On reading Mr. Wendling's "Reply to Robert Ingersoll," it is difficult
to determine precisely its theological status, or what are Mr.
Wendling's positions, doctrinally, in reference to Christianity. By the
flexibility of doctrine, and dubious orthodoxy, displayed therein, it is
no easy matter to _place_ Mr. Wendling; and his uncertain positions and
theological gyrations remind one of the famous mathematical definition
of Infinity--"a sphere whose circumference is everywhere and whose
centre is anywhere."
Mr. Wendling says he "champions no creed, no sect," and he assures us he
"places humanity above all creeds." Now, Christianity is undoubtedly a
creed; albeit, some modern theologians, seeing that the dogmas on which
it rests are fast crumbling away, have discovered that Christianity is
simply a "life." As to "placing humanity above all creeds," this move
is decidedly rationalistic and utilitarian. It is clearly a positive
doctrine of the Atheistic philosophy; and it looks more than suspicious
that this shrewd lawyer has been "stealing our thunder," for he will
find no such doctrine in the Bible, and it certainly has no place
in Christian ethics or philosophy. The Bible represents man as below
everything else rather than above--"a mere worm of the dust" It
represents him as utterly depraved, "deceitful above all things and
desperately wicked," and without any good in him. Christianity,
instead of holding humanity above all creeds, has, without compunction,
immolated man by scores of thousands on the bloody altar of creed and
dogma. To maintain its creeds intact, Christianity has reddened the
surface of the earth with human blood. Therefore, whatever Mr. Wendling
may think about the elevation of man above creeds, Christianity does not
hold humanity above its creeds.
With respect to the authenticity and inspiration of the Bible, Mr.
Wendling's position is extremely dubious. He tells us that "so much of
that book" (the Bible) "as properly records His" (Christ's) "works and
truthfully reports His sayings, must be true." But who is to decide
which the particular portions are which "properly record" and
"_truthfully_ report" Christ's works, especially as these "records" and
"reports" are self-contradictory, and more especially as nothing was
recorded in Christ's time of His sayings or doings, nor until half a
century or more after His death, as historical criticism and research
abundantly prove? If Mr. Wendling believes the Bible to be an inspired
book, wholly authentic and true, the foregoing statement about "so much
of it" as "_truthfully_ reports," &c, is surely a most extraordinary
one. Again, Mr. W. says, "I say so much of that book as bears upon the
Ideal Man" (Christ) "and so much of that book as the Ideal Man has set
the seal of His approval on, we may accept as the long sought for moral
teacher," &c. As before, I would ask, who is to decide what particular
part or parts of this book "the Ideal Man has set the seal of His
approval on?" or whether the "Ideal Man" ever set His seal upon any of
it? or, indeed, whether this "Ideal Man" ever had other than a
purely _ideal_ or subjective existence in the minds of men? Some able
scholars--notably Rev. Robt. Taylor--have, after careful historical
research, come to the conclusion that the Christ of the Gospels never
existed. But, be this as it may, scholars now generally agree that
whether such a person as Jesus of Nazareth lived or not, we have no
authentic account of Him; and not a syllable of His alleged sayings was
recorded during His alleged lifetime, nor for more than half a century
after His death. The reader who wishes to pursue this subject of the
wholly unauthentic character of the Gospels, &c, &c, is referred to
Greg's "Creed of Christendom," Lord Amberley's "Analysis of Religious
Belief," and the great work lately published in England, and now
reprinted here by the Messrs. Belford of Toronto, viz., "Supernatural
Religion."
It will thus be seen that Mr. Wendling's doctrinal attitude towards the
Bible and Christianity is extremely problematical, and a Materialist
scarcely knows where to place him, or how to deal with his mongrel
positions. Being, as he tells us, "a business man," "a lawyer," "a
politician," and "a man of the world," this versatile gentleman has
evidently imbibed largely of the utilitarian and humanitarian spirit of
the age, while at the same time retaining his Christian predilections;
and hence the hybrid homily with which we have to deal, and which he
calls a "Reply to Robert Ingersoll from a Secular Standpoint." That a
layman, however, should give so uncertain a sound as to his orthodox
whereabouts, and, in attempting to defend his positions (whatever
they are) and answer Freethinkers, should bring forth such a doctrinal
nondescript, is not indeed to be much wondered at, seeing that the
clergy themselves, being mercilessly driven from pillar to post
by modern science and research, occupy the most inconsistent and
incongruous, not to say ridiculous, positions, in doctrine and dogma, in
ecclesiastical formulary and Biblical exegesis.
However, though of dubious doctrine and doubtful orthodoxy, some of Mr.
