolubiity
Of the marriage contract leads 10 its viola.
,tlan, forms an excuse for immortality, eats
ont SAc very heart Of truth and gives 10
vice that which alone belongs 20 lover
HUMAN LOVE THE FOUNDATION oP MINOR
TAIfTY.
/ still insist that human affection Is the
foundation Of immortality; that love Wa
the flint TO speak that word, no matter
whether they who spoke Il were savage OF
civilized, Egyptian or Greek. But II w
are inmoual-ii there be another world
why was Il not clearly set forth in the Old
Testament Certainly, the authors Of that
book had an opportunity TO learn u IRON
the Egyptians. Why was Il not revealed
by Jchoyah3 Why did he waste his tim,
IN giving orders for the conservation 81
pricsis-in saying they must have sheep,
blood put on their right can aud on thei
right thumbs and on their right big toes
Could God with any sense Of humor give
such directions or watch without hug
laughter the performance 81 such cere
mony7 In order 10 see the beauty, the
depth and tenderness Of such n consecra
ton IL IL essential 10 10 In a state Of rev
ereniial calm7'
II IL not strange that Christ did not tel
Of another world distinctly, clearly, with
out parable and without the mist OF meta
phor1
Inc fact IL that the Hindoos, the Egypt
ians, the Greeks and the Romans laugh
the immortality Of the soul, not M q gilt
.....fttitt.s ...tIa..a