The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-04-18

NE xk&ARA
Chicago. April l3.-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. commence.
| ing with the 25th verse. the sing
| ing OF an hosanna. of Nearer. My 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 wss 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
ly every member of the appellate and
superior Judiciary. several federal and
county officials, delegations 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 IL representative.
When Col. lngersoll made his appepr-
ance arm in arm with DIR. Rusk there
was loud applause mingled with muir
murs from some who seemed 10 regard
such demonstration as foreign to a
religious service. In the prayer that
followed the musical exercises DR.. RuslS
4 60. -
guest of the day, who was endeavorng
20 show the world how this life might
be made one of usefulness and Joy,
and also invoked dispensation for his
wife and children, while in his intro
ductory remarks DIR. Ruslx character
lied Col. Ingersoll as "the man who Is
endeavoring to do this world good and
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, be SAID, whether man be-
ieved In God or not, IL he expoundeJ
the truth. then the truth was there and
| God was there.
AS Col. Ingersoll stepped 10 the rost-
dAH hN N11 nClCQDltu Win uDDlAufe
that lasted for over n 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 "the greatest
of human beings:" There is no dark
ness but ignorance" and for two hours
spoke upon the necessity of arbitration
ms IA 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
pnnacea 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:
THE reforms that hove mentioned can
not be accomplished IN day. possibly not
fer many centuries. and in the meantime
there Is much crime. much poverty. much
| want and consequently something must bo
| done now. Let each human being within
the limits OF the possible be self-supporting:
| let everyone take intelligent thought for
| the morrow, and n a human being supports
| himself and acquires n surplus let him use
| part OF that surplus for the unfortunate.
| and let each one 10 the extent or his ability
| help his fellow men, Lot HIM do what he
| can I'm the circle OF his own acquaintance TO
| rescue the fallon, 20 help those who are try
| ing 10 help themselves. 10 give work TO the
| idle. Let him distribute kind words words
81 wisdom. Of eheerfnires= and horc. IL
| other words. let every human being do all
the good he can. and let him bind up the
wounds OF his fellow creatures and at tho
same time put forth every effort TO hasten
the coming OF a better day.
This. In my Judgment In real religion
To do all the good you can Is 20 be saint
| In tho highest and In the nobiest sense.
| To do all the good you can--this In TO be
really and truly spiritual. To relieve sur
fering. TO put the star OF hope In the mid
night OF despair--this Is true holiness. This
Is the religion OF science. The old creeds are
too narrowi they are not for the world In
which We live. The old dogmas lack
breadth and tenderness; thoy are too cruel.
too merciiess, too savage. We are growing
grander and nobier.
'srhe armament inlaiG with suns II the
dome or the real cathedral. The inter
prefers OF nature are the true and only
priests. In tho great creed are all tho
truths that lips have uttered and In the real
litany will be found all the ccstasies and
aspirations OF the soul. all dreams OF Joy,
all hopes for nobler, fuller life. The real
church, the real edihcc. IL adorned and
Rlorincd with all that art has done. In tho
real choir In all the thrilling music Of the
world and In the starlii aisles have beer.
and are. the grandcst souls OF every land
and cline.
There ~ no darkness but Ignorance
LET Va food the world with intellectual
light"
When he concluded the applause was
loud and long continued, many OF those
In the foyer waving their handkerchicfs
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 10 an
end.