The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-06-21
Col. Ingersoll and the Bible.

Col. IngersOlI and the Bible.
Hon. William H. West, of Belle
fontaine. Ohio. on the 18th of Man
last. as part of the exercises of ths
Western Theological Seminary, Allie
gheny. Pa. deliverd an address on the
Mutual Relation of Civil Govern.
ment and Christianity" 1t was an
able defense of Christianity but he
said nothing stronger than his aIIu.
sion ito Mr.. Ingersoll which is as
follows:
Mr.. Ingersoil assails the Divine in
spiration of the Bible. 1t is not the
purpose of this address to defend Its
Diviae origin against assault, but
only to present for patriotic consid-
GRAFTON the superiority and supreme
excellence of its teachings and in
huence in moIding character, incul-
sating 4 pureE moralit and i'm part,
I M n u her .ssif.d littt tone ttS our
common civilization. or great purity
of life, adorned with and ad0rning
every private and social virtue. char
Ity. and withaI Of extraordinary in
teIIectual force, Mr.. IngersOll is liv-
ing eXempIification of the fruits of
these teachings and the influence of
Christian training, which it is the
purpose of this discourse TO impress;
FOR while intellectually parting from
the faith of his fathers, the virtues it
implanted still cling about him.
What might have been his moral
status or the measure of his virtues If
reared under the influence of the
Egyptian Apis. or the Mosque of
Mohammed. or of Brigham Young,
will probably never be known.
But millions of his countryInen. of
convictions as deep and sincere as
Mr.. Ingersoll's believe these teach.
ings tC be of Divine inspiration, and
that an eternity Of bliss will reward
their observance on earth. Than this
belief, this hope, as a political force
there can be no more powerful in
centive to that moral conduct, which
is at once the bulwark of social order
and the staunch pillar of popular in.
stitutiOnS, and which, to make strong
and enduring, is both the desire and
duty of true patriotism and surely
this incentive, tits political force,
cannot be strengthened Ivy incuiCat-
inT the cunYictiOn that these teach
ingS are the precepts of philosophy
aud not of the Guspei-of reason and
not of revelation; of Socrates, or of
Seneca, rather than of Jesus Christ.
On the other hand suppIant this be-
lief, this hope. by the teachings of
Mr.. 1ngersOll, abolish all religion and
make Atheism and Intidelity aniver-
sal, and contemplate the moral chaos,
the social anarchy to result, Consider
what this implies: God dethr0ned,
the sun of Revelation blOtted out.
Gods temples pulled down. his shrin'
es overturned, his servants silenced,
his people extinct, no Sab bath, no
song of Zion. no solemn anthem, no
sanctuary, hope yelled in night. Is
the cOloring too dark? Let the con-
victiOn become rooted and universal,
that there is no God, no resurrection.
and that death ends all deprive vir-
tue of the incentive of eternal reward;
llberate vice from the apprehension
of Divine dispIeasure; take from the
tenement of penury the cosolation of
the Christians hope {; convince the
toilers in the mill, the factory, and
the mine. that life is without purpose
but to toll and die, that God-like
man and her beast of the field have
one common destiny, that death Is
ann;hilation-sleep that knows no
waking-then will hell be inaugural
ed On earth, contending passions
emancipated. and chaos and ANARCHY
let loose. until some Napoleon by
arms shall repress the reign of terror.
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