Wendling's positions, or rather assumptions and assertions, are clear
enough, and not to be misunderstood; and in a few of the more important
of these I propose to follow him.
At the outset he dogmatically postulates the assumption that "what most
we need is the conviction that there _is_ a personal God." From social,
commercial, and political considerations this belief in a personal God
is what we most need--so says Mr. Wendling. He talks as though, were
it not for this theistic belief, everything would go to the dogs; and
universal, moral, social and political chaos would come. This, however,
is simply assumed without a shadow of proof. He then goes on with his
demonstration (?) of the existence of a personal God; but it is the
old, old story over again. First he assumes, in the face of the highest
authorities to the contrary, that "among every people in every quarter
of the habitable globe, there exists, and there has existed from the
very furthest reach of history, the idea of one eternal and all-powerful
God." He then gives us a rehash of Paley's design argument to prove the
existence of a God, which he considers conclusive. And, finally, as if
conscious of the weakness of the intellectual argument, he takes refuge
in the moral argument,--in conscience in man as showing the existence
of a personal God with moral attributes. This is the last refuge of the
Theist--the _dernier ressort_ of the theologian. Driven utterly from
the realm of reason they fly to _conscience_ and to _consciousness_ to
establish subjectively what cannot be proved intellectually. Now, this
sort of evidence may do for the Theist and theologian who are determined
to believe in Theos; but to those who live in the light of reason, and
in the realm of intellect not wholly submerged by the emotions,
such inner-consciousness evidence will not be satisfactory; for they
experience no such subjective proof in their own minds, and do not care
to take the mere _feelings_ of others as evidence of anything further
than the existence of nervous ganglion and brain.
I will now take up Mr. Wendling's arguments to prove the existence of
a personal God, _seriatim_, and briefly consider them. As already
remarked, before setting out to prove a God, Mr. W. postulates the
necessity of one. For the preservation of moral order, social purity,
and commercial integrity, what most we need, it is assumed, "is the
conviction that there is a personal God." This assertion certainly has
a queer look when we reflect that Theism is at present the prevailing
belief among the masses, and has been in the past; and that our prisons
are full of persons who believe in a personal God; and that believers in
God ascend the gallows almost daily, and are swung off to "mansions in
the skies!" Here are some half dozen examples of this kind at hand, the
whole of which I quote from one newspaper, a late issue of the Kingston
_British Whig_:--
Breaux, who was hanged in New Orleans, "ascended the gallows smiling
and said he had made his peace with God and all men." Bolen, who was
executed at Macon, Mississippi, said on the gallows: "My mouth will soon
be closed in this world. I rested in the arms of Jesus last night. I am
satisfied. I feel guilty of nothing. God is well pleased with my soul."
Macon, who was executed at the same place, said, "I feel ready to die,
because God has pardoned my sins. I risked my soul on the murder, but
God has forgiven me. There is not a cloud in the way." Brown, who was
also executed at Macon, with the other two, the same day, said, "I have
made peace with God, and will surely go to heaven, I will cross the
river with a rope around my neck that will lead my wicked soul on
to glory. Blessed be God! I am going home!" Stone, who was hanged at
Washington, and Tatio at Windsor, Vermont, the same day as the four
above, both had made their peace with God, and were on their way "to
meet the Lord Jesus Christ."
A belief in God did not it seems avail to keep these men, nor thousands
of others, from crime; nor does it, in my opinion, to any great extent,
operate as a deterrent of crime. People with favorable organizations and
good surroundings will not be apt to commit murder whether they believe
or disbelieve in a God; while persons born with, bad organizations--bad
heads and impure blood--will very likely, under favorable circumstances,
continue to follow their predominant impulses, whether they believe in
one God or twenty, and, if Christians in belief, they will ultimately
rely on that "fountain of blood open for sin and all uncleanness."
Unscrupulous men who have strong natural tendencies to crime, and
believe in the Christian plan of salvation, will, in bad surroundings,
scarcely fail to indulge their propensities and finally avail themselves
of the "bankrupt scheme"--take a bath in that impure fountain and be
"washed" clean (?) like the gentry instanced above.
