The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-09-21

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Among the writers on the editorial
staff of the Washington Times is one
who possesses a bright, breezy facility
for expressing himself in a flippant.
jaunty style upon almost every subject,
from grave TO gay from the transient
theme of the hour to the most moment
GUS questions that can engage and en-
thral the mind and soul Of rationAi
creature. If it be question Of fashion
or etiquette. he is happily at home In
Its discussion. II it be a matter Of in
tricate diplomacy. or constitutional con-
struction. the Gordian knot of it he will
unite familiar as his garter II il
be o question Of religion or theology,
however deep or solemn, it is as tripping
ly disposed of on the point of his pen as
if he were born and bred among the
schools of the prophets at Jericho or
Gilgal. A day or two since this poly
glot pen espoused the proposal to erect
a monument to Robert Ingersol. and
proceeded to deride the objections to
such a scheme as if they were the
crude murmurings of kindergarten
nu sery. A few passages from this ar
ticle will suffice TO show the scoffing
arrogance Ct the writer. Here are
some specimen paragraphs
It may be we'll to explain just what
this monument would mean to those
who shall contribute to the fund for
its erection.
Ingersoll did his best to sweep
away what he considered superstition,
that something else might arise in its
place.
There is no denying that for good
many hundred years men have acted
as If it were much more important to
adhere to some particular creed than
to behave decently to their fellow men
and this fsllacy Ingersoll attacked so
vigorously that he made it ridiculous,
and it is disappearing from American
society with considerable rapidity.
There comes time in the life OF
nearly every thinking man when he
questions the dogmss TO which he has
been brought up Many such men have
decided, sadly, it may be. but inevita-
bly,, that they cannot believe these
dogmas. They have been taught that
there is no morality outside some par
ticular creed that 1t is Of no use TO set
up ones own ideal and strive to fulfill
it; and that all scientific knowledge
fails when il comes to deal with mans
soul
In this time of chaos and indecision,
Ingersoll gives the doubter hearty
grasp Of the hand and assures him that
he will be all right il he goes manfully
90 work to make the best of himself
that there can be no divine law which
will contradict itself and interfere with
facts, and that if there be God, rea-
son is the guide which he has given
man to lead him in the right path.
Now, there you have it. The creed
and the Oatechism we were taught at
our mothers knee and in the Sunday
School and in the sanctuary are mere
: superstition. " A time arrives in the
experience Of "every thinking man"
when he mistrusts the 'dogmas" OF
religion he was taught in childhood.
In this time of "chsos and indecision"
Ingersoll steps up, takes the bewildered
individual by the hand and leads him
out into the clear light Of that
scientific knowledge" which alone can
deal with the questions that concern
mans soul :" and teaches him that
'ff there be God reason is the guide
he has given man to lead him in the
right path" 1t is by no means GER
tain that that there is a God but il
there be one he has given us a guide
to lead US in the. right path.
According to the old time dogmas
aud oatechisms the Scriptures Of the
Old and New Testament" constitute,
that guide. But Ingersoll comes along
and scatters to the wind this idle su-
persitition, and in place of the Bible
sets up up reason" as the infallible
guide. Get Tom Paine's "Age of
Reason" and burn up your moth
er's Bible. Put your dependence
for the present time and for all
eternity, not in the God Of Abra-
ham and Isaac and Jacob. but in Inger-
soils god, the human reason not in
the precepts and promises OF the Holy
Scriptures. but in that slough of des-
pond known as agnosticism. This is
the sacrilege and flippant folly that is
sought to be palmed off for erudition
and wisdom.