The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-21
COL. INGERS0LL AND THE WEST
ERN CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
BY REV. JAMES BILLINGS.


IT appears the army of the Chris
tian Endeavor people have been pray
ing for the conversion of Colonel
Ingersoll to their system of grace.
But as no serious effect has been
made upon his scared heart, the
supposition is that they did not "pray
in faith," or that their prayers were
not righteous, or possibly, their God
may have been in some shady grove,
fast asleep, and they did not pray
loud enough to arouse him from his
slumbers.
Be this as it may. the wise editor
of the christian Advocate" seems
to have solved the difficult problem.
1t leaves the Colonel in forlorn con-
dition. While we pity the ignorance
and stupidity of those for wasting so
much praying for one incorrigible Q
sinner" this editor solves the mys-
terry 80 that no more prayers need be
made in that direction. The Colonel
has 'sinned away the day of divine
grace" and has committed the "un-
pardonable sin"
If this is fact, it implies that
their God is not able to convert such
sinners. Or it may imply that he
will not. In either case, what does
the idea of an objectionable sin
prove? 1t proves that finite man can
commit an act, that cannot be for
given, and if this is true. atheism is
true. And if he will not God is not
as good as man. Not as kind at
heart as the Colonel is. For he has
kept an ample stock of forgiveness
in his great, generous heart, for all
his bitter enemies. 1t would be no
improvement for any one to be con-
verted, to believe in such a God, or
to system of religion, that teaches
such a theological monstrosity
There are thousands who can say to
their bitter foes, Father forgive
them, for they know not what they
do" In fact Universalism teaches
this. The highest code of morals
teaches man, to "love his enemies -
Therefore, if the Christian Advo-
Gates God, will not forgive the Col
onel, he is not as good as man. AS
wicked as he is, we do not believe
that Colonel Ingersoll would let one
single soul, go down to endless woe,
if in his power to prevent. There is
too much goodness in his heart to do
it. What folly for professed re-
ligious people, to pray to convert
man to have faith in God, who was
letting thousands drop into hell of
endless suffering, while they were
praying for the Colonel? And each
soul that went down during that
period was worth just as much as his.
We ask this candid question:
Which party, Col. Ingerso!l, or the
So called Orthodox, with which the
Christian Advocate is included, are
producing the greater amount of un-
belief and skepticism in the princi-
pies of Christianity?
We believe that the Colonel and
his party are making great mistake
in calling this modern orthodox the
ory Christianity. They both claim
that the dogma of endless punishment
is prominent doctrine taught by Je-
sus Christ,and they call this heather
idea Christianity. They claim it is
a Bible doctrine, when it is fact in
history that it is of pagan origin, in
dependent of any Bible writer, and
it remains pagan still. 1t is dogma
taken for granted, as the truth, re-
vealed by God in the Bible, resting
upon the credulity of the ignorant.
The orthodox and the Colonel are
circulating this abominable doctrine
as Christianity.
Then there is the unreasonable
doctrine of the Trinity. 1t is one of
the main pillars of orthodox theology.
It's principal support is taken from
|. John. v: 7, a passage that made its
first appearance in the fifteenth cen
tury. A passage found in no Greek
manuscript until this late period.
TIE doctrine is paganism. 1t can
have no honest claim from the Bible,
yet the orthodox and the Colonel
call it Christianity.
Then there is the orthodox idea of
an invisible personal devil, once an
angel. that caused rebellion among