West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-08-10
ING ERSOLLLSA
Some or His Views on Important
Matters.

Ingorsoll was not an atheist. He
did not say that there uas no God.
but denied that tho God OF the
I Christians was made in tho image
Of mon, who were fallible.
He asks: Why should Christians
insist that God Of infinite wisdom
goodness and power governs the
world?
why did he allow millions OF
his children TO be enslsvsd? Why
did he allow millions OF mothers
to be robbed Of their babes? Why
has he allowed injustice 70 triumph?
Why has he permitted tho inno-
cent to be imprisoned aud the good
TO be burned? Why has he with
held his rain and starved millions
OF tho children or menu Why has
he allowed the the volcanoes to de.
strOy, the earthquakes to devour,
and the tempest TO wreck and
rend?"
Ingersoll did not say that i'm
mortality was a false hope. He
wrote:
HIS VIEWS on IMMORTALITY.
"O', but they say TO me, you
tnkO away lInmortrity!' | do not.
II we are immor tai 1t is fact i'm
uature aud we are not indebted to
priests for it, nor to Bibles for 1t,
and it cannot be destroyed by un-
belief. AS long AS we love we will
tope to live, and when tho one
dies whom we love, we will say:
%, that we could meet again and
whethe: we do or not it will not be
the work of theology. 1t will be a
fact In nature.
81 would not for my life de-
stroy one star Of human hope, but
l want it so that when poor
woman rocks the cradle and sings
a lullaby to the dimpled darling.
she will not be compelled to be-
leve that ninety. nine chances in
hundred she is raising kindling
wood for hell.
al have said a thousand times.
and / say again, that the idea OF
Immortality, that like sea, has
ebbed and flowed in the human
heart, with its coun less waves of
hope and fear beatiug against the
shores and rocks 81 time and fate.
was not born Of my book. nor Of any
creed, nor of any religion. 1t was
born of human affection, and it
Will continue to ebb and flow be
meath the mists and clouds of
doubt and darkness rs long as
love kisses the lips of death"
TWO VIEWS OF THE BIBLE.
Coos wrath, described in the
Bible, 10 terrifying. IngersoIl at
tackled the Book as follows:
"Ehere are millions who believe
the Bible to be the inspired word
OF God-miIlions who believe that
it is the fountain of law and Justice
and mercy, and that to its wise
and benign teachings the world is
indebted for its liberty, wealth and
civllization-millions who imagine
that this Book is revelation from
the wisdom ana love 4 God to the
brain and heart OF man-millions
who regard this Book as torch
that conquers the darkness Of
death. and pOurs it's radiance on
another world-a world without
tear.
"They forgot its ignorance and
savngcry, its hatred Of liberty, it's
religious persecution; they remem-
Der heaven, but they forget the
dungeon of eternal pain.
"Ihey forget that it Imprisons
the brain and oorrupLs the heart.
They forget that 1t is the enemy
Of intellectual freedom. Liberty
is my religion. Liberty of hand
and brain-of thought and labor.
Liberty is a word hated by
kings-loatbod by popes. 1t is
word that skaters thrones and
altars-that leaves the crowned
without subjects, and the out
stretched hand Of superstition
without aims. Liberty is the
blossom and fruit Of iustics-tho
/ perfume Of mercy. LIberty is the
seed and soil, the air and light,
the dew and rain Of progress, love
and joy.
We pote front tho Charlsgtoy