Now, they tell me--and there are several gentlemen who have spoken on
this subject--the Rev. Mr. Collyer, a gentleman standing as high as
anybody, and I have nothing to say against him--because I denounced God
who upheld murder, and slavery and polygamy, he said that what I said
was slang. I would like to have it compared with any sermon that ever
issued from the lips of that gentleman. And before he gets through he
admits that the Old Testament is a rotten tree that will soon fall into
the earth and act as a fertilizer for his doctrine.
Is it honest in that man to assail my motive? Let him answer my
argument! Is it honest and fair in him to say I am doing a certain
thing because it is popular? Has it got to this, that, in this
Christian country, where they have preached every day hundreds and
thousands of sermons--has it got to this that infidelity is so popular
in the United States?
If it has, I take courage. And I not only see the dawn of a brighter
day, but the day is here. Think of it! A minister tells me in this
year of grace, 1879, that a man is an infidel simply that he may be
popular. I am glad of it. Simply that he may make money. Is it
possible that we can make more money tearing up churches than in
building them up? Is it possible that we can make more money
denouncing the God of slavery than we can praising the God that took
liberty from man? If so, I am glad.
I call publicly upon Robert Collyer--a man for whom I have great
respect--I call publicly upon Robert Collyer to state to the people of
this city whether he believes the Old Testament was inspired. I call
upon him to state whether he believes that God ever upheld these
institutions; whether God was a polygamist; whether he believes that
God commanded Moses or Joshua or any one else to slay little children
in the cradle. Do you believe that Robert Collyer would obey such an
order? Do you believe that he would rush to the cradle and drive the
knife of theological hatred to the tender heart of a dimpled child? And
yet when I denounce a God that will give such a hellish order, he says
it is slang.
I want him to answer; and when he answers he will say he does not
believe the Bible is inspired. That is what he will say, and he holds
these old worthies in the same contempt that I do. Suppose he should
act like Abraham. Suppose he should send some woman out into the
wilderness with his child in her arms to starve, would he think that
mankind ought to hold up his name forever, for reverence.
Robert Collyer says that we should read and scan every word of the Old
Testament with reverence; that we should take this book up with
reverential hands. I deny it. We should read it as we do every other
book, and everything good in it, keep it and everything that shocks the
brain and shocks the heart, throw it away. Let us be honest.