River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-04-16
INeeRsoLL IN a PULPIT.
Noted Infidel Tells "How Mankind Can
Re Reformeds-

iN1eHSOLI TN POLPlI.
Noted InhdeI Tells .How Mankind Can
Be Reformed
Chicago, April 13.--With a prelude
that included the pronouncing of an in
vocation, the repeating of the Lords
Prayer in unison, the reading of the
tenth chapter of Luke. commenc.
ing with the 25th verse, the sing
ing of an hosanna, of Nearer, NV God,
TO Thee" and America" the greatest
living agnostic of the age stepped to the
restrum of the Church Militant Sunday
morning and for nearly two hours ex-
pounded TO the congregation his views
upon How Mankind Can Be Reformed"
Although admission was strictly con-
fined to ticket holders, the street in
front of the theater was blocked with
people long before the opening of the
doors, and even after the interior had
been packed to suffocation over thou
sand men and women besieged the en-
trance. On the stage were 400 or more
representative citizens, including near
iy every member of the appellate and
superior judiciary, several federal and
county officials, delegst ions from every
medical and law college and institution
of learning in the city and suburbs and
a number of retired divines. Every sect
and denomination without an excep-
ton had it representative.
When Col. Ingersoll made his appear
ance arm in arm with DIR. Rusk there
was loud applause mingled with muir
murs from some who seemed to regard
such a demonstration as foreign to a
religious service. In the prayer that
followed the musical exercises DIR. Rusk
asked for special blessing on their
guest of the day, who was endeavoring
to show the world how this life might
be made one of usefulness and Joy,
and also invoked n dispensation for his
wife and children. while in his intro
ductory remarks DIR. Rusk character
lied Col. Ingersoll as .the man who is
endeavoring to do this world good aud
to make it better" This, he said, was
no time to reason. no time to disagree
with the faiths of men, or beliefs of
men, when they were trying TO make
the world better than they found il.
No matter, he said, whether a man be-
lieved in God or not, if he expounded
the truth, then the truth was there and
God was there.
AS Col. Ingersoll stepped to the rost-
rum he was welcomed with applause
that lasted for over a minute. With the
suggestion that while his hearers and
himself might be travelling different
roads, they were all trying to add to hui
man joy and happiness he took as his
text the quotation from Shakespeare,
whom he characterized as 1.-THE greatest
of human beings:" There is no dark
ness but ignorance" and for two hours
spoke upon the necessity of arbitration
as substitute for war, the need for new
methods in the treatment of criminals,
the desirability of the occupancy of the
prairies of the west for homes as a
panacea for the tenement system, the
question of divorce. the relations of
capital and labor and the need of reform
in the education of children.
In concluding his address Col. Inger-
soil said:
1.-THE reforms that have mentioned can
not be accomplished in a day, possibly not
fer many centuries, and in the meantime
there is much crime, much poverty, much
want and consequently something must be
done now Let each human being within
the limits of the possible be self-supporting:
let everyone take intelligent thought for
the morrow, and il a human being supports
himself and acquires a surplus let him use
a part of that surplus TO- the unfortunate.
and let each one to the extent of his ability
help his fellow men. Let hum do what no
can in the circle of his own acquaintance to
rescue the fallen. to help those who are try
ing to help themselves, 10 give work to the
idle. Let him distribute kind words words
of wisdom. of cheerfulDess and hope. In
her lot INA h.fp 1r.
the good he can. and let him bind up the
wounds of his fellow creatures and at the
same time put forth every effort to hasten
the coming of a better day
This, in my Judgment. is real religion
To do all the good you can is TO be a saint
in the highest and In the noblest sense.
To do all the good you can--this is to be
really and truly spiritual. To relieve suf-
fering, to put the star of hope i'm the mid
night of despair-this Is true holiness. This
is the religion of science. The old creeds are
too narrow they are not for the world IN
which we live. The old dogmas lack
breadth and tenderness; they are too cruel.
too merciless. too savage. We are growing
erander and nobler
'"rhe armament inlai5 with suns is the
dome of the real cathedral The inter-
prefers of nature are the true and only
priests. In the great creed are all the
truths that lips have uttered and in the real
ltany will be found all the ecstasies and
aspirations of the soul. all dreams of joy,
all hopes for nobler, fuller life The real
church, the real edificc. Is adorned and
elorified with all that art has done. In the
real choir is all the thrilling music of the
world and in the starlit aisles have been.
and are, the grandest souls of every land
end cline.
4" There is no darkness but ignorance
Let us flood the world with intellectual
light"
When he concluded the applause was
loud and long continued, many of those
in the foyer waving their handkerchiefs
and hats. The congregation united in
singing ''Blest Be The Tie That Binds"
and with the pronouncing of the bene-
diction the unique service came to an