The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-06

declare here today they are doing more
in the different denominations OF Chris.
tlans, and throughout the world, for dam
aging Christianity and hindoring the
cause OF the worlds bcttermcnt than 5000
Robert lngcrsolls could do. That man
who stands inside u castle is far more
dangerous, II he be an enemy, than 5000
enemies outside the castle. Robert q.
lngcrsoll assails the castle from the out
side. These men who pretend TO be 0d.
vanccd thinkers in all the denominations
are lighting the truth from the inside, and
trying to shove back tho bolts and swing
open the gates.
Now, am in favor Of the greatest free.
dom OF religious thought and discussion.
would have rs much liberty Tor hCtCTOdONy
rs for orthodoxy II | should change my
theories OF religion | should preach them
| out and ont, bat not in the building where
| am accustomed TO preach, for that was
erected 10y people who believe in an entire
Bible, and il would be dishonest for me TO
prOmulgatc sentiments different from those
for which that building was put up. When
We enter any denomination rs ministers Of
religion We take n solemn vow that We
will preach tho sentiments OF that dCnom-
nation. II we change our theories, ~ We
have u right TO change them, then there is
u world several thousand miles I'm clrcum-
ference, and there arc hundreds OF halls
and hundreds OF academies Of music where
We can ycntilatc our sentiments.
| remember that in all our cities, in timc
Of political agitation there are the Rcpuh
lican headquarters and the Democratic
headquarters. suppose | should 20 into
one Of these headquarters pretending to he
in sympathy with their work, at the same
cleo tionccring for the opposite party. |
would soon find that the centrifugal force
was greater thin the ccntripctall Now II
n man enters a denomination OF Christians,
taking a solemn oath, ~ We all do, that
We will promulgato the theories OF that
denomination, and then tho man shall
| proclaim some other theory, lac has bro
ken his oath, and he IL an out and out
| pcrjurcr Nevertheless, | daclarc for lar
gcst liberty in religious discussion.
would no more have the attempt 60 rear n
monument TO Thomas Paine intcTlcrcd
/ with than | would have intencrcd with
| the lifting of the splendid monument TO
| Washington. Largest liberty for the body,
largest liberty for the mind, largest liberty
| Tor the soul.
Now, ! want to show YOU, ~ q matter Of
advocacy for what believe 10 he the
| right, the splcndors Of orthodoxy. Many
have supposed that its disciples are people
Of Hat skulls, and no reading, and behind
the age, and the victims Of gullibility. |
shall show YOU that tho word orthodoxy
stands for the greatest splondurs outside Oi
| heaven. Behold tho splcndots OF lis
| achievements All the missionaries vi the
gospel the world round are men who be.
/ licvc Ia an entire Bible. Call the roll Oi
| all the missionaries who are today cndur.
| ing sacrifices I'm the ends Of the earth for
| the cause Of religion aud tie worlds bet.
| torment, and they all believe In an onlirc
| Bible. just as soon ~ missionary begins
| 10 doubt whether there over was u garden
| Of Eden, OF whether there is any such
| thing as future punishment, lao come,
right home from lleyrou, or Madras, an,
goes into the insurance business. All tn
missionary societies this day arc onlcce,
by orthodox men aud arc supported b.,
orthodox churches
Orthodoxy, beginning with tho Sand
wich islands, has captured vast regions o
bnrbarism for civilization, while hetcfo
doxy has 10 capture the first square inch,
Blatant for many yoaH In Great Britain
and the United States, aud strutting about
with pclcoCkian braggadocio, IL has set
Ia capture the first continent. the tint
state. the iirst township, the first ward
the first space Of ground as bg a. yor
could cover with the small end ol u shan
pin. Nincty-ninc Out of every III
Of the Protestant churches Of Amenc.
were built 10y people who believed In no
entire Bible. The pulpit may now preach
some other Gospel, but Il Is n hctcrodo,
gun on an orthodox carriage. The inunda
tons Of all the churches that are oi yer,
great use In this world today were laid by
men who believed the Bible from I'D {,
lid, and II ! cannot take il In that way
will not take II nj all, Just as " ! received Q
letter that pretended 10 come from d
friend, aud part Of II was his aud part
somebody clscs, and the other part SOME
body clsc's, aud IL was a sort Of literary
mongrclism, | would throw thc gafblcJ
sheets into the waste basket.
No church Of very great influence todn,
hut was built by those who believed IN ar
entire Bible. Neither will church lis
long built on n part Of the Bible Iot
have noticed, ] suppose, that M soon o.
man begins 90 give up the Bible lac Is ap
a. preach in some hail. and lac has ~
audience while lac lives aud when lac die
the church dies. II thought that my
church in Brooklyn was built on a quar-
ter oi Bible, or n half Bible, or three
quarters Of a Bible, ~ nincty.ninc one
hundUdths Of u Bible. ! would cNpc,. !
10 die when die; but when ! know Il b
built on the entire Word II God, | know
Il will last 200 years after you and
sleep the last sleep. Ola, the Bplcn
don Of an orthodoxy which will
10000 hands and 10000 pulpiis and 1000
Christian churches, is trying 10 save IL,
world
In Music hall. Boston, for many year
stood Theodore Parker battling orthodoxy
giving II, ~ some supposed nt that time
Ia death wound. llc was the most ils,I
mating man | ever heard ~ expect a. hear
aud came out from hearing him think
ing, in my boyhoOd way "Wcll, that's th
death oi lhc church." ON that same street
aud not lar from being opposite, slDO
Park Congregational church, called by II
enemies "Iloll-Go Corner ThcodUr
Parker died, and his church died wit
him: or, II II IN In existence. II b. so SINAI
YOU cannot see IL with the naked cyt
Park Congregational church still stands d
"llcll-Grr Corner" laundering away ~
magnificent truths Of this glorious critic
! d0xy Just as though Theodore Parker ha
never lived. All that Boston, or Brooklyn
or New York or the world ever got that
! worth having came through tho wild
aqucduct Of orthodoxy from the throne ,
God
Behold the splcndop Of character hui
! up by orthodoxy Who had the grcatc
human intellect the world ever knew
| Paul. In physical stature insignificant !
! mind, head aud shoulders above OIL III
giants Of the age. Orthodox from scalp I