Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll occupies a unique position. He is to a large
extent the product of his own generation. A man of the times, for the
times. He has had no predecessor, he will have no successor.
Such a man was impossible a hundred years ago; the probabilities are
that a century hence no such man will be needed. His work needs only
to be done once. One such "voice crying in the wilderness" is enough
to stir the sluggish streams of thought, and set the reeds of the river
trembling. It was said of Edward Irving, when he went to preach in that
great wilderness of London, that he was "not a reed to be shaken by the
wind, but a wind to shake the reeds." It would not be flattery in any
sense if similar words were spoken concerning the man who has uttered
the words of this book.
Daring to stand alone, and speak all the thought that is in him, without
the miserable affectation of singularity, Colonel Ingersoll has reached
a point from which he wields an influence both deep and wide over
thoughtful minds. For the last few years he has been sowing strange
seeds, with unsparing hand, in many fields; and probably no one is
more surprised than he is himself to find how thoroughly the ground was
prepared for such a seed-sowing.
Time is much too precious to discuss the mere methods of the sowing. No
doubt many who have listened to this later Gamaliel, have been startled
and shocked by his bold, and sometimes terrific utterances; but after
the shock--when the nerves have regained their equilibrium--has come
serious, calm-questioning thought. And whoever sets men to asking
earnest questions, whoever provokes men to sincere enquiry, whoever
helps men to think freely, does the Man and the State and the Age good
service. This good service Colonel Ingersoll has rendered. He has sent
the Preachers back to a more careful and diligent study of the Bible;
he has spoken after such a fashion that Students in many departments
of learning have been compelled to reconsider the foundations on which
their theories rest. Above all, he has awakened thousands of thoughtless
people to the luxury of thinking, and he has inspired many a timid
thinker to break all bonds and think freely and fearlessly for himself.
In referring some time ago to the subject matter of Colonel Ingersoll's
teachings, Prof. David Swing, of Chicago, laid special emphasis on
the point, that the man speaking and the thing spoken were entirely
separable, and that no wise criticism of these words could proceed,
unless this fact was kept in view. This word of caution is as timely as
it is wise. We are too much prone to judge the music by the amount of
gilding on the organ-pipes; we are too apt to forget that gold is gold,
whether in the leathern pouch of a beggar or the silken purse of a king.
The doubts expressed, the truths uttered, the questions proposed by the
so-called Infidel, demand of us that for their own sakes we give them
generous, patient audience. The point of supreme importance is, not
whether Mr. Ingersoll is an authority on the grave questions with which
he is pleased to deal, but are these teachings truth? "There's the rub."
If we are wise we shall judge the teachings rather than the teacher.
Affrighted orthodox Christians are perpetually warning their young
friends against Mr. Ingersoll. He is portrayed as a very terrible
personage, going up and down to work sad havoc amongst the unsuspecting
youth of the Time. Orthodoxy would prove itself wiser, it would be
bolder, and it would give some slight guarantee for honesty, if it left
the man alone, and addressed itself seriously to the grave questions at
issue. Colonel Ingersoll shares with Huxley, Darwin and Herbert Spencer
the high distinction of being criticized most vehemently by those who
have never heard his voice, and have never carefully read a page of his
published works; and as is always the case in such circumstances, the
most absurd and exaggerated statements of what Mr. Ingersoll _never_
said have become current, and the speaker has been transformed into a
very Gorgon of horror!
But this is nothing new, this is one of the many tolls that every man
must be willing to pay who marches on the grand highway of freedom.
The pages of this book deserve a careful study, and if it be true that
"out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh," we may judge from
what sort of a heart-fountain these streams have flowed.
One purpose steadily kept in view in the editing of these pages has been
to present in compact and reasonable space, a thoroughly representative
consensus of the opinions and beliefs of Mr. Ingersoll. Ha has been
known chiefly by his severe attacks on theological orthodoxy; but
there are a thousand other questions on which he has spoken wise and
impressive words. There are few things in heaven and earth that his
"philosophy" has not embraced, The quiet life of the farm; the romance
and sanctity of home; the charm of childhood; the profound secrets of
philosophy; the horrors of slavery; the dreadful scourge of war; the
patriotism and valor of the soldiers of the Republic; the high calling
of statesmanship, churches and priests; infidels and christians; gods
and devils; orthodox and hetrodox; heaven and hell;--these, and a
thousand other questions have been discussed with wit, and wisdom and
matchless eloquence. This volume might have been increased to twice
or thrice its present size, and then there would have been material to
spare. But in these busy days economy of time is of great importance.
This is a book for busy men in a very busy generation.
It is matter of some little surprise that Mr. Ingersoll should have
yielded--without protest--to the conventional use of the term "Infidel."
The general sense in which the word is used is a gross misrepresentation
of its accurate meaning. "Infidel," is the last word that ought to be
applied to any man who is loyal to his mind; whether that mind summer
in the light of steadfast belief, or wander through the mazy fields
of doubt. "What is Infidelity?" There is no man more able, none more
suitable than Col. Robert Ingersoll to rise and explain.
Mr. Ingersoll has been called the Apostle of Unbelief. But the title
is a misnomer. His mouth is full to the lips of positive statements of
strong conviction. His creed has a thousand articles. He is above all
things the Apostle of Freedom. Freedom for Nations, for Communities, for
Men. Freedom everywhere! Freedom always! the zeal with which he blows
the trumpet of Liberty, the enthusiasm with which he waves the banner of
Freedom, reminds one of Tennyson's fine words:--
Of old stood Freedom on the heights,
The thunders breaking at her feet,
Above her shook the starry lights;
She heard the torrents meet.
Then stepped she down thro' town and field
To mingle with the human race,
And part by part to men revealed
The fullness of her face--
Her open eyes desire the truth,
The wisdom of a thousand years
Is in them. May perpetual youth
Keep dry their light from tears;
That her fair form may stand and shine:
Make bright our days and light our dreams,
Tuning to scorn with lips divine
The falsehood of extremes!