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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/38095-0.txt b/38095-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2ba063a --- /dev/null +++ b/38095-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1286 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Heretics and Heresies, by Robert G. Ingersoll + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Heretics and Heresies + From ‘The Gods and Other Lectures’ + +Author: Robert G. Ingersoll + +Release Date: November 22, 2011 [eBook #38095] +[Most recently updated: July 18, 2021] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: David Widger + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HERETICS AND HERESIES *** + + + + +HERETICS AND HERESIES + +By Robert G. Ingersoll + + + + +HERETICS AND HERESIES + +LIBERTY, A WORD WITHOUT WHICH ALL OTHER WORDS ARE VAIN. + +WHOEVER has an opinion of his own, and honestly expresses it, will be +guilty of heresy. Heresy is what the minority believe; it is the name +given by the powerful to the doctrine of the weak. This word was born of +the hatred, arrogance and cruelty of those who love their enemies, and +who, when smitten on one cheek, turn the other. This word was born of +intellectual slavery in the feudal ages of thought. It was an epithet +used in the place of argument. From the commencement of the Christian +era, every art has been exhausted and every conceivable punishment +inflicted to force all people to hold the same religious opinions. This +effort was born of the idea that a certain belief was necessary to the +salvation of the soul. Christ taught, and the Church still teaches, +that unbelief is the blackest of crimes. God is supposed to hate with +an infinite and implacable hatred, every heretic upon the earth, and the +heretics who have died are supposed at this moment to be suffering the +agonies of the damned. The Church persecutes the living and her God +burns the dead. + +It is claimed that God wrote a book called the Bible, and it is +generally admitted that this book is somewhat difficult to understand. +As long as the Church had all the copies of this book, and the people +were not allowed to read it, there was comparatively little heresy in +the world; but when it was printed and read, people began honestly to +differ as to its meaning. A few were independent and brave enough to +give the world their real thoughts, and for the extermination of these +men the Church used all her power. Protestants and Catholics vied with +each other in the work of enslaving the human mind. For ages they were +rivals in the infamous effort to rid the earth of honest people. They +infested every country, every city, town, hamlet and family. They +appealed to the worst passions of the human heart. They sowed the seeds +of discord and hatred in every land. Brother denounced brother, wives +informed against their husbands, mothers accused their children, +dungeons were crowded with the innocent; the flesh of the good and true +rotted in the clasp of chains; the flames devoured the heroic, and in +the name of the most merciful God, his children were exterminated with +famine, sword, and fire. Over the wild waves of battle rose and fell +the banner of Jesus Christ. For sixteen hundred years the robes of the +Church were red with innocent blood. The ingenuity of Christians was +exhausted in devising punishment severe enough to be inflicted upon +other Christians who honestly and sincerely differed with them upon any +point whatever. + +Give any orthodox church the power, and to-day they would punish heresy +with whip, and chain, and fire. As long as a church deems a certain +belief essential to salvation, just so long it will kill and burn if it +has the power. Why should the Church pity a man whom her God hates? Why +should she show mercy to a kind and noble heretic whom her God will burn +in eternal fire? Why should a Christian be better than his God? It is +impossible for the imagination to conceive of a greater atrocity than +has been perpetrated by the Church. Every nerve in the human body +capable of pain has been sought out and touched by the Church. + +Let it be remembered that all churches have persecuted heretics to the +extent of their power. Toleration has increased only when and where the +power of the church has diminished. From Augustine until now the +spirit of the Christians has remained the same. There has been the same +intolerance, the same undying hatred of all who think for themselves, +and the same determination to crush out of the human brain all knowledge +inconsistent with an ignorant creed. + +Every church pretends that it has a revelation from God, and that this +revelation must be given to the people through the Church; that the +Church acts through its priests, and that ordinary mortals must be +content with a revelation--not from God--but from the Church. Had +the people submitted to this preposterous claim, of course there could +have been but one church, and that church never could have advanced. +It might have retrograded, because it is not necessary to think or +investigate in order to forget. Without heresy there could have been no +progress. + +The highest type of the orthodox Christian does not forget; neither +does he learn. He neither advances nor recedes. He is a living fossil +embedded in that rock called faith. He makes no effort to better his +condition, because all his strength is exhausted in keeping other people +from improving theirs. The supreme desire of his heart is to force all +others to adopt his creed, and in order to accomplish this object he +denounces free-thinking as a crime, and this crime he calls heresy. When +he had power, heresy was the most terrible and formidable of words. It +meant confiscation, exile, imprisonment, torture, and death. + +In those days the cross and rack were inseparable companions. Across +the open bible lay the sword and fagot. Not content with burning such +heretics as were alive, they even tried the dead, in order that the +Church might rob their wives and children. The property of all heretics +was confiscated, and on this account they charged the dead with being +heretical--indicted, as it were, their dust--to the end that the +Church might clutch the bread of orphans. Learned divines discussed +the propriety of tearing out the tongues of heretics before they were +burned, and the general opinion was, that this ought to be done so that +the heretics should not be able, by uttering blasphemies, to shock +the Christians who were burning them. With a mixture of ferocity and +Christianity, the priests insisted that heretics ought to be burned at +a slow fire, giving as a reason that more time was given them for +repentance. + +No wonder that Jesus Christ said, "I came not to bring peace, but a +sword." + +Every priest regarded himself as the agent of God. He answered all +questions by authority, and to treat him with disrespect was an insult +offered to God. No one was asked to think, but all were commanded to +obey. + +In 1208 the Inquisition was established. Seven years afterward, the +fourth council of the Lateran enjoined all kings and rulers to swear +an oath that they would exterminate heretics from their dominions. The +sword of the Church was unsheathed, and the world was at the mercy of +ignorant and infuriated priests, whose eyes feasted upon the agonies +they inflicted. Acting, as they believed, or pretended to believe, under +the command of God; stimulated by the hope of infinite reward in another +world--hating heretics with every drop of their bestial blood; savage +beyond description; merciless beyond conception,--these infamous +priests, in a kind of frenzied joy, leaped upon the helpless victims of +their rage. They crushed their bones in iron boots; tore their quivering +flesh with iron hooks and pincers; cut off their lips and eyelids; +pulled out their nails, and into the bleeding quick thrust needles; tore +out their tongues; extinguished their eyes; stretched them upon racks; +flayed them alive; crucified them with their heads downward; exposed +them to wild beasts; burned them at the stake; mocked their cries and +groans; ravished their wives; robbed their children, and then prayed God +to finish the holy work in hell. + +Millions upon millions were sacrificed upon the altars of bigotry. The +Catholic burned the Lutheran, the Lutheran burned the Catholic, the +Episcopalian tortured the Presbyterian, the Presbyterian tortured the +Episcopalian. Every denomination killed all it could of every other; and +each Christian felt in duty bound to exterminate every other Christian +who denied the smallest fraction of his creed. + +In the reign of Henry VIII--that pious and moral founder of the +apostolic Episcopal Church,--there was passed by the parliament of +England an act entitled "An act for abolishing of diversity of opinion." +And in this act was set forth what a good Christian was obliged to +believe: + +First, That in the sacrament was the real body and blood of Jesus +Christ. + +Second, That the body and blood of Jesus Christ was in the bread, and +the blood and body of Jesus Christ was in the wine. + +Third, That priests should not marry. + +Fourth, That vows of chastity were of perpetual obligation. + +Fifth, That private masses ought to be continued; and, + +Sixth, That auricular confession to a priest must be maintained. + +This creed was made by law, in order that all men might know just what +to believe by simply reading the statute. The Church hated to see the +people wearing out their brains in thinking upon these subjects. It was +thought far better that a creed should be made by parliament, so that +whatever might be lacking in evidence might be made up in force. The +punishment for denying the first article was death by fire. For +the denial of any other article, imprisonment, and for the second +offense--death. + +Your attention is called to these six articles, established during the +reign of Henry VIII, and by the Church of England, simply because not +one of these articles is believed by that church to-day. If the law then +made by the church could be enforced now, every Episcopalian would be +burned at the stake. + +Similar laws were passed in most Christian countries, as all orthodox +churches firmly believed that mankind could be legislated into heaven. +According to the creed of every church, slavery leads to heaven, liberty +leads to hell. It was claimed that God had founded the Church, and that +to deny the authority of the Church was to be a traitor to God, and +consequently an ally of the devil. To torture and destroy one of the +soldiers of Satan was a duty no good Christian cared to neglect. Nothing +can be sweeter than to earn the gratitude of God by killing your own +enemies. Such a mingling of profit and revenge, of heaven for yourself +and damnation for those you dislike, is a temptation that your ordinary +Christian never resists. + +According to the theologians, God, the Father of us all, wrote a letter +to his children. The children have always differed somewhat as to the +meaning of this letter. In consequence of these honest differences, +these brothers began to cut out each other's hearts. In every land, +where this letter from God has been read, the children to whom and for +whom it was written have been filled with hatred and malice. They have +imprisoned and murdered each other, and the wives and children of each +other. In the name of God every possible crime has been committed, every +conceivable outrage has been perpetrated. Brave men, tender and loving +women, beautiful girls, and prattling babes have been exterminated in +the name of Jesus Christ. For more than fifty generations the Church +has carried the black flag. Her vengeance has been measured only by +her power. During all these years of infamy no heretic has ever been +forgiven. With the heart of a fiend she has hated; with the clutch of +avarice she has grasped; with the jaws of a dragon she has devoured; +pitiless as famine, merciless as fire, with the conscience of a serpent: +such is the history of the Church of God. + +I do not say, and I do not believe, that Christians are as bad as their +creeds. In spite of Church and dogma, there have been millions and +millions of men and women true to the loftiest and most generous +promptings of the human heart. They have been true to their convictions, +and, with a self-denial and fortitude excelled by none, have labored +and suffered for the salvation of men. Imbued with the spirit of +self-sacrifice, believing that by personal effort they could rescue at +least a few souls from the infinite shadow of hell, they have +cheerfully endured every hardship and scorned every danger. And yet, +notwithstanding all this, they believed that honest error was a crime. +They knew that the bible so declared, and they believed that all +unbelievers would be eternally lost. They believed that religion was +of God, and all heresy of the devil. They killed heretics in defense +of their own souls and the souls of their children. They killed them +because, according to their idea, they were the enemies of God, and +because the bible teaches that the blood of the unbeliever is a most +acceptable sacrifice to heaven. + +Nature never prompted a loving mother to throw her child into the +Ganges. Nature never prompted men to exterminate each other for a +difference of opinion concerning the baptism of infants. These crimes +have been produced by religions filled with all that is illogical, +cruel and hideous. These religions were produced for the most part by +ignorance, tyranny and hypocrisy. Under the impression that the infinite +ruler and creator of the universe had commanded the destruction of +heretics and infidels, the Church perpetrated all these crimes. + +Men and women have been burned for thinking there is but one God; that +there was none; that the Holy Ghost is younger than God; that God was +somewhat older than his son; for insisting that good works will save a +man without faith; that faith will do without good works; for declaring +that a sweet babe will not be burned eternally, because its parents +failed to have its head wet by a priest; for speaking of God as +though he had a nose; for denying that Christ was his own father; for +contending that three persons, rightly added together, make more than +one; for believing in purgatory; for denying the reality of hell; for +pretending that priests can forgive sins; for preaching that God is an +essence; for denying that witches rode through the air on sticks; +for doubting the total depravity of the human heart; for laughing +at irresistible grace, predestination and particular redemption; for +denying that good bread could be made of the body of a dead man; for +pretending that the pope was not managing this world for God, and in the +place of God; for disputing the efficacy of a vicarious atonement; for +thinking the Virgin Mary was born like other people; for thinking that a +man's rib was hardly sufficient to make a good-sized woman; for denying +that God used his finger for a pen; for asserting that prayers are not +answered, that diseases are not sent to punish unbelief; for denying +the authority of the bible; for having a bible in their possession; for +attending mass, and for refusing to attend; for wearing a surplice; for +carrying a cross, and for refusing; for being a Catholic, and for being +a Protestant; for being an Episcopalian, a Presbyterian, a Baptist, and +for being a Quaker. In short, every virtue has been a crime, and every +crime a virtue. The Church has burned honesty and rewarded hypocrisy. +And all this, because it was commanded by a book--a book that men had +been taught implicitly to believe, long before they knew one word that +was in it. They had been taught that to doubt the truth of this +book--to examine it, even--was a crime of such enormity that it could +not be forgiven, either in this world or in the next. + +The bible was the real persecutor. The bible burned heretics, built +dungeons, founded the Inquisition, and trampled upon all the liberties +of men. + +How long, O how long will mankind worship a book? How long will they +grovel in the dust before the ignorant legends of the barbaric past? +How long, O how long will they pursue phantoms in a darkness deeper than +death? + +Unfortunately for the world, about the beginning of the sixteenth +century, a man by the name of Gerard Chauvin was married to Jeanne +Lefranc, and still more unfortunately for the world, the fruit of this +marriage was a son, called John Chauvin, who afterwards became famous as +John Calvin, the founder of the Presbyterian Church. + +#This man forged five fetters for the brain. These fetters he called +points. That is to say, predestination, particular redemption, total +depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. About +the neck of each follower he put a collar bristling with these five iron +points. The presence of all these points on the collar is still the test +of orthodoxy in the church he founded. This man, when in the flush of +youth, was elected to the office of preacher in Geneva. He at once, +in union with Farel, drew up a condensed statement of the Presbyterian +doctrine, and all the citizens of Geneva, on pain of banishment, were +compelled to take an oath that they believed this statement. Of this +proceeding Calvin very innocently remarked that it produced great +satisfaction. A man named Caroli had the audacity to dispute with +Calvin. For this outrage he was banished. + +To show you what great subjects occupied the attention of Calvin, it is +only necessary to state that he furiously discussed the question as to +whether the sacramental bread should be leavened or unleavened. He drew +up laws regulating the cut of the citizens' clothes, and prescribing +their diet, and all those whose garments were not in the Calvin fashion +were refused the sacrament At last, the people becoming tired of this +petty theological tyranny, banished Calvin. In a few years, however, +he was recalled and received with great enthusiasm. After this he was +supreme, and the will of Calvin became the law of Geneva. Under his +benign administration, James Gruet was beheaded because he had written +some profane verses. The slightest word against Calvin or his absurd +doctrines was punished as a crime. 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 erect-ing the most detestable government that ever existed, +except the one from which it was copied. + +Against all this intolerance, one man, a minister, raised his voice. The +name of this man should never be forgotten. It was Castellio. This brave +man had the goodness and the courage to declare the innocence of honest +error. He was the first of the so-called reformers to take this noble +ground. I wish I had the genius to pay a fitting tribute to his memory. +Perhaps it would be impossible to pay him a grander compliment than to +say, Castellio was in all things the opposite of Calvin. To plead for +the right of individual judgment was considered a crime, and Castellio +was driven from Geneva by John Calvin. By him he was denounced as a +child of the devil, as a dog of Satan, as a beast from hell, and as +one who, by this horrid blasphemy of the innocence of honest error, +crucified Christ afresh, and by him he was pursued until rescued by the +hand of death. + +Upon the name of Castellio, Calvin heaped every epithet, until his +malice was nearly satisfied and his imagination entirely exhausted. It +is impossible to conceive how human nature can become so frightfully +perverted as to pursue a fellow man with the malignity of a fiend, +simply because he is good, just, and generous Calvin was of a pallid, +bloodless complexion, thin, sickly, irritable, gloomy, impatient, +egotistic, tyrannical, heartless, and infamous. He was a strange +compound of revengeful morality, malicious forgiveness, ferocious +charity, egotistic humility, and a kind of hellish justice. In other +words, he was as near like the God of the Old Testament as his health +permitted. + +The best thing, however, about the Presbyterians of Geneva was, that +they denied the power of the Pope, and the best thing about the Pope +was, that he was not a Presbyterian. + +The doctrines of Calvin spread rapidly, and were eagerly accepted by +multitudes on the continent; but Scotland, in a few years, became the +real fortress of Presbyterianism. The Scotch succeeded in establishing +the same kind of theocracy that flourished in Geneva. The clergy took +possession and control of everybody and everything. It is impossible to +exaggerate the mental degradation, the abject superstition of the people +of Scotland during the reign of Presbyterianism. Heretics were hunted +and devoured as though they had been wild beasts. The gloomy insanity of +Presbyterianism took possession of a great majority of the people. They +regarded their ministers as the Jews did Moses and Aaron. They believed +that they were the especial agents of God, and that whatsoever they +bound in Scotland would be bound in heaven. There was not one particle +of intellectual freedom. No man was allowed to differ with the Church, +or to even contradict a priest. Had Presbyterianism maintained its +ascendency, Scotland would have been peopled by savages to-day. + +The revengeful spirit of Calvin took possession of the Puritans, and +caused them to redden the soil of the New World with the brave blood of +honest men. Clinging to the five points of Calvin, they too established +governments in accordance with the teachings of the Old Testament. They +too attached the penalty of death to the expression of honest thought. +They too believed their church supreme, and exerted all their power to +curse this continent with a spiritual despotism as infamous as it was +absurd. They believed with Luther that universal toleration is universal +error, and universal error is universal hell. Toleration was denounced +as a crime. + +Fortunately for us, civilization has had a softening effect even upon +the Presbyterian Church. To the ennobling influence of the arts and +sciences the savage spirit of Calvinism has, in some slight degree, +succumbed. True, the old creed remains substantially as it was written, +but by a kind of tacit understanding it has come to be regarded as a +relic of the past. The cry of "heresy" has been growing fainter and +fainter, and, as a consequence, the ministers of that denomination +have ventured, now and then, to express doubts as to the damnation of +infants, and the doctrine of total depravity. The fact is, the old ideas +became a little monotonous to the people. The fall of man, the scheme of +redemption and irresistible grace, began to have a familiar sound. The +preachers told the old stories while the congregations slept. Some of +the ministers became tired of these stories themselves. The five points +grew dull, and they felt that nothing short of irresistible grace could +bear this endless repetition. The outside world was full of progress, +and in every direction men advanced, while this church, anchored to a +creed, idly rotted at the shore. Other denominations, imbued some little +with the spirit of investigation, were springing up on every side, while +the old Presbyterian ark rested on the Ararat of the past, filled with +the theological monsters of another age. + +Lured by the splendors of the outer world, tempted by the achievements +of science, longing to feel the throb and beat of the mighty march of +the human race, a few of the ministers of this conservative denomination +were compelled, by irresistible sense, to say a few words in harmony +with the splendid ideas of to-day. + +These utterances have upon several occasions so nearly wakened some of +the members that, rubbing their eyes, they have feebly inquired whether +these grand ideas were not somewhat heretical. These ministers found +that just in the proportion that their orthodoxy decreased, their +congregations increased. Those who dealt in the pure unadulterated +article found themselves demonstrating the five points to a less number +of hearers than they had points. Stung to madness by this bitter truth, +this galling contrast, this harassing fact, the really orthodox have +raised the cry of heresy, and expect with this cry to seal the lips +of honest men. One of the Presbyterian ministers, and one who has been +enjoying the luxury of a little honest thought, and the real rapture of +expressing it, has already