Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-04-18
sepuON TO THE CONGREGATION OF
THE CHURCH MILITANT.
:, small Towns He Would Have All
Churches Combined in One
intellectual Center.

Chicago aplli l-.--SOAuA4EI ~NODGIl ".
Ingersoll spoke before the Militant churcn
eobglegau on today IL response 70 an in
yitauon extended by the pastor. Rev.
Iobn Rusk. The Militant church is or
ganized for the purpose OF betteIlnS the
condition of mankind, regardless OF creed
or lack Of II.
Colonel IngersolTs address, which was
given in Hooley's theateI, was in part
as follows:
Man has advanced just in the proper
ton that he has mingled thought with his
work, just in the proportion tnat he has
succeeded in getting his head ana hands
into partnership. Nature, generous and
heartiess, eXtravagant and miserly as she
is, is our mother and our only teacher,
and she is also the deceiyer of men. Above
her we can not rise, below her we can
not fall. In her we IND the seed and soil
of all that is good. of all that is evil Ma
ture originates, nourshes, preserves and
destroys.
yet for many years man in all direc
tons has relied upon and sincerely be-
eved in the existence OIL the supeTnatu-
raj lie d!d not believe III the uniform
ty Of nature. lie had no conception Of
cause and effect. of the iudestructibility
OF force. For many centuries his only
conception of morality was the idea OF
obedience, not to facts as they exist in
nature, but 10 the supposed command Of
some being superior to nature. BY eX-
perlence, by experiment, possibly by ac-
cident, man found that some diseases
could be cured by natural means; that he
could be relieved iii many instances OF
pain by certain kinds Of leaves or bark.
This was the beginning. Gradually mis-
confidence increased in the direction OF
the natural and began to decrease in
charms and amulets. The war was waged
for many centuries, bat the natural gain
ed the victory
30 our ideas of morality have changed,
and millions now believe that whatever
produces happiness aud we'll being is in
the highest sense moral Ceremonies,
prayers and inspired books, miracles,
special providence and divine mterfer-
ence belong 10 the supernatural and forms
no part OF real religion Every science
rests on the natural. on demonstrated
lacts In order morality and religion
must find their foundations in the neces-
sary nature of things
Ignorance being darkness. what We
need is intellectual light. Man should
cease TO expect any aid from any super
natural source. BY this time he should
Nc SausHed that worship has not created
wealth. and that prosperity is not the
'niio of prayer Man should turn his
entire attention TO the affairs OF the
world 10 the facts in nature"
''oiohel Ingersoll said there should be
sup put 10 appeal TO the savage force.
VI IoD years, he said, peace had been
preached, yet the civilized world had i'm
poVerlshed itself supporting vast armies
anu haVles. Instead OF paying these
"''ouhts out for the purpose of Killing
anu preparing TO kill our fellow men,"
H'ey would be better applied in building
'chools and supplying the wants Of the
people An international court wherein
n"uohal differences might be settled was
Inc proper solution of the question, he
thought
mere was another direction in which
T"ersIes and wealth of man were wasted
Immense amounts had been paid for the
0c''oh OF costly church edltices. and
other sums were paid for keeping
- up Inc returns are remarkably
d. Salo ne, the good accomplished
NOT appear to be great. There is no
% Nihihutlon in crime. The decrease
~ immortality and poverty is hardly per
ceptible. - Wy Pe'
1 n towns of 1000 or 5000 people, Colonel
t0ISoI would have all churches com.
49,. IN one, in great building. In this
tos should be the library of the
~" II should be the club house of
~, poopie; plays should be presented by
ana talent; rooms for billiards, cards
no mess should be arranged. 1t should
..- the intellectual center
ah,l,.' Icy could employ a gentleman of
add possibly of genius" said he "to
won,a 'hem on Sundays on subjects that
tanca '1 VI real interest. or real impor
b;st"n lie should base his sermons IN