The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 01 (of 12): Dresden Edition—LecturesIngersoll, Robert Green
Religion
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 01 (of 12): Dresden Edition—Lectures
Ingersoll, Robert Green
Free thought
In 1553 a man was tried at Vienne by the Catholic Church for heresy. He
was convicted and sentenced to death by burning. It was apparently his
good fortune to escape. Pursued by the sleuth hounds of intolerance he
fled to Geneva for protection. A dove flying from hawks, sought safety
in the nest of a vulture. This fugitive from the cruelty of Rome asked
shelter from John Calvin, who had written a book in favor of religious
toleration. Servetus had forgotten that this book was written by Calvin
when in the minority; that it was written in weakness to be forgotten
in power; that it was produced by fear instead of principle. He did not
know that Calvin had caused his arrest at Vienne, in France, and had
sent a copy of his work, which was claimed to be blasphemous, to the
archbishop. He did not then know that the Protestant Calvin was
acting as one of the detectives of the Catholic Church, and had been
instrumental in procuring his conviction for heresy. Ignorant of all
this unspeakable infamy, he put himself in the power of this very
Calvin. The maker of the Presbyterian creed caused the fugitive
Serve-tus to be arrested for blasphemy. He was tried. Calvin was his
accuser. He was convicted and condemned to death by fire. On the morning
of the fatal day, Calvin saw him, and Servetus, the victim, asked
forgiveness of Calvin, the murderer. Servetus was bound to the stake,
and the fagots were lighted. The wind carried the flames somewhat away
from his body, so that he slowly roasted for hours. Vainly he implored
a speedy death. At last the flames climbed round his form; through smoke
and fire his murderers saw a white heroic face. And there they watched
until a man became a charred and shriveled mass.
Liberty was banished from Geneva, and nothing but Presbyterianism was
left. Honor, justice, mercy, reason and charity were all exiled, but
the five points of predestination, particular redemption, irresistible
grace, total depravity, and the certain perseverance of the saints
remained instead.
Calvin founded a little theocracy, modeled after the Old Testament, and
succeeded in erecting the most detestable government that ever existed,
except the one from which it was copied.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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