The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-30

raak eooD Ann sAD ov IxGERsoLI

aEATT14E. SUNDAY, SCLr -
1a6E eOOD Ann DAD o. IxGERsOLI.
Since the death II Robert q. Inxsr-
I'll = few days ago many comments
hase been made upon his LIE and work
and many ssore viii be made To the
canssdsr2te ard the sympathetic among
those who differed with his RELIGIOUS
yiews most radically. the news Of his
sudden death Was followed by the
thoushs that ~ last tbs strenuous az
uostlc has passed the gates OF knowi-
edge. and the reluctant II do not know
with which his eoEseienee forcad him
20 answer questions Of the future been
changed to . confident II know" Be
yond this none can follow him.
Many unchrtstian things have been
said Of him by Christian ministers and
many tolerant and kindly things an
well. The hasshest thing that can be
said Of IngeraolI IL that he was mast
tntoIerans He aid not know Il. but II
II true. He sincerely believed that he
was making war upon baseIess super
stition that enaiaved mems minds. He
was apparently ignorant OF the fact
that he WAS often fghting man Of
straw. What he commended against was
the theology Of his youth. and he d,c
not realize. or would not admit. tina.
theologies are continually changing as
the point OF view OF men changes Has
Wss a bs9. Kindly ard generous nature.
and. whatever the merit of his opinions.
u II perhaps not strange that he held
thnm-
Inxersoil's father. In early life. was
hread-minded. liberal congregationails
clergyman. but his was mind that was
bound by cseeds. His opinions drove
him later into the Presbyterian minis
try. and 50 welded Was he to creed and
dogma that he died In an agony Of tor
ture lest he had omitted some of the
Acts which In his scheme were neees-
sary 10 Salvation. II was this atnios-
phsre that made Of the generous soulea
boy IN axnosiic. He could not believe
that God found delight In forsuring the
souls OF men, and this led tn his bit
ter attacks apen those who did SO be-
Have. He wanted 10 free the minds If
men from q fear which he thought TO
be- wholly groundless But The theology
which he fought was the Theology Of
Cotton Mather. who burned witches.
and Pope Urban VIII. who condemned
Galiteo. He would not admit that the
world has long outgrewn both Gotten
Aataer and Urban VIII.
Col, rngvrsoIi's attacks upon Chris
tianity have not harmed IL. Rather 81
has been hettsred hy them insofar as
he ssrosea theological weakness AMI
crrur aid compelled its defenders 10
abandon ansenahle positions ard worn
cut lAeolagses. THE harm he has done
consists In strengthening the hands -
thai schooi III sa<cailad free thinkers
whose tendency IL TO make their denial
Of religion an excuse fer license and
dssnhsxlienee Of the moral ias. The
fact that bis awr personal life was
hiame.ess has no meaning for them,
who quote anprovsngsy what he said
but fsna no lesson In what he did.
His own theeiogy consisted mainly An
confessions IF ignorance. and in snaklux
this cpafeaasen he attacked the fran.
ties az ether ayssssas without attempt.
ms 20 sfsong;hen or build ~ his own.
In his Nay ~ WAS as narrow as the
men b. opposed and answered his or.
raasriss IN as harsh and sntwnperase
lanSuase as many ~ thcrn nxesi toward
him. tsls literary efforts. tbs hes;
knawa os ah'rh Il his Mistakes ~
Moses" were sFhcmeral. sna already
arc seAaaus sasge,i for BY Others than
tsese who share his views 7, required
his genlal personality Ara5i magnetic
eratesy - make rs woeas effective
Pr IN e0.a gvgse AID @ahsecsea Il crit.
sissa, taey cease 81 Inspire
ceoaraFwsi wtss waAt 10 Opposed. Col
fngsysssll's Influence wsn ~ rs esss-
eseens - tAs light - waesnsag mist. sws
les 4 81 te fesEesien that gae sfsea,o<y
e . third ef ceatssy age wAleh he
attacked So vssa~ous1r reeassxf last
such 80 assassans 20 fire. nseu's a,lng IS
trasa tss tresssss1s, xssastfesx tss same
rsssns wvafA have sesn eventually
reached BY ths nstarai evolution -
Theological t@tsvfs eo; sss process
wsais havs been saaw ard the tseslessY-
cal wsvss ns@ssss sass SAGA sAas 'rg
~ a. f1xes@oii Save g 81 order - srsnw
II aalcsly ~ 81 che standards - masss-
ssa thought. vtewes n ISIS gsas TIE