St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-15
CHRISTIANS and BOB.
Rev. w. S. Vail Tackles an In
teresting and Important
Question.
As a Christian, What Would
You Do With Robert In
gersoll?
The Reverend Gentleman
Urges That He Be Charita-
bly, Dealt With.
The Great Agnostic Not So
Bad as He Is Oftentimes
Painted.

''As Christian what would you do
with Robert Ingersoil?' was the ques-
ton tackled yesterday morning by Rev.
w. s. Vail i'll his sermon before the Firs
UnlyerSalist society at the Grand opera
house. The reverend gentleman said:
am to consider the one man that
preachers either abuse or silently pass
by, and yet the one man of all others in
our time who deserves consideration be-
cause of the many people who would
like to know what the real attitude he
holds is to the Christianity of our time
Il mean Robert Ingersoll.
Christians should consider Ingersou
with charity; his differences should be
lightly considered; his agreements
given great weight. But is he not respon-
sbie for the widespread skepticism
OF today? The orthodox church has
produced ten, yes, hundred, skeptics
where lngersoll ever produced one.
Going through this or any other city,you
will find such to be the case. More
over, he was the direct product himself
of approved orthodoxy. and so the
church by her unwiSe and hard-headed
teachers has brought upon herself any
responsibility that may come from the
teaching of this eloquent agnOStic. Be-
sides this, Ingersoll has had an Influence
for good on many men. Persons ask me
what he really believes. Well, he be-
lieyes in personal purity, in the mar
riage of
One woman TO One Man,
in having and taking care OF family,
in being upright in business, in Justice
and tolerance, Ill being patriotic to our
country. true to the best interests of our
neighborhood; and to men who have
listened to eloquent pleas for these
things they have come to be a power
that is to them religion. For when
we cease to worship we allow admira-
ton to take its place. When Mill had
lost God, he worshIped wife of
power of good to him. SO feel that
many a man has been helped in ways
he does not know to believe in truth
and purity by the writings of Mr.. In.
gersoll. And answering my question.
LAS a Christian, what would you do
with Robert Ingersoll?" [ would first
of all look with justice upon the actual
conditions. and see whether all this re-
sponsibility for skepticism is to be
placed upon his shoulders, and if there
is not something to offset it when we
come to the heart OF the real teaching
OF the man.
!, Then ,! | would bring his position up to
the highest conclusion that can be
drawn from his school. l would correct
his agnosticism by that of the greatest
men OF the school to which he belongs.
AgnostclSm is new word in theology
and might be translated. II do not
know" Mr.. Ingersol has said, 81 do
not know whether death is a door OF a
wall" He has said--but here | quote
from memOry-that we are
. Aboard Ship.
: We do not know the port we left. We 1
do not know the port for which we are
bound. We are not on speaking terms
with the captain. But we do know our
fellow passengers, and it is our plain
duty to try to make the voyage little
more pleasant for them. In other
words, beyond us all is mystery. The
boat that leaves this shore is wrapped
i'll the midst of thick fog. What is on
the other side we do not know. |, too,
know many of these mysteries. But
believe certain things. And that seems
to me the attitude all men should have.
The man VINO can advise YOU ali about
God, and the local conditions OF the
future, has gone beyond my knowledge.
This is agnoSticlsn, and yet most peo-
pie think that from 1t you draw the
conclusion that there is nothing outside
OF man, and no promise of future. 1t
IS possible that Ingersoll is without
belief in any everything or per-
vading intelligence out side of man.
1t is possible that the pict-
ure of the magnificent deer fighting
his final fight with the hounds, and fall
10
picture true to human life rs he views
it. do not answer for this; but it IS
not by any means the logical result of
the position he holds. He names with
pride Goethe and Darwin as star
names in literature and science. Goethe
gave the world the most exquisite eX-
preston of God pervading the world,
and found in the
Conscience of Man.
Mr.. Darwin said before his death that
the one man of this generation who
was capable Of formulating his ideas Of
evolution in connection with the phe-
nemena of religion was John FiSke,
of Harvard university. John Flske is
also an agnOstie. but he looks upon man
as higher or at least developed Gre
alton, immortal and hopeful, and be-
lieve5 that the evidence is conclusive
slltit, WHllc we CtUuOt WclSI dIiu iuGdS-
ure the Almighty, there is pervasive
intelligence-an Intelligence ever speak
ing through the conscience of man and
asking his obedience. And changing
the expression of Goethe a little, ne
makes him say: ''As in the roaring
loom of time the endless web of events
is woven, each strand shall make more
and more clearly visible the living gar
ment." Believe me, we are in time of
transition, and the free mind is the
mind which shall first sight the new
land, and If l could control the intel
-lectual position of Mr.. lngersOll l would
bring him into harmony with the lead
ing minds of this school, the men who
are and will be the influential leaders of
Thought. For any man who expects to
see agnosticism turn to atheism will be
mistaken. The scientific mind is also
taking on new hope. That hope, lead
ing to belief, is an instructive Inheri-
stance of man, and no power can
Break 1t Down.
OF the things would not change in
any particular is the courage to follow
the absolute freedom of
Thought and the profound sincerity that
has ever characterized all he has. Like
the scientific spirit of the time that
starts out to learn, even though all
things tumble and fall that have Teen
called sacred, this spirit undertakes t
establish truth, though it may strike at