In January and February of this year (1880) Rev. E. P. Hammond, the
noted Methodist revivalist, made a professional tour through Canada
in pursuit of his favorite and profitable calling of "saving souls"
(favorite, probably, _because_ profitable). Among other places he
visited St. Catharines, and before leaving that city, preached a sermon
for the especial benefit, it would seem, of the Universalists. Now,
Universalism has always been specially odious to the other more
evangelical sects, especially the Methodists, who seem positively
shocked at the horrid idea that hell may perhaps be ultimately emptied
of its human contents and all mankind get into heaven. The Universalists
appear to have a good degree of that noble human quality, benevolence,
and hence they believe that the God they worship is too good to damn
forever any creature he has made. For this good opinion of their
Creator they are duly stigmatized, contemned and reprobated by the ultra
orthodox party, who can brook no nonsense about the possibility of the
fires of hell ever being extinguished. These people are evidently well
pleased at the idea that there is a place of torture into which the
non-elect of their fellow creatures may be turned for ever and ever.
How like the God of the Old Testament, these disciples of His are! Mr.
Hammond, it would seem, is of this class; and accordingly, in the sermon
alluded to, proceeded to unbudget himself against Universalism and
Universalists in vigorous style. The sermon was reported in the St.
Catharines _Journal_, and called forth an able and spirited reply
through the same-medium from the Rev. J. B. Lavelle of Fulton, Township
of Grimsby. I propose to make some extracts, quite relevant to the
subject under consideration, from the reply of Rev. Lavelle,--who is a
gentleman, I am informed, of exemplary character and broad intelligence,
and highly respected. Mr. Lavelle says:
"Permit me to say, Mr. Editor, in justice to Universalists, both on
this continent and in Europe, among whom are some of the ablest Biblical
scholars, and some of the best men, that there is not a particle of
truth in Mr. Hammond's representation. * * * Mr. Hammond, with other
ministers of the endless misery school, believes in the doctrine of
'imputation,' 'substitution,' or 'vicarious' suffering of Christ, which
they erroneously, as we think, call the Atonement; and that the greatest
villain, who has lived a life of crime, rapine, and murder, can take the
benefit of this Spiritual Bankrupt Act (for it is nothing else) at any
time before he dies, and 'go to heaven'--yea, even while standing on
the gallows, swing 'into glory' and thus escape the consequences of his
wicked life.
"For instance, A and B are two consummate villains, and have been so
for years, but in a quarrel A murders B--of course B goes to an eternal
hell--but, through the labors of Mr. Hammond and others of the
so-called orthodox churches who visit him in his cell before his
execution--he repents. (?) They lay this Spiritual Bankrupt Act before
him. He sees it is the only alternative to keep out of hell; so he takes
the benefit of it, is hanged, and goes to heaven. Thus, the murderer
gets to heaven by the lucky chance of being the murderer instead of the
murdered. If his victim had been fortunate enough to-strike the fatal
blow, he could have changed places with him; and so the endless destiny
of each would have been reversed by the chance blow of a street fight!
Is it, I ask, on such grounds God distributes rewards and punishments?
What must be the moral influence of such a doctrine?
"Again: A lives a life of crime for sixty years, and on the very next
month or day, repents by taking the benefit of this Spiritual Bankrupt
Act, dies and goes to heaven. B lives a life of virtue and goodness
for sixty years, and the very next day or month makes a false step, or
commits a crime, and is consigned to an endless hell to suffer intense
misery without relief and without end. And yet we are told by the
advocates of this unscriptural doctrine that this is a just distribution
of rewards and punishments under the government of God who 'is Love,'
but above all, THE FATHER.
"Look at the case of one Ward, who, in one of our counties a while
ago, murdered his wife--was sentenced to death, and attended by his
'Orthodox' spiritual advisers before execution. He also repented (?) and
took the benefit of this Spiritual Bankrupt Act. When he stood upon the
gallows, he said, he 'had but two steps to take--one into eternity and
the other into glory.' And his poor wife--what became of her? Gone,
'with all her imperfections' to suffer unmitigated misery as long as
God himself shall endure, and this, too, according to the unscriptural
doctrine of the same churches which teach 'no change after death.' Again
we ask, what can be the moral influence of such teaching?
"The truth is the burden of the most of the teaching of the day is,
to 'die right;' 'make your peace with God in time,' and 'get religion
before you die;' thus making religion to mainly consist in one general
scramble to get into heaven and keep out of hell."
As Freethinkers, we boldly impeach the Christian plan of salvation as
being essentially immoral in its tendency,--as offering a premium on
vice and crime; and for doing this on previous occasions and designating
it a "bankrupt scheme," the writer of this has been the subject of
severe and indignant animadversion from his intimate Christian friends.
Yet here is a Christian minister who takes substantially the same
position as ourselves in reference to the plan of salvation as preached
by Methodists and others, and denounces it as a "Spiritual Bankrupt
Act." And I have made the above extracts from his pen to strengthen my
position against Mr. Wendling, viz., that a belief in God and the Bible
is _not_ essential to social and commercial morality, and the safety of
the State.