been indicted, and is about to be tried by +the Presbytery of Illinois. He is charged-- + +First. With having neglected to preach that most comforting and +consoling truth, the eternal damnation of the soul. + +Surely, that man must be a monster who could wish to blot this blessed +doctrine out and rob earth's wretched children of this blissful hope! + +Who can estimate the misery that has been caused by this most infamous +doctrine of eternal punishment? Think of the lives it has blighted--of +the tears it has caused--of the agony it has produced. Think of the +millions who have been driven to insanity by this most terrible of +dogmas. This doctrine renders God the basest and most cruel being in +the universe. Compared with him, the most frightful deities of the most +barbarous and degraded tribes are miracles of goodness and mercy. There +is nothing more degrading than to worship such a god. Lower than this +the soul can never sink. If the doctrine of eternal damnation is true, +let me share the fate of the unconverted; let me have my portion in +hell, rather than in heaven with a god infamous enough to inflict +eternal misery upon any of the sons of men. + +Second. With having spoken a few kind words of Robert Collyer and John +Stuart Mill. + +I have the honor of a slight acquaintance with Robert Collyer. I have +read with pleasure some of his exquisite productions. He has a brain +full of the dawn, the head of a philosopher, the imagination of a poet +and the sincere heart of a child. + +Is a minister to be silenced because he speaks fairly of a noble and +candid adversary? Is it a crime to compliment a lover of justice, an +advocate of liberty; one who devotes his life to the elevation of man, +the discovery of truth, and the promulgation of what he believes to be +right? + +Can that tongue be palsied by a presbytery that praises a self-denying +and heroic life? Is it a sin to speak a charitable word over the grave +of John Stuart Mill? Is it heretical to pay a just and graceful tribute +to departed worth? Must the true Presbyterian violate the sanctity of +the tomb, dig open the grave and ask his God to curse the silent dust? +Is Presbyterianism so narrow that it conceives of no excellence, of no +purity of intention, of no spiritual and moral grandeur outside of its +barbaric creed? Does it still retain within its stony heart all the +malice of its founder? Is it still warming its fleshless hands at the +flames that consumed Servetus? Does it still glory in the damnation of +infants, and does it still persist in emptying the cradle in order that +perdition may be filled? Is it still starving the soul and famishing +the heart? Is it still trembling and shivering, crouching and crawling +before its ignorant Confession of Faith? + +Had such men as Robert Collyer and John Stuart Mill been present at the +burning of Servetus, they would have extinguished the flames with their +tears. Had the presbytery of Chicago been there, they would have quietly +turned their backs, solemnly divided their coat tails, and warmed +themselves. + +Third, With having spoken disparagingly of the doctrine of +predestination. + +If there is any dogma that ought to be protected by law, predestination +is that doctrine. Surely it is a cheerful, joyous thing, to one who is +laboring, struggling, and suffering in this weary world, to think that +before he existed; before the earth was; before a star had glittered in +the heavens; before a ray of light had left the quiver of the sun, his +destiny had been irrevocably fixed, and that for an eternity before his +birth he had been doomed to bear eternal pain. + +Fourth. With failing to preach the efficacy of a "vicarious sacrifice." + +Suppose a man had been convicted of murder, and was about to be +hanged--the governor acting as the executioner; and suppose that just as +the doomed man was about to suffer death some one in the crowd should +step forward and say, "I am willing to die in the place of that +murderer. He has a family, and I have none." And suppose further, that +the governor should reply, "Come forward, young man, your offer is +accepted. A murder has been committed and somebody must be hung, and +your death will satisfy the law just as well as the death of the +murderer." What would you then think of the doctrine of "vicarious +sacrifice?" + +This doctrine is the consummation of two outrages--forgiving one crime +and committing another. + +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," Bastian and his "Spontaneous Generation," Huxley and his +"Protoplasm" Tyndall and his "Prayer Gauge" 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 Catharine II. + +Penelope, waiting patiently and trustfully for her lord's return, +delaying her suitors, while sadly weaving and unweaving 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 to-day, 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 Iwan, 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 of "irresistible grace." + +Seventh, With repudiating the idea of a "call" to the 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 had a "call" to the ministry. To which the deacon replied, "That +may be so, but it's very unfortunate for you, that when God called you +to preach, he forgot to call anybody to hear you." + +There is nothing more stupidly egotistic than the claim of the clergy +that they are, in some divine sense, set apart to the service of the +Lord; that they have been chosen, and sanctified; that there is an +infinite difference between them and persons employed in secular +affairs. They teach us that all other professions must take care of +themselves; that God allows anybody to be a doctor, a lawyer, statesman, +soldier, or artist; that the Motts and Coopers--the Mansfields and +Marshalls--the Wilberforces and Sumners--the Angelos and Raphaels, +were never honored by a "call." They chose their professions and won +their laurels without the assistance of the Lord. All these men were +left free to follow their own inclinations, while God was busily +engaged selecting and "calling" priests, rectors, elders, ministers and +exhorters. + +Eighth. With having doubted that God was the author of the 109th Psalm. + +The portion of that psalm which carries with it the clearest and most +satisfactory evidences of inspiration, and which has afforded almost +unspeakable consolation to the Presbyterian church, is as follows: + +Set thou a wicked man over him; and let Satan stand at his right hand. + +When he shall be judged, let him be condemned; and let his prayer become +sin. + +Let his days be few; and let another take his office. + +Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. + +Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek their +bread also out of their desolate places. + +Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil +his labor. + +Let there be none to extend mercy unto him; neither let there be any to +favor his fatherless children. + +Let his posterity be cut off: and in the generation following let their +name be blotted out. + +***** + +But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for Thy name's sake; because Thy +mercy is good, deliver Thou me. * * I will greatly praise the Lord with +my _mouth_. + +Think of a God wicked and malicious enough to inspire this prayer. Think +of one infamous enough to answer it. + +Had this inspired psalm been found in some temple erected for the +worship of snakes, or in the possession of some cannibal king, written +with blood upon the dried skins of babes, there would have been a +perfect harmony between its surroundings and its sentiments. + +No wonder that the author of this inspired psalm coldly received +Socrates and Penelope, and reserved his sweetest smiles for Catharine +the Second. + +Ninth. With having said that the battles in which the Israelites +engaged, with the approval and command of Jehovah, surpassed in cruelty +those of Julius Cæsar. + +Was it Julius Cæsar who said, "And the Lord our God delivered him before +us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. And we took all +his cities, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little +ones, of every city, we left