The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-24


To- do good, to lovo aud be bclo'ei oy those
around. aud then lie down and sleep WIN Tue
Consciousness Of having done your duty 10
men. DO not ask pardon Of God for M In
Jury done to man Ask pardon OF tho man
and make rerara'ion to lin for your oilense.
IL rob Smith" oxclaims LII. ingersoil IN
the jronical language he Is such a master OF
God forc.ves me. How does that help
SMITH"
II, naintqlns that the Chr!stiIn religion
te1ches less the love OF an infinitely just and
c,erciful God than the fear Of demon thirst
iny for human victims This charge Is borne
out by proycrb used 10y the Scot. who IS a
student OF human nature
III the dell were decd. God wad na b.
served 50 wool
Tho colonel maintains tat Il man has
had hands given him TO feel eyes to sec, car
to hear, he has also brain to think, heart
10 love and intelligence TO reason with
lie docs not attack 81 much the Catholic
religion. which rests on faith, for religion
which rests purely on faith is not a matter
for reasoning and argument But be rathm
attacks Professionalism which pridei itself
upon resting on reason as well rs on faith.
The ihcori5 o. Col. lnsergon arc tho ma
tufal outcome Of tho Introduction Of reason
Ing into religious matters
Things which arc felt only cannot DO dis
cussed. things which are mcomprchcnablf
] ..... ito. 60, o.-,.fo..tt.,
Professionalism is mixture Of faith and
reason, agreeing pretty badly together, IL
must be confessed. Tho Protestant takes the
Bolo for a book every word Of which is in
spired Of Cod lie interprots il in bis own
/ fashiOn, and proves ont Of IL every doctrine
! be rcquircs 70 found new set Tho very
drunkard Is not at a loss to liDd an excuse fol
Lis drinking, and turning to Isaiah dxv, Is
comforts himself with: Behold, my servant
shall drink
As be looks on at the Protestants squad
bling over the signifcatioa Of biblical pas
sases, the colonel laughlgly says: 1T Is t.
bercgrettcd that your deity did not expires
himself more clearly"
Noodles to say that he looks upon tho
/ Bible not % on inspired book, but rs a colIec
ton Of literatures something akin TO the
Arabian Nights, and this IS what makes
discussion with him difficult, II not out Of
question How Is it possible to imagine
discussion between faith and rrasonf
George Sand said that the fanatic loved
/ God 10 the exclusion Of man The theories
Of Col Ingersoll, lofty and noble as most o!
them are, verge upon fanaticisn in tho sense
/ that they teach the love of mankind to the
exclusion Of Him who 50 loved man. The
colonel RODS tho poor and sorrowing Of thai
which helps them to endure their ills, belle!
in better world to come.
Son Of a Protestant minister, Robert lnGer
soil carly showed special aptitude for the dis
custom of theological questions. By the agc
/ IS, he had thoroughly studied the Old Tesla
incnt, and would reason upon it like doctor
ofdiyinity. Tho father IN vain drew Robert.
attention to tho beauties OF the Bible the
son could 50 little in it hut Gbsurditics and
iacOnsistencics The old minister was heard
10 say. 1t grieycs ne to hear my Robbie
/ ak %, but declare he Is too much for me
cannot answer him
VINO can answer Ingersoll' is question
often askcl Apparently not the ministers
Il tho hundreds Of different Protestant scots
that flourish in America, not Mr Gladstone
student Of the Biblo and profound reasoner
.hough he be.
For moro than q yer, the president Of the
/ Nineteenth Century club Of New York was
trying TO get Protestant minister to break
. lance with this rcloubtable asnosiic IN
public, but without avail. Not one felt equaI
to tic task
That which makes this man 50 formidable
r. not % much bis eloqucnco, lis quick repair
tee, bis sarcasm, his pathcs, bis humor, it is
above al tho life be leads, the example he
sets Of all tho domestic virtues. One must
have the privilege Of knowing him intimately.
Of penetrating into that sanctuary Of coniu
col happiness, his home, before one can form
m idea Of tine respect that he must inspire
even in those who abhor his doctrines Hi
/ house is tho home Of the purest joys, it hold
four hearts that beat as on3.
Mr. lngorsoll lives in one Of the handsome
houses on Fifth avenue His family consists
Of his vito and two lovely daughters, Athens
and Venice rs an American whom ] met az
1 Col Ingersolls used TO call them. Indeed
ono reminds you Of the beautiful creations OF
Titan, Tho other seems Ike a neurological
yision a nyInph from tho banks of Eryman-
,hus As you look at her while she speaks
10 you With her eyes modesily lowered, al
most seeming 70 apologize for being 50 lovely,
I sou inyoluntag.iy think OF 10 Jcuno Ma
/ ado" Of Andre Chcnier that last Of the
Gree; poets, ~ Edmond About callei him
Authors, artists, journalists, members of
the thinking world OF New York may be met
at tho colonels charming Sunday evenings
About II at night, when all but the intimate
friends Of the family have left, tfess latter
| draw around their host. and entice him 10
/ talk upon ono Of his favorite subjects, poetry,
music, or may b. the Mistakes Of Moss
while they listen with avidity. he knows
his Shakespeare as thoroughly as the Bible,
only he speaks 0; him with far moro respect
and admiration. He adores Wagner, whom
10 sets even above Beethoven. | mention
Ills to prove once more that we have all our
little faults, and that Col Insersoll, in com
mon with his fellow mortals, Is not perfect.
Between midnight and in the morning, the
last isitors reluctantly depart. On the way
home, you think of all the witty things that
have been said, the arrows of satire that
have been shot ct hypocrisy and humbug,
the ennobling humanitarian opinions that
have been advanced. and though you may
not feel converted, or diverted, or perverted
TO lngersollism, you are sure to leave that
house feeling fuller of good will toward all
men, and saying to yourself: What q do
lightful evening | have passed"
| was present one evening at a meeting Of
the Nineteenth Century club to hear a dis
cussion on THE Poetry Of the Future" Col
| ingorson was to have taken part in 1t. but,
being retained professionally at Washington,
he was Obliged 10 excuse himself at the
eleventh hour The president Immediately
telegraphed 10 well known minister asking
Tim TO take the colonel's place