The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-04
INGERSOLL TELLS
HOW IT HAPPENED
Heard at the Lyceum on "Wby ] An
an Aguostic."
HAD A RATHER SMALL AUDIENCE
He Larrups Christianity In General,
Tells Everybody That Doesn't Be-
Iieve as. He Does That They Are
Insane and Indirectly Lets the
Audience in on the secret That He
Has Thought It All Out Alright.

Abou. three hundred persons, many
of them literary admirers or ,curiously
inclined listened to Robert G. Inger-
soil for two hours at tie Lyceum last
night. while he told why he is all 9g-
nostic. 1t is one of his best If not his
best paying lectures and those who
heard it received a treat, no matter
what feature of 1t they admired. The
continuous and enthusiastic applause
evidenced that he had many auditors
who were in sympathy with his views.
He came upon the stage unaccompan-
led, and without introduction proceed
ed with his instructing, entertaining or
curiosity satisfying effort-as the hear
ers viewed it. Step by step he told
how his agnosticism grew upon him
and what lights he followed in his
voyage through the vast sea of relig-
ion which he has explored.
II like you" he began, was born
among people who knew. They knew
that one Monday morning 4,404 years
b. G. their God started in and made
the heavens AMI the earth, etc. They
knew that he lived back of that in
eternity but never did any work be-
fore Qaughter) They didn't want to
hear any prophets. They didn't want
TO hear their belief questioned. They
knew; that was enough"
In this vein he continued for some
time, ridiculing religion and the Div
Unity using Biblical quotations freely
IN his mirth making, as for instance,
saying that the flood reminded him of
His mercy endureth forever and
His loving kindness is over all His
works"
HE EXCUSED THEM.
He then very thoughtfully excused
| Christians for their ignorance. The
| child is assaulted in tie cradle, assass-
| mated in it's mothers arms with the
| impossible facts of orthodox religion.
| It has it's very life blood imbued with
these good religious, devout, idiotic
lies. Then comes the Sunday school
| teacher and the revival meetings. In
these meetings people lose what little
sense that may have escaped the 9TH
| er onslaughts and they become sub
stantially insane. The ministers at the
reyivals are earnest. They knew little
but believed much. They are sincere
! hateful loving, bigoted, honest and in
| sane.
| II heard hundreds of these SER
mons" said the speaker. II was in a
| double frame of mind. 1t is so but
! guess not would say to myself They
! know-but they must be mistaken. l
| heard one Of these revival sermons and
| it made a scar on my mind. 1t was a
| sermon on Lazarus and Dives. The
cry of the rich man in hell and the
| sufferings he endured as pictured by
the eXhorter decided me. I then under
stood the tidings of great joy. I said
1T is a lie and l hate your religion. If
it is true, l hate your God l hated
and despised every orthodox creed and
vowed then that l would ever wage
war upon them with every power at
my command. That sermon did some
| good"
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.
Then for a time the speaker dwelt
upon the God of infinite revenge" and
how the dogma of eternal punishment
made him the implacable enemy OF
Christianity. Every church in which il
is preached is a curse, he said, anC
every preacher who breaches it is ar
enemy Of mankind. 1t gives to the
Holy Ghost, the dove, vultures beak
it puts into the mouth of the Lamb the
fangs of a viper.
Popes, cardinals, bishops and priest:
were all insane, he said, and he ha6
1.-The kindness and candor" to admi
that Edwards and Calvin were boil
crazy.
Taking a scientific tack, the speaker
told how he studied astronomy little
and learned that the sun was one mil
lion times larger than the earth, which
convinced him that the writer of Gene
sis was a fool to say that all the plan
cts and stars were made one Thurs
day afternoon and that it took a Who'll,
week to make the little atom-earth
The study Of geology convinced hin
that the writer of Genesis was a say
age, not to know that men and womel
inhabited the earth thousands an,
thousands Of years before Adam an,
Eve were manufactured.
Robert Burns he lauded to the skies
II would rather appear drunk befor
the judgment seat-if there is one,
said the lecturer land say that I wrot