The times., 1899-07-31
HIS OPINION OF IbGERSOLL
Praise for the Great AgnOstic by
the Rev. DR.. Kent
A Sermon Devoted 10 an Analysis Of
DIR. TaImaGe's Remarks ut the
Time of the Freethinkcr's Death
A Strong ArraiGnment of Dogma
tism and Its Preachers.

'IngersolTs Service TO Mankind" was the
subject of DR.. Alexander Kents discourse
yesterday at the Peoples Church. 1t was
a mastery effort and held the closest at
teniien OF the congregation. Dr. Kent was
warmly congratulated at the close OF the
service. He spoke in part as follows:
- 1t must be an awful thing-to be an
infidel. said young man to me last week
while riding to the cemetery after briet
service over the body of one who had held
,agnostic views. Not so awful, l replied,
as to be Christian of the strictly ortno-
dox type. Were forced TO choose between
the views of Mr.. Ingersoll and those en-
bodied in the creeds of the so-called evan
gelical churches, 1 would certainly choose
the former. / would rather believe that
death is the end of being for every human
soul than believe that even one, and that
the meanest character on earth, will suffer
an eternity of torment. But TO believe
(what every orthodox creed implies) that
nine-tenths, or ninety-nine one hundredths
OF the human race is doomed TO endless
misery, this is indeed awful, and awful be-
yond expression. If there is any such thing
as blasphemy possible, this dogma OF
the creeds puts the widest and most
shocking utterances of Mr.. Ingersoll
wholly in the shade. Understand me,
/ do not say that the average Chris
tlan really entertains any such view
as this. He doesn't, or he would be
good deal more unsafe as a neighbor than
he is. Nevertheless, he subscribes TO
creed which requires, or joins himself TO
Church which processes, such belief. And
II he doesn't hold il he either ought 10
get out or do his utmost to eject the
dogma
MY young friend looked somewhat sur
prised at the outcome of his remark, and
probably thought he had struck very Pc
culiar sort of minister. i took occasion,
however, TO say a word or two more by
way of ciinching the thought before drop
ping the subject. l called his attention
10 the recent utteranees of Dr. Talmage,
touching Mr.. Ingersoll, and pointed out
some of the implications involved in MS
remarks. Let me, as fitting introducuoh
10 what i have to say OF MT. insersoii
teaching, call your attention to these words
of the reverend doctor
They are not the reporters words, marx
YOU and cannot therefore be taken as mis-
representing the speaker. To the tnoughi-
f,,l they will serve TO show the necessity
which still exists for light. at the sup
posed centre of Chistian illumination
DR.. Kent then read from The Times the
doctors expression of sympathy Tor the
Ingersoll family, and the hope that the
dead agnostic had prayed during the last
moment of his life.
You will notice that the speaker is
filled with .tenderest sympathy for Mr..
Ingersoll's household Did that sympathy
include the departed? Did the doctor feel
kindly toward the great agnostic, and wish
him well? II seems so from what follows.
II he did. was he Godlike in so doing? Or
was he pouring sympathy where God pour
ed vengeance? What right has a man,
even by implication, to be more charitable,
more benevolent than his God? Rather
what right has he to imply by his dogmas
that the God of the Universe, is less kindly,
less benevolent than he? How cruel he
says, is death. Tears are wine to the
king OF terrors Who is the king of ter
rors? He who took the departed But DR..
Talmage says God has taken him. God,
then, is the real king OF terrors. He it is
who is cruel.
Death is no entity-it is only the with
drawal from the body, or the dying out
In the body, as the materialist views it. OF
the life force. II God is, he is present in
the operation of the laws under which
death occurs just as certainly as in those
tears wine to him? DR.. Talmage says this
or he says nothing. Death cannot be cruel,
unless the purpose that is behind IL and
working through it is cruel. Death may
seein cruel. God may seem cruel. But is
il the province of the Christian minister
to emphasize the seeming and misinterpret
the real?
e. We pray for those broken hearts says
DR.. Talmage, the comforting grace of Cod
This prayer is addressed to the same God,
Of course, who took the husband, whose
messenger, he declares, is cruel, and to
whom the tears OF the sorrowing are as
wine What grace or favor has such
being that can bring any comfort to these
stricken hearts2 What word of comfort
can DR.. Talmage speak? He can point
them 10 a Saviour who will help them es-
cape the fate of their beloved; who will
take them where they can look down upon
him from their abode of blessedness and
see him writhing In anguish to ali eternity
he has nothing better to offer. Why does
he not offer this? Probably because he
has sense enough and humanity enough TO
feel that it would be an insult and an out
rage 10 their reason and their affections
But the doctor says, This is not the time
to enlarge upon the influence of the great
agnostic's life. There are proprteties to be
observed-feelings to be regarded. He re-
fuses TO plant any nettles on the new-made
grave etc.
Why is II not the time? Is regard for
proprieties and feelings ever in the way
OF proclaiming gospel truth? Is it regard
for Our feelings OF the afflicted that coun-
sells silence or the part of the doctor. or is
IL the fact that his message seemE so horri-
Bile In the face OF such sorrow that he hasn't
the heart TO proclaim il, and knows that
any application of his dogmas in the case
OF Colonel Ingersoll would result in such
q revolt from the teachings OF the gospel
as he understands 1t would shake the
Church to its very foundations? Is 1t not
the same sort of regard for proprieties and
feelings that makes the Churches always
have oSe gospel for revivals and another Tor
funeralsz DR.. Talmage does not dare TO
carry his version of the gospel TO the fu-
neral of anyone who has died in what the
Church calls sin. At the revival he says:
"A state OF antagonism 20 the gospel
scheme OF redemption is a state of sin
To die in sin means eternal damnation.'
At the funeral he says: He has gone TO
judgment and is in the hands OF the God
10 whom we are all accountable
why doesn't he say squarelY, Ingersoll
was an infdel. If he died as he lived he
has gone to hell. What the world calls
his goodness OF heart, his domestic vir-
tues. his mental and moral honesty, his
large and generous helpfulness, will not
avail to save him. Men are not saved by
these things; they are saved by the blsod
OF Christ II they are saved at all. He re-
iected Christ He ridiculed with all the
power OF his wit and genius the notion of
salvation by his redeeming blood. He is
damned, and there is no hope for him
Why does he not say this? Why does he
not stand squarely by the doctrines that
he breaches every Sunday? True. he does
~ Tfe.s h.,.