Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-04-13

IatlOnS Between Capital and La.
Dor.
Chicago, April 12.-Colonel Robert
G. Ingersoll spoke before the Militant
church congregation to-day in response
to an invitation extended by the pastor,
Rev. John Rusk. In his letter Of invi-
tation, Rev. Mr. Rusk said: The Mill
tant church. which is organized for the
purpose of lettering the condition Of
mankind, regardless Of creed or lack Of
it, desires TO extend you an invitation
20 preach for us some Sunday morning
IN the near future on the subject Of
your views as TO what the Christian
church should do and how"
In accepting the invitation. Mr.. In
gerson said: Il was much pleased with
the spirit Of intellectual hospitality Of
your letter. and what I say, if anything.
to your people will be- IN the same spirit
OF kindness and candOr."
COLONEL INGERSOLL'S ADDRESS
was given in Hooley's Theatre, and ex-
tracts from 10 follow:
There is no darkness but ignor-
ance"
Every human being IS a necessary
product Of conditions. and every one is
born with defects for which he cannot
be- held responsible Nature seems to
care nothing for the individual. nothing
for the species
Life pursuing life, and, in its turn,
pursued by death. presses TO the snow
line Of the possible and every form OF
life. of instinct. thought and action is
fixed and determined by conditions, by
counties antecedent, and cO-existing
facts. The present is the child. and
the necessary child, OF all the past and
the mother of all the future.
Every human being
LONGS TO BE HAPPY,
TO satisfy the wants of the body with
food, with roof and raiment, and to feed
the hunger of the mind, according to
his capacity, with love, wisdom, phil
osophy, art and song.
The wants Of the savage are few, but
with civilization the wants of the body
increase the intellectual horizon
widens, and the brain demands more
and more.
Ike savage feels, but scarcely
thinks. The passion Of the savage is
uninfuenced by his thought, while the
thought of the philosopher is unin-
fuenced by passion. Children have
wants and passions before they are ca
pable of reasoning. So in the infancy
Of the race wants and passions domin-
ate
The savage was controlled by appear
ances, by Impressions; he was mentally
weak, mentally indolent, and his mind
pursued the path of least resistance.
Things we're to him as they appeared 10
be. He was
A NATURAL BELIEVER
in the supernatural and. finding himself
beset by dangers and evils. ne sought in
many ways the aid Of unseen powers.
His children followed his example. and
for many ages. in many lands. millions
and millions of human beings. many OF
them the kindest and the best, ask FOR
supernatural help. Countless altars
and temples have been built and the
supernatural has been worshipped with
sacrifice and song with self denial.
ceremony, thankfulness and prayer
During all these ages the brain Of
man was being slowly and painfully de-
veloped. Gradually mind came to the
assistance Of muscle and thought be-
came the friend of labor Man has adj
vanced just in the proportion that he
has mingled thought with his work.
just in the proportion that he has Sue
ceeded in getting his head and hands
into partnership All this was
THE RESULT OF EXPERIENCE.
Nature. generous and heartless, ex-
travagant and miserly as she is, is our
mother and our only teacher, and she is
also the deceiver Of men. Above her
we cannot rise. below her we cannot
fall. In her we find the seed and soil
of all that is good. Of all that is evil
Nature originates, nOurishes, preserves
and destroys.
Good deeds bear fruit and in the fruit
are seeds that in their turn bear fruit
and seeds Great thoughts are never
lost and words Of kindness do not per-
fsh from tho earth
Every brain is a field where nature
s0ws the seeds of thought, and the crop
depends upon the soil
Every flower that gives its fragrance
to the wandering air
LEAVES IT'S INFLUENCE
on the soul of man. The wheel and
sw00p of the winged creatures OF the air
suggest the flowing lines OF subtle
art The roar and murmur of the rest
less sea. the cataracts solemn chant.
the thunders voice, the happy babbie Of
the brook. the whispering leaves, the
thrilling notes OF mating birds. the
signing winds. taught man 10 pour his
heart in song and gave a voice TO grief
and hope. 10 love and death.
In all that is. mountain range and bill
lowed plain, in winding stream and
desert sand. in cloud and star, in snow
and rain. in calm and storm, in night
and dav in woods and wales. in all the
colors and divided light in all there is
Of growth and life decay and death in
all that flies. and floats. and swims in
all that moves. in all the forms and
qualities of things. man found the seeds
and symbols Of his thought and all that
man has wrought becomes part OF na-
lures self. forming
THE LIVES OF THOSE TO BE.
The marbles Of the Greeks, like strains
OF music. suggest the perfect and teach
the melody Of life. The great poems,
naintings. inventions. theories and phil
osonbies enlarge and mold the mind OF
man Al that is natural All is natur-
- .-,5,ced BevOnd the horizon OF