The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-24

horrible state, and To get up ana
CRY. NO." on my hands and knees.
I'd do anything under heaven that
I might create within you desire
to know God and forsake your sins
and be right with the Lord!
God holds you responsible for your
will, not your feelings, exercising
your will upon Christ through faith.
Some men are honest In their
doubts; some people are honestly
and truthfully seeking the tight. And
do you know. I'd do anything on
earth to help an honest skeptic, but
for the man who sneers at re-
disbelieve TN God because he isn't
imam enough to belicve-oh, I think
9 81 s 11sss- - - n, t ,.e IS
of the esxtM X
Years ago. when was secretary
OF the Y. M. G. A., Of Chicago, Bob
Ingersoil came to Chicago to deliver
three lectures In Mcvickers theatre.
I sent to Boston to H. l. Hastings
and bought $500 copies Of his little
phamphlet, WiE the OLD Book
IStand?"
put the Rockefellers band in
front Of Mcvickcrs theatre to give
to every man and woman that came
out OF the theatre copy OF that
pamphlet. Hastings went to hear Bob
IngorsoIl every night and then come
to Farwell han to answer him the
next day.
| Bob stood and he drew one Of
| those famous word pictures for which
he was Justly famed Two young
said, Bob cleaned everything up to-
night, tell you, he swept the decks
clean
Eyes" said the other fellow. "He
cleaned up everything but my old
mothers religion that she taught me
| before l ever came to Chicago; he
didn't clean that up. I've got that
yeti"
Went to See Brooks.
Ingersoll went to sec Philips
Brooks one time. the greatest Fps
copalian Of Boston. They sat there
| and talked and number OF Brooks
friends called and they were all re-
fused admission. When Bob got
| ready to go. he said, II couldn't help
but notice how you received me to
the exclusion OF your friends"
Brooks said, THAT is all right, Bob.
I have an eternity with which to visit
| with my friends"
| Bob stood and drew one of those
famous word pictures for which ne
was Justly world-renouned. And at
the conclusion of it men and women
and screamed and their yociferations
OF approval rolled down the streets
like a simeon Of the desert He rose
and said:
When I think OF their God and
their Christians. their Bible. 4 think
|; my stars / am not Christian. I'd
rather be the humbiest German peas
ant that ever lived. wearing wooden
shoes, sitting by my cottage. kissed
by the rays OF the setting sun as 1t
dies out in the west, with my family
about me. at peace with the world.
than to be the greatest Christian that
+. ever live dr.
| UP to their feet they swayed and
| screamed again and aGain--rnen for
their hats in the air. What was that?
Simply the word picture. Let me
+, paint picture. Let me Use the
same words, and see IL you do not
| feel like jumping to your feet and
! waving your handkerchiefsl or hats as
a mark Of your approval and appre-
! citation and thanksgiving to God for
the unmistakablc gift of salvation
| and the hopes set before you and the
gospel
When / think of what intideIity
has ompitshed--it never von a
gambler from his cards: il never
| turned prostitute from selling her
4
on hts knees and made him pray: it
has never In any way linked itself to
| tender elevaung morals
1t would not take q quire or a
| reaM nor one sheet nor one line up
on one sheet OF paper to ell all that
lunbelief has ever done for this world
and well might Christianity stand TO-
day as did her founder. Jesus Christ
one thousand years ago. And as she
n n
her deeds of charity. her asylums for
the blind and manned and poor. The
aged and infirm and decrepit: as she
points to her churches with their
towers and Spiers pointing to the only
Isource OF consolation and hope. well
might Christianity ask of infidelity.
Many good works have I shown you
from my Father; for which OF those
works do ye stone me?"
And say to you. I'd rather be the
humbiest German peasant that ever
lived. seated by nay cottage. vine
clad, kissed by the rays of the setting
lstYf rs IL tifes OCT in { he west, wftfi
my open Bible on my Anees and my
family about me at peace with this
world and at peace with God. through
my faith in Jesus Christ, than to be
the greatest infidel on earth or in
lheil or who ever will be on earth or
in hell.
Infidelity Condemns Faith
Infidelity--oh, that condemns faith
lit extols works. Infidelity laughs
at believing and applauds dogma.
/ challenge all the combined forces
of unbelief, for their achieve
mcnts have utterly and eternally fail
ed TO bring relief.
TAey have never gladdened one
waste spot In the desert of doubt in
the world: never have they helped
the world and lifted any one to a
noble life.
Years ago. the old Columbia thea
tire in Chicago was thronged with
youth, old age. wit, wisdom. wealth.
poverty. learning. illiteracy--there on
/ the stage stood . man created in the
image Of his God. his gestures were
the projections of grace. his voice
was music, and he painted picture at
ter picture of the pleasures of this
world. Of the. delights Of children and
home.
He enthroned love and he put a
garland Of immorta1les upon her
brow. He preached the gospel Of
lhumanitarixnism like an angel then
| he dipped his brush into the ink and