The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-24
GREAT FREE THINKER
Howard ]. Murrison's Interesting Lee
ture "on the Ingersoll Plan"
THE AUDIENCE WAS MOVED
One Auditor Removed His Shoes
and Then Five Boys Walked
Out Into the Darkness-A
Few Vacant Seats.


thinker" delivered a lecture on the
Ingersoll plan" at the Auditorium last
night to a small but extremely select
audience. The great free thinker
looks like a hard working miner who
got a little bit off in his business when
he took TO the lecture platform. When
ne began his lecture there were but
two women and seven men in the han,
notwithstanding the notice that had
been posted in front OF the Auditorium
all day inviting people 20 secure seats
in the afternoon and avoid the rush IN
the evening. Howard j. Morrison OPP
ened his address with an apology ana
the Bible at the first chapter OF Gene
sis. In his apology he said that ne was
a man without education and tfhat his
mission was to uplift mankind. He
then turned his attention to the open
Bible and read that in the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth.
The great free thinker" said there was
no beginning and that IL was wrong
for the Bible to say God created things
at that time. He then pitched deep IN
10 his subject and said the Bible was
no more the work of God than would be
a book written by himself. He declar-
ed There werd a million people on earth
before Adam and Eve were created and
puts himself on record as saying that
Adam was a monkey. and as he made
that important declaration two more
men came in and increased the audi
ence that number. He told the story
about the garden of Eden and the
snake. and said Adam was the most
oowardly man on the face OF the eartn
to make a break like that'-of throw
ing the blame on Eve. Howard j. Nor
rison said there might be a supreme be-
ing, but he had no reason for believing
so, and no Christian teacher had ever
been able to show 1t. He then got
down to the time of Noah and the
deluge. and two kids came in and took
front seats.
What was the first thing that man
dore?" asked the Duluth free thinker.
referring TO old man Noah. HE got
drunk. that's what he done when he
got out of the ark. Why, the ark could
not have been bigger than this Audito-
rum. and yet the Bible tells US that II
had held a male and female of every
living creature. when the fact ds II
could not have held more than one-six-
teenth of all the animals on earth on
that day" AS the speaker paused for
the full effect of his words two MEM
bers of his audience vanished through
the door. Resuming. ne picked up a
Decent flag and, waving Ii over his
head. said II was better TO teach Our
children" patriotism and how to legis-
late rather than religion. which did not
-
all be told in five minutes. God did
not make man after his own image;
but, on the contrary, man made God
after his image. If people were hon.
est. he said. the Bible would be cast
from the face of the earth. In some
manner or other, he got to talking
about saloons and the prohibition law
in Dakota and said "a man could get
all me wanted to drink in that state. He
also said that ne had never been drunk
In all his life. Edison has done
more for the world than all the
Christian cranks and gods that ever
were." said the great free thinker"
and then ne declared that he didn't
care IL there were 10000 people present
to hear and he would ask how a man
could love a God who damned all the
people and nations who had never
heard OF him and had never been for
ma1ly introduced TO him. At this
point another man came In and took a
front seat and his timely arrival
seemed to encourage the man from Du-
luth.
Turn your churches into flower
shows and play houses" he said In
subdued tones. ''and they will do more
TO elevate the races of men than they
now do" He said Christians had been
preaching their religion for 10 centuries
and were now the same as they were
OF the audience went out and three
kids came in and then Howard j. Nor
rison said the death of Christ was re-
sponsfble for the murders, robberies
and other crimes in the world. because
criminals say 20 themselves they can
commit crime and God win forgive
them because Christ died to save them.
This statement made two OF the small
boys tired, and they left, the hall and
the feet of dow-haired man also suf
fered from that tired feeling. and he
took his shoes of, and instantly three
men in his neighborhood got up and
went out. The speaker. however. was
not 80 easily disturbed and he proceed
ed to give his attention TO Solomon and
David, and said they were the lowest
type of men the earth had ever known.
and that solomon was the greatest
prostitute. Il am glad / am living"
said the speaker, and he was probab bly,
the only really glad man in the hall.
They ask us-they ask us-they tell
us-they say-let me ask right here
and / say" but he had forgotten his
lines. and had to look up his notes. and
when he resumed his talk he said he
did not want 20 go TO a heaven that
had streets paved with glittering gold
foi he preferred to walk on natures
green grass. He said the author OF the
New Testament showed his ignorance
OF the fact that the earth was round
by speaking Of the four corners OF the
earth. He Thought such a display OF
ignorance was very reprehenslble, and
went 40 prove that the Bible was no
more inspired than Dr. Ayers almanac
The man with the tired feet then put
on his shoes and drifted out Into the
night. and the speaker from Duluth
continued his lecture 10 dhe five re-
naming members OF his audience. He
was suffering greatly from the snufies
and was frequently coerced to wipe his
nose with the back Of mis- hand. The
mighty free thinker was talking about
miracles as the reporter passed from
the hall. why don't they do these
things now, why don't they do en-
he asked, but no one could answer him.