New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-13
INGERSOLL AT 4 CHURCH SER|I ICE
THE AGNOsTIC SPEAKS FOR TWO HOURS
REFORE A CHICAGO CONGREGATION.

REFORE A CHICAGO CONGREGATION.
Chicago. Anril l2-wi,h a prelude tina, included
the pronouncng of an invocation. the repeating OF
the Lords Prayer in unison. the reading Of the
tenth chapter OF Luke beginning with the twenty
fifth verse. the singing OF Nearer. MY 'oo' 10
Thee" and America" the agnost!c Robert niger
soil. stepped to the rostrum OF the 'hurch N''a''.
this morning and for nelrly two hours expounded
10 the congregation his views upon How ManKini
Could he Reformed" The Church Militant Is com
posed Of the majo: portion OF the FORMER aune'e s
n, the Fullerton Avenue Presbyterian Church. one
Of the strongest congregations OF that o
IN the city and who with their pastor, the Kew
nv John Rusk branched of into an independent
organization some months since. as result OF the
opposition OF the minority o; the consregauon 10
the introduction Of radcal changes IN the cohuuo'
OF the services . A..
Some time ago invitation was extenneo 10
49,, 1roer.oll 10 deliver an address under the
a:.nices Of the congregation and II was In response
IA this invitation that he found himself IN us
rostrum to-day. AT the time the invitation was en-
tended the congregation held Its services IN me
women's Christian Temperance Union Temple. ou'
40 much feeling manifested by the managing
hoard OF that structure over the idea OF an agnosuc
speaking within its precincts that the Coiump'd
Theatre was secured for term OF years and there
fore II fell to Colonel Ingersoll 10 inaugurate the
services in the new meetingpace
Although admission was strictly confined to ticket
with people long before the opening OF the doors
and even after the interior hal oeen packed 10 sur
location thousand men and women oes!esea
the entrance On the stage were four nnnarel OF
more representative citizens including nearly every
member OF the Appellate and Superior courts and
several county officials. delegations from every
medical and law college AID institution Of learning
in the city and suburbs. and a number OF retired
divnes.
Every sect and denomination without an excep-
tion had it6 repi esentative When Colonel lngerso
made his appearance arm-in-arm with Dr. Rusk.
there was loud applause, mingled with murmurs
from some who seemed to regard such demonstra-
ton as foreign religious service In the prayer
that followed the musical exercises Dr. Rusk asked
Tor spscS ~ show J the world how this lie
might be made one Of usefulness ana Joy ama IN
whi,e in his introductory remarks DR.. Rusk char
acterized Colonel Ingersoll as The man VINO - en-
deavcring to do this world good ana 10 "aNe 1t
Colonel Ingersoll warmly received MIN ns the
be travelling different roads. they were al trying
add to human Joy and happiness he TOOK %so as he
eharae cns as THE greatest Of human benss
There Is No Darkness But n arb anq
as substitute for war. the need for new methoas
On p OF the OF Of the
as a panacea for tenement systems. the question Of
need o. reform ae IN f the educatOn Of children
The speaker abored 70 show that the expense OF
in the way Of dimnuton OF crime or production OF
good Referring to the triumph OF the natural over
the supernatural, the speaker said:
I'm all that Is in mountan range ana n c"sS
and star in snow and rain In calm and Storm In
night and day. in woods and wales In all the eo0rs
decay and DEATH In all that flies and floats ana
swis in all that moves. In all the forms and quail
,,cs of things man found the seeds and symbols OF
his thoughts and all that man has wrought be.
Comes a part OF natures self. forming the lives OF
those to be- The marbles OF the Greeks like strains
~ music suggest the perfect and teach the melody
Of life The great poems, paintings, Inventions,
mnd Of man All that is IS natural. All is natu,
ralIv produced. Beyond the horizon OF the natural
When ne ended the applause was loud The con,
"-a.iar united in singing "Blest be the tie that
sIesat,oa nd vim the pronouncing OF the benedction
~, pa's mn,nne service came to an end