"IT is a self-evident principle that when there are equal interests involved in any subject, there are equal rights to investigate and discuss."-Romanism Not Christianity, by N. L. RICE, D. D. "IN a matter so solemn as that of religion, all men whose temporal interests are not involved in existing institutions earnestly desire to find the truth."— Draper's History of the Conflict between Religion and Science. "THE successful revolutions have been the triumphs of disproof, they have consisted in the negation of some earlier belief; the explosion of some overgrown superstition.”— Westminster Review. "IT is to error that must be attributed those insupportable chains that tyrants and priests have forged for all the nations. It is to error that must be attributed the slavery which the people of almost every country have fallen into, and whom nature designed should pursue their happiness with the most perfect freedom. It is to error that must be attributed those religious terrors that have everywhere petrified man with fear, or made him destroy himself for chimeras. It is to error that must be attributed those inveterate hatreds, those barbarous persecutions, those continual massacres, of which the earth has too often been made the theatre, under pretence of serving the interests of heaven."-System of Nature, by MIRABAUD. "FIXED and invariable are the penalties which follow the violation of the laws of our being, as also the rewards of their observance."-The author. "LET not him who girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off."-Scripture. (8) INTRODUCTORY. THE AMENITIES OF CONTROVERSY. INVECTIVE and personally denunciatory words, laden with the virus of vindictiveness, are unbecoming in controversy, especially upon religious topics; and are not promotive of truth. "Soft words and hard arguments" should be the motto of every controversialist. To expose error or vindicate truth, wit, humor and sarcasm may be often employed with profit; for if used with propriety and with respect to the feelings of an opponent they relieve the tedium of discussion and impart to dry statement a savory flavor. It does not follow because the ideas of another are abhorrent to us that we should indulge in personal detraction. To impugn the sincerity of a disputant is grossly vulgar and unworthy a chivalrous defender of the faith. If error be a crime, still let us love the offender while we hate his offense. Of all kinds of bitterness the most bitter is engendered by pious controversy. Why? Because in regard to religious belief timidity braces men against doubt and leads them to affirm, with the most scrupulous and unrelenting dogmatism, those doctrines and facts the truth or falsity of which it is impossible to prove. They call this being on the "safe side," and visit with holy hate those who disturb their inglorious repose. Buckle has shown that in past time the more sincere were men in their religious faith the more zealous were they as persecutors Who doubts the honesty of Calvin when he kindled the flame that consumed the noble Servetus? who the honesty of Saul when he breathed out "threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord?" Nevertheless, innocence must be torn in fragments when the broad-mouthed hounds of bigotry, cruel and insatiate, are unleashed. Bigotry is a legacy of the past: like slavery and polygamy it is a relic of barbarism. It must be swept away with the rubbish of barbaric ages, even in its milder and more insinuating forms, while honest, earnest souls are garnering with sedulous care every grain of truth which the past has bequeathed us. It would be interesting to inquire how predisposition to uncharity grew up; how in former years it led to the shedding of seas of blood and to the sacrifice, by ignominious torture, of hecatombs of innocent victims, who attested their sincerity by cheerfully enduring agonies by fagot and flame, inflicted as the penalty of honest faith. The flame is extinguished; the fagot applied to holier purposes than human torture. These antidotes to heresy have fallen into disuse. The grand engineries of human thought and honest purpose propel the car of progress, dispensing as it moves the blessings of knowledge with "its vast combinations for the benefits of our race;" and yet the soul of bigotry still lives and in its impotent rage mutters curses against that untrammelled liberty of thought and speech which is the crowning glory of our age. I purpose to review a work by Rev. L. A. Lambert, entitled "Notes on Ingersoll." The reverend gentleman is a Roman Catholic priest of high repute in his own church, and of considerable reputation as a controversialist elsewhere. The history of this contention is as follows: In 1881 a controversy on religious topics arose between two intellectual gladiators of the highest type, viz., Hon. Jeremiah S. Black and Col. Robert G. Ingersoll. A disagreement arose between Judge Black and the North American Review, in which both contestants published their essays, and the controversy was discontinued. Since "the end of controversy," certain writers of greater or less merit, not deeming, it would seem, the issue fully settled, while insisting that Mr. Ingersoll had advanced no arguments which have not been answered time and again by Christian apologists, yet enter the arena of polemic conflict, in attempt to vanquish a dead enemy. Surely by this time Mr. Ingersoll should be a sadly mutilated corpse. With regard to the comparative merits of the arguments of Col. Ingersoll and the late lamented Judge Black I will not act as umpire. Each in the other found a foeman worthy of his steel. Yet, while in such case it were indecorous to espouse the cause of the living against the dead, we may, in response to the good priest's invitation to a banquet of reason, speak freely on subjects of equal interest to all men. I have to deal with the logic of one high in the confidence of a church claiming to be infallible in all matters of doctrines and morals: one who, without awaiting the popular verdict, proclaims himself victor in language more "gushing" than refined. This review is prompted rather by the spirit in which the Father's work is written, and by sundry misstatements it contains, than by the cogency of its logic. It is having a wide circulation among a class which is too liable to mistake utterance for truth. It has also been endorsed, as a triumphant argument, by a number of reputable prints, weekly and daily, religious and secular. Enough has been said to indicate disapprobation of the spirit in which it is written. That spirit should be kindly but firmly rebuked. It will be the aim of the writer not to transcend the courtesies of debate, and when words like "misstatement," quibble," etc., are used, the word "unintentional" should be considered as going before them. Only an extreme case can justify criminal charges, and slang phrases should never be indulged, especially by the "Lord's anointed." Braggadocio, though not wounding to the feelings of a sensible opponent, vulgarizes those who employ it, and sometimes misleads ignorant and unsophisticated minds. Rev. Father Cronan, in his preface to the "Notes," calls Mr. Ingersoll "that notorious little fraud." What dignified sarcasm! It would seem to a refined pagan that the "sword of the spirit" employed by the pious priests was somewhat rust-eaten at the beginning of the conflict. I had intended to embellish this essay with a dozen or two of such jewels taken from the body of the work, but my heart fails me. The spirit and literary refinement of the "Notes" is fairly indicated in the concluding paragraph. Of course we do not expect him [Ingersoll] to reply to us, and for several reasons: first, he won't want to; second, he can't; third, he can pretend not to notice an obscure country pastor. Very well, then let some of his disciples or admirers try to rehabilitate his smirched character. We hold ourselves responsible to him, and to all the glib little whiffets of his shallow school." I am a disciple (learner) of Mr. Ingersoll; so of any one, be he prince or peasant, who imparts to me aught that can inspire the intellect or ennoble the soul; but I am not Mr. Ingersoll's apostle as much as I admire his intellect, honor his courage, and respect his sincerity. My motto is: "Seize upon truth where'er 'tis found, Among your friends, among your foes; |