none to remain"? + +Did Julius Caesar send the following report to the Roman senate? "And we +took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not +from them, three-score cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of +Og in Bashan. All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and +bars; beside unwalled towns a great many. And we utterly destroyed them, +as we did unto. Sihon, king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, +women, and children of every city." + +Did Caesar take the city of Jericho "and utterly destroy all that was +in the city, both men and women, young and old"? Did he smite "all the +country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the +springs, and all their kings, and leave none remaining that breathed, as +the Lord God had commanded"? + +Search the records of the whole world, find out the history of every +barbarous tribe, and you cart find no crime that touched a lower depth +of infamy than those the bible's God commanded and approved. For such +a God I have no words to express my loathing and contempt, and all the +words in all the languages of man would scarcely be sufficient. Away +with such a God! Give me Jupiter rather, with Io and Europa, or even +Siva with his skulls and snakes. + +Tenth. With having repudiated the doctrine of "total depravity." + +What a precious doctrine is that of the total depravity of the human +heart! How sweet it is to believe that the lives of all the good and +great were continual sins and perpetual crimes; that the love a mother +bears her child is, in the sight of God, a sin; that the gratitude of +the natural heart is simple meanness; that the tears of pity are impure; +that for the unconverted to live and labor for others is an offense to +heaven; that the noblest aspirations of the soul are low and groveling +in the sight of God; that man should fall upon his knees and ask +forgiveness, simply for loving his wife and child, and that even the act +of asking forgiveness is in fact a crime! + +Surely it is a kind of bliss to feel that every woman and child in the +wide world, with the exception of those who believe the five points, or +some other equally cruel creed, and such children as have been baptized, +ought at this very moment to be dashed down to the lowest glowing gulf +of hell. + +Take from the Christian the history of his own church--leave that +entirely out of the question--and he has no argument left with which to +substantiate the total depravity of man. + +Eleventh. With having doubted the "perseverance of the saints." + +I suppose the real meaning of this doctrine is, that Presbyterians are +just as sure of going to heaven as all other folks are of going to hell. +The real idea being, that it all depends upon the will of God, and not +upon the character of the person to be damned or saved; that God has the +weakness to send Presbyterians to Paradise, and the justice to doom the +rest of mankind to eternal fire. + +It is admitted that no unconverted brain can see the least particle of +sense in this doctrine; that it is abhorrent to all who have not been +the recipients of a "new heart;" that only the perfectly good can +justify the perfectly infamous. + +It is contended that the saints do not persevere of their own free +will--that they are entitled to no credit for persevering; but that God +forces them to persevere, while on the other hand, every crime is +committed in accordance with the secret will of God, who does all things +for his own glory. + +Compared with this doctrine, there is no other idea, that has ever been +believed by man, that can properly be called absurd. + +Twelfth, With having spoken and written somewhat lightly of the idea of +converting the heathen with doctrinal sermons. + +Of all the failures of which we have any history or knowledge, the +missionary effort is the most conspicuous. The whole question has been +decided here, in our own country, and conclusively settled. We have +nearly exterminated the Indians, but we have converted none. From the +days of John Eliot to the execution of the last Modoc, not one Indian +has been the subject of irresistible grace or particular redemption. +The few red men who roam the western wilderness have no thought or care +concerning the five points of Calvin. They are utterly oblivious to +the great and vital truths contained in the Thirty-nine Articles, the +Saybrook platform, and the resolutions of the Evangelical Alliance. No +Indian has ever scalped another on account of his religious belief. This +of itself shows conclusively that the missionaries have had no effect. + +Why should we convert the heathen of China and kill our own? Why should +we send missionaries across the seas, and soldiers over the plains? +Why should we send bibles to the east and muskets to the west? If it +is impossible to convert Indians who have no religion of their own; no +prejudice for or against the "eternal procession of the Holy Ghost," how +can we expect to convert a heathen who has a religion; who has plenty +of gods and bibles and prophets and Christs, and who has a religious +literature far grander than our own? Can we hope with the story of +Daniel in the lions' den to rival the stupendous miracles of India? Is +there anything in our bible as lofty and loving as the prayer of the +Buddhist? Compare your "Confession of Faith" with the following: "Never +will I seek nor receive private individual salvation--never enter into +final peace alone; but forever and everywhere will I live and strive for +the universal redemption of every creature throughout all worlds. Until +all are delivered, never will I leave the world of sin, sorrow, and +struggle, but will remain where I am." + +Think of sending an average Presbyterian to convert a man who daily +offers this tender, this infinitely generous, this incomparable prayer. +Think of reading the 109th Psalm to a heathen who has a bible of his own +in which is found this passage: "Blessed is that man and beloved of all +the gods, who is afraid of no man, and of whom no man is afraid." + +Why should you read even the New Testament to a Hindu, when his own +Chrishna has said, "If a man strike thee, and in striking drop his +staff, pick it up and hand it to him again"? Why send a Presbyterian to +a Sufi, who says, "Better one moment of silent contemplation and inward +love, than seventy thousand years of outward worship"? "Whoso would +carelessly tread one worm that crawls on earth, that heartless one is +darkly alienate from God; but he that, living, embraceth all things in +his love, to live with him God bursts all bounds above, below." + +Why should we endeavor to thrust our cruel and heartless theology upon +one who prays this prayer: "O God, show pity toward the wicked; for on +the good thou hast already bestowed thy mercy by having created them +virtuous"? + +Compare this prayer with the curses and cruelties of the Old +Testament--with the infamies commanded and approved by the being whom we +are taught to worship as a God--and with the following tender product +of Presbyterianism: "It may seem absurd to human wisdom that God should +harden, blind, and deliver up some men to a reprobate sense; that he +should first deliver them over to evil, and then condemn them for that +evil; but the believing spiritual man sees no absurdity in all this, +knowing that God would be never a whit less good even though he should +destroy all men." + +Of all the religions that have been produced by the egotism, the malice, +the ignorance and ambition of man, Presbyterianism is the most hideous. + +But what shall I say more, for the time would fail me to tell of +Sabellianism, of a "Modal Trinity," and the "Eternal Procession of the +Holy Ghost"? + +Upon these charges, a minister is to be tried, here in Chicago; in this +city of pluck and progress--this marvel of energy--this miracle of +nerve. The cry of "heresy," here, sounds like a wail from the dark +ages--a shriek from the inquisition, or a groan from the grave of Calvin. + +Another effort is being made to enslave a man. + +It is claimed that every member of the church has solemnly agreed +never to outgrow the creed; that he has