Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - LatestIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll - Latest
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
Fifth. With having inculcated a phase of the doctrine commonly known
as "Evolution" or "Development." The church believes and teaches the
exact opposite of this doctrine. According to the philosophy of
theology, man has continued to degenerate for six thousand years. To
teach that there is that in Nature which impels to higher forms and
grander ends, is heresy of course. The Deity will damn Spencer and his
"Evolution," Darwin and his "Origin of Species," Bastin and his
"Spontaneous Generation," Huxley and his "Protoplasm," Tyndall and his
"Prayer Guage," and will save those, and those only who declare that
the universe has been cursed from the smallest atom to the grandest
star; that everything tends to evil, and to that only; and that the
only perfect thing in Nature is the Presbyterian confession of faith.
Sixth. With having intimated that the reception of Socrates and
Penelope at heaven's gate was, to say the least, a trifle more cordial
than that of Catherine II.
Penelope waiting patiently and trustfully for her lord's return,
delaying her suitors, while sadly weaving and un-weaving the shroud of
Laertes, is the most perfect type of wife and woman produced by the
civilization of Greece.
Socrates, whose life was above reproach, and whose death was beyond all
praise, stands today, in the estimation of every thoughtful man, at
least the peer of Christ.
Catharine II assassinated her husband. Stepping upon his corpse, she
mounted the throne. She was the murderess of Prince Ivan, the
grand-nephew of Peter the Great, who was imprisoned for eighteen years,
and who, during all that time, saw the sky but once. Taken all in all,
Catharine was probably one of the most intellectual beasts that ever
wore a crown.
Catharine, however, was the head of the Greek Church, Socrates was a
heretic, and Penelope lived and died without having once heard of
"particular redemption," or "irresistible grace."
Seventh. With repudiating the idea of a "call" to ministry, and
pretending that men were "called," to preach as they were to the other
avocations of life.
If this doctrine is true, God, to say the least of it, is an
exceedingly poor judge of human nature. It is more than a century
since a man of true genius has been found in an orthodox pulpit. Every
minister is heretical just to the extent that his intellect is above
the average. The Lord seems to be satisfied with mediocrity; but the
people are not.
An old deacon, wishing to get rid of an unpopular preacher, advised him
to give up the ministry, and turn his attention to something else. The
preacher replied that he could not conscientiously desert the pulpit,
as he had a "call" to the ministry. To which the deacon replied, "That
may be so, but it's mighty unfortunate for you that when God called you
to preach, He forgot to call anybody to hear you."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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