pledged himself to remain an +intellectual dwarf. Upon this condition the church agrees to save his +soul, and he hands over his brains to bind the bargain. Should a fact be +found inconsistent with the creed, he binds himself to deny the fact +and curse the finder. With scraps of dogmas and crumbs of doctrine, he +agrees that his soul shall be satisfied forever. What an intellectual +feast the Confession of Faith must be! It reminds one of the dinner +described by Sydney Smith, where everything was cold except the water, +and everything sour except the vinegar. + +Every member of a church promises to remain orthodox, that is to +say--stationary. Growth is heresy. Orthodox ideas are the feathers that +have been moulted by the eagle of progress. They are the dead leaves +under the majestic palm, while heresy is the bud and blossom at the top. + +Imagine a vine that grows at one end and decays at the other. The +end that grows is heresy, the end that rots is orthodox. The dead are +orthodox, and your cemetery is the most perfect type of a well regulated +church. No thought, no progress, no heresy there. Slowly and silently, +side by side, the satisfied members peacefully decay. There is only this +difference--the dead do not persecute. + +And what does a trial for heresy mean? It means that the Church says to +a heretic, "Believe as I do, or I will withdraw my support. I will not +employ you. I will pursue you until your garments are rags; until your +children cry for bread; until your cheeks are furrowed with tears. I +will hunt you to the very portals of the tomb, and then my God will do +the rest. I will not imprison you. I will not burn you. The law prevents +my doing that. I helped make the law, not however to protect you, nor to +deprive me of the right to exterminate you; but in order to keep other +churches from exterminating me." + +A trial for heresy means that the spirit of persecution still lingers in +the Church; that it still denies the right of private judgment; that it +still thinks more of creed than truth, and that it is still determined +to prevent the intellectual growth of man. It means that churches are +shambles in which are bought and sold the souls of men. It means that +the Church is still guilty of the barbarity of opposing thought with +force. It means that if it had the power, the mental horizon would be +bounded by a creed; that it would bring again the whips and chains and +dungeon keys, the rack and fagot of the past But let me tell the Church +it lacks the power. There have been, and still are, too many men who own +themselves--too much thought, too much knowledge for the Church to grasp +again the sword of power. The Church must abdicate. For the Eglon of +superstition Science has a message from Truth. + +The heretics have not thought and suffered and died in vain. Every +heretic has been, and is, a ray of light Not in vain did Voltaire, that +great man, point from the foot of the Alps the finger of scorn at every +hypocrite in Europe. Not in vain were the splendid utterances of the +infidels, while beyond all price are the discoveries of science. + +The Church has impeded, but it has not and it cannot stop the onward +march of the human race. Heresy cannot be burned, nor imprisoned, nor +starved. It laughs at presbyteries and synods, at ecumenical councils +and the impotent thunders of Sinai. Heresy is the eternal dawn, the +morning star, the glittering herald of the day. Heresy is the last and +best thought. It is the perpetual New World, the unknown sea, toward +which the brave all sail. It is the eternal horizon of progress. + +Heresy extends the hospitalities of the brain to a new thought. + +Heresy is a cradle; orthodoxy, a coffin. + +Why should man be afraid to think, and why should he fear to express his +thoughts? + +Is it possible that an infinite Deity is unwilling that a man should +investigate the phenomena by which he is surrounded? Is it possible that +a god delights in threatening and terrifying men? What glory, what honor +and renown a god must win on such a field! The ocean raving at a drop; a +star envious of a candle; the sun jealous of a fire-fly. + +Go on, presbyteries and synods, go on! Thrust the heretics out of the +Church--that is to say, throw away your brains,--put out your eyes. +The infidels will thank you. They are willing to adopt your exiles. +Every deserter from your camp is a recruit for the army of progress. +Cling to the ignorant dogmas of the past; read the 109th Psalm; gloat +over the slaughter of mothers and babes; thank God for total depravity; +shower your honors upon hypocrites, and silence every minister who is +touched with that heresy called genius. + +Be true to your history. Turn out the astronomers, the geologists, the +naturalists, the chemists, and all the honest scientists. With a whip of +scorpions, drive them all out. We want them all. Keep the ignorant, +the superstitious, the bigoted, and the writers of charges and +specifications. + +Keep them, and keep them all. Repeat your pious platitudes in the drowsy +ears of the faithful, and read your bible to heretics, as kings read +some forgotten riot-act to stop and stay the waves of revolution. +You are too weak to excite anger. We forgive your efforts as the sun +forgives a cloud--as the air forgives the breath you waste. + +How long, O how long, will man listen to the threats of God, and shut +his eyes to the splendid possibilities of Nature? How long, O how long +will man remain the cringing slave of a false and cruel creed? + +By this time the whole world should know that the real bible has not yet +been written, but is being written, and that it will never be finished +until the race begins its downward march, or ceases to exist. + +The real bible is not the work of inspired men, nor prophets, nor +apostles, nor evangelists, nor of Christs. Every man who finds a fact, +adds, as it were, a word to this great book. It is not attested +by prophecy, by miracles or signs. It makes no appeal to faith, to +ignorance, to credulity or fear. It has no punishment for unbelief, and +no reward for hypocrisy. It appeals to man in the name of demonstration. +It has nothing to conceal. It has no fear of being read, of being +contradicted, of being investigated and understood. It does not pretend +to be holy, or sacred; it simply claims to be true. It challenges the +scrutiny of all, and implores every reader to verify every line for +himself. It is incapable of being blasphemed. This book appeals to +all the surroundings of man. Each thing that exists testifies of its +perfection. The earth, with its heart of fire and crowns of snow; with +its forests and plains, its rocks and seas; with its every wave and +cloud; with its every leaf and bud and flower, confirms its every word, +and the solemn stars, shining in the infinite abysses, are the eternal +witnesses of it's truth. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HERETICS AND HERESIES *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. 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Ingersoll</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Heretics and Heresies<br /> +From ‘The Gods and Other Lectures’</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Robert G. Ingersoll</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: November 22, 2011 [eBook #38095]<br /> +[Most recently updated: July 18, 2021]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: David Widger</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HERETICS AND HERESIES ***</div> + + <h1> + HERETICS AND HERESIES + </h1> + <h2> + By Robert G. Ingersoll + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + HERETICS AND HERESIES + </h2> + <h3> + LIBERTY, A WORD WITHOUT WHICH ALL OTHER WORDS ARE VAIN. + </h3> + <p> + WHOEVER has an opinion of his own, and honestly expresses it, will be + guilty of heresy. Heresy is what the minority believe; it is the name + given by the powerful to the doctrine of the weak. This word was born of + the hatred, arrogance and cruelty of those who love their enemies, and + who, when smitten on one cheek, turn the other. This word was born of + intellectual slavery in the feudal ages of thought. It was an epithet used + in the place of argument. From the commencement of the Christian era, + every art has been exhausted and every conceivable punishment inflicted to + force all people to hold the same religious opinions. This effort was born + of the idea that a certain belief was necessary to the salvation of the + soul. Christ taught, and the Church still teaches, that unbelief is the + blackest of crimes. God is supposed to hate with an infinite and + implacable hatred, every heretic upon the earth, and the heretics who have + died are supposed at this moment to be suffering the agonies of the + damned. The Church persecutes the living and her God burns the dead. + </p> + <p> + It is claimed that God wrote a book called the Bible, and it is generally + admitted that this book is somewhat difficult to understand. As long as + the Church had all the copies of this book, and the people were not + allowed to read it, there was comparatively little heresy in the world; + but when it was printed and read, people began honestly to differ as to + its meaning. A few were independent and brave enough to give the world + their real thoughts, and for the extermination of these men the Church + used all her power. Protestants and Catholics vied with each other in the + work of enslaving the human mind. For ages they were rivals in the + infamous effort to rid the earth of honest people. They infested every + country, every city, town, hamlet and family. They appealed to the worst + passions of the human heart. They sowed the seeds of discord and hatred in + every land. Brother denounced brother, wives informed against their + husbands, mothers accused their children, dungeons were crowded with the + innocent; the flesh of the good and true rotted in the clasp of chains; + the flames devoured the heroic, and in the name of the most merciful God, + his children were exterminated with famine, sword, and fire. Over the wild + waves of battle rose and fell the banner of Jesus Christ. For sixteen + hundred years the robes of the Church were red with innocent blood. The + ingenuity of Christians was exhausted in devising punishment severe enough + to be inflicted upon other Christians who honestly and sincerely differed + with them upon any point whatever. + </p> + <p> + Give any orthodox church the power, and to-day they would punish heresy + with whip, and chain, and fire. As long as a church deems a certain belief + essential to salvation, just so long it will kill and burn if it has the + power. Why should the Church pity a man whom her God hates? Why should she + show mercy to a kind and noble heretic whom her God will burn in eternal + fire? Why should a Christian be better than his God? It is impossible for + the imagination to conceive of a greater atrocity than has been + perpetrated by the Church. Every nerve in the human body capable of pain + has been sought out and touched by the Church. + </p> + <p> + Let it be remembered that all churches have persecuted heretics to the + extent of their power. Toleration has increased only when and where the + power of the church has diminished. From Augustine until now the spirit of + the Christians has remained the same. There has been the same intolerance, + the same undying hatred of all who think for themselves, and the same + determination to crush out of the human brain all knowledge inconsistent + with an ignorant creed. + </p> + <p> + Every church pretends that it has a revelation from God, and that this + revelation must be given to the people through the Church; that the Church + acts through its priests, and that ordinary mortals must be content with a + revelation—not from God—but from the Church. Had the people + submitted to this preposterous claim, of course there could have been but + one church, and that church never could have advanced. It might have + retrograded, because it is not necessary to think or investigate in order + to forget. Without heresy there could have been no progress. + </p> + <p> + The highest type of the orthodox Christian does not forget; neither does + he learn. He neither advances nor recedes. He is a living fossil embedded + in that rock called faith. He makes no effort to better his condition, + because all his strength is exhausted in keeping other people from + improving theirs. The supreme desire of his heart is to force all others + to adopt his creed, and in order to accomplish this object he denounces + free-thinking as a crime, and this crime he calls heresy. When he had + power, heresy was the most terrible and formidable of words. It meant + confiscation, exile, imprisonment, torture, and death. + </p> + <p> + In those days the cross and rack were inseparable companions. Across the + open bible lay the sword and fagot. Not content with burning such heretics + as were alive, they even tried the dead, in order that the Church might + rob their wives and children. The property of all heretics was + confiscated, and on this account they charged the dead with being + heretical—indicted, as it were, their dust—to the end that the + Church might clutch the bread of orphans. Learned divines discussed the + propriety of tearing out the tongues of heretics before they were burned, + and the general opinion was, that this ought to be done so that the + heretics should not be able, by uttering blasphemies, to shock the + Christians who were burning them. With a mixture of ferocity and + Christianity, the priests insisted that heretics ought to be burned at a + slow fire, giving as a reason that more time was given them for + repentance. + </p> + <p> + No wonder that Jesus Christ said, "I came not to bring peace, but a + sword." + </p> + <p> + Every priest regarded himself as the agent of God. He answered all + questions by authority, and to treat him with disrespect was an insult + offered to God. No one was asked to think, but all were commanded to obey. + </p> + <p> + In 1208 the Inquisition was established. Seven years afterward, the fourth + council of the Lateran enjoined all kings and rulers to swear an oath that + they would exterminate heretics from their dominions. The sword of the + Church was unsheathed, and the world was at the mercy of ignorant and + infuriated priests, whose eyes feasted upon the agonies they inflicted. + Acting, as they believed, or pretended to believe, under the command of + God; stimulated by the hope of infinite reward in another world—hating + heretics with every drop of their bestial blood; savage beyond + description; merciless beyond conception,—these infamous priests, in + a kind of frenzied joy, leaped upon the helpless victims of their rage. + They crushed their bones in iron boots; tore their quivering flesh with + iron hooks and pincers; cut off their lips and eyelids; pulled out their + nails, and into the bleeding quick thrust needles; tore out their tongues; + extinguished their eyes; stretched them upon racks; flayed them alive; + crucified them with their heads downward; exposed them to wild beasts; + burned them at the stake; mocked their cries and groans; ravished their + wives; robbed their children, and then prayed God to finish the holy work + in hell. + </p> + <p> + Millions upon millions were sacrificed upon the altars of bigotry. The + Catholic burned the Lutheran, the Lutheran burned the Catholic, the + Episcopalian tortured the Presbyterian, the Presbyterian tortured the + Episcopalian. Every denomination killed all it could of every other; and + each Christian felt in duty bound to exterminate every other Christian who + denied the smallest fraction of his creed. + </p> + <p> + In the reign of Henry VIII—that pious and moral founder of the + apostolic Episcopal Church,—there was passed by the parliament of + England an act entitled "An act for abolishing of diversity of opinion." + And in this act was set forth what a good Christian was obliged to + believe: + </p> + <p> + First, That in the sacrament was the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. + </p> + <p> + Second, That the body and blood of Jesus Christ was in the bread, and the + blood and body of Jesus Christ was in the wine. + </p> + <p> + Third, That priests should not marry. + </p> + <p> + Fourth, That vows of chastity were of perpetual obligation. + </p> + <p> + Fifth, That private masses ought to be continued; and, + </p> + <p> + Sixth, That auricular confession to a priest must be maintained. + </p> + <p> + This creed was made by law, in order that all men might know just what to + believe by simply reading the statute. The Church hated to see the people + wearing out their brains in thinking upon these subjects. It was thought + far better that a creed should be made by parliament, so that whatever + might be lacking in evidence might be made up in force. The punishment for + denying the first article was death by fire. For the denial of any other + article, imprisonment, and for the second offense—death. + </p> + <p> + Your attention is called to these six articles, established during the + reign of Henry VIII, and by the Church of England, simply because not one + of these articles is believed by that church to-day. If the law then made + by the church could be enforced now, every Episcopalian would be burned at + the stake. + </p> + <p> + Similar laws were passed in most Christian countries, as all orthodox + churches firmly believed that mankind could be legislated into heaven. + According to the creed of every church, slavery leads to heaven, liberty + leads to hell. It was claimed that God had founded the Church, and that to + deny the authority of the Church was to be a traitor to God, and + consequently an ally of the devil. To torture and destroy one of the + soldiers of Satan was a duty no good Christian cared to neglect. Nothing + can be sweeter than to earn the gratitude of God by killing your own + enemies. Such a mingling of profit and revenge, of heaven for yourself and + damnation for those you dislike, is a temptation that your ordinary + Christian never resists. + </p> + <p> + According to the theologians, God, the Father of us all, wrote a letter to + his children. The children have always differed somewhat as to the meaning + of this letter. In consequence of these honest differences, these brothers + began to cut out each other's hearts. In every land, where this letter + from God has been read, the children to whom and for whom it was written + have been filled with hatred and malice. They have imprisoned and murdered + each other, and the wives and children of each other. In the name of God + every possible crime has been committed, every conceivable outrage has + been perpetrated. Brave men, tender and loving women, beautiful girls, and + prattling babes have been exterminated in the name of Jesus Christ. For + more than fifty generations the Church has carried the black flag. Her + vengeance has been measured only by her power. During all these years of + infamy no heretic has ever been forgiven. With the heart of a fiend she + has hated; with the clutch of avarice she has grasped; with the jaws of a + dragon she has devoured; pitiless as famine, merciless as fire, with the + conscience of a serpent: such is the history of the Church of God. + </p> + <p> + I do not say, and I do not believe, that Christians are as bad as their + creeds. In spite of Church and dogma, there have been millions and + millions of men and women true to the loftiest and most generous + promptings of the human heart. They have been true to their convictions, + and, with a self-denial and fortitude excelled by none, have labored and + suffered for the salvation of men. Imbued with the spirit of + self-sacrifice, believing that by personal effort they could rescue at + least a few souls from the infinite shadow of hell, they have cheerfully + endured every hardship and scorned every danger. And yet, notwithstanding + all this, they believed that honest error was a crime. They knew that the + bible so declared, and they believed that all unbelievers would be + eternally lost. They believed that religion was of God, and all heresy of + the devil. They killed heretics in defense of their own souls and the + souls of their children. They killed them because, according to their + idea, they were the enemies of God, and because the bible teaches that the + blood of the unbeliever is a most acceptable sacrifice to heaven. + </p> + <p> + Nature never prompted a loving mother to throw her child into the Ganges. + Nature never prompted men to exterminate each other for a difference of + opinion concerning the baptism of infants. These crimes have been produced + by religions filled with all that is illogical, cruel and hideous. These + religions were produced for the most part by ignorance, tyranny and + hypocrisy. Under the impression that the infinite ruler and creator of the + universe had commanded the destruction of heretics and infidels, the + Church perpetrated all these crimes. + </p> + <p> + Men and women have been burned for thinking there is but one God; that + there was none; that the Holy Ghost is younger than God; that God was + somewhat older than his son; for insisting that good works will save a man + without faith; that faith will do without good works; for declaring that a + sweet babe will not be burned eternally, because its parents failed to + have its head wet by a priest; for speaking of God as though he had a + nose; for denying that Christ was his own father; for contending that + three persons, rightly added together, make more than one; for believing + in purgatory; for denying the reality of hell; for pretending that priests + can forgive sins; for preaching that God is an essence; for denying that + witches rode through the air on sticks; for doubting the total depravity + of the human heart; for laughing at irresistible grace, predestination and + particular redemption; for denying that good bread could be made of the + body of a dead man; for pretending that the pope was not managing this + world for God, and in the place of God; for disputing the efficacy of a + vicarious atonement; for thinking the Virgin Mary was born like other + people; for thinking that a man's rib was hardly sufficient to make a + good-sized woman; for denying that God used his finger for a pen; for + asserting that prayers are not answered, that diseases are not sent to + punish unbelief; for denying the authority of the bible; for having a + bible in their possession; for attending mass, and for refusing to attend; + for wearing a surplice; for carrying a cross, and for refusing; for being + a Catholic, and for being a Protestant; for being an Episcopalian, a + Presbyterian, a Baptist, and for being a Quaker. In short, every virtue + has been a crime, and every crime a virtue. The Church has burned honesty + and rewarded hypocrisy. And all this, because it was commanded by a book—a + book that men had been taught implicitly to believe, long before they knew + one word that was in it. They had been taught that to doubt the truth of + this book—to examine it, even—was a crime of such enormity + that it could not be forgiven, either in this world or in the next. + </p> + <p> + The bible was the real persecutor. The bible burned heretics, built + dungeons, founded the Inquisition, and trampled upon all the liberties of + men. + </p> + <p> + How long, O how long will mankind worship a book? How long will they + grovel in the dust before the ignorant legends of the barbaric past? How + long, O how long will they pursue phantoms in a darkness deeper than + death? + </p> + <p> + Unfortunately for the world, about the beginning of the sixteenth century, + a man by the name of Gerard Chauvin was married to Jeanne Lefranc, and + still more unfortunately for the world, the fruit of this marriage was a + son, called John Chauvin, who afterwards became famous as John Calvin, the + founder of the Presbyterian Church. + </p> + <p> + #This man forged five fetters for the brain. These fetters he called + points. That is to say, predestination, particular redemption, total + depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. About + the neck of each follower he put a collar bristling with these five iron + points. The presence of all these points on the collar is still the test + of orthodoxy in the church he founded. This man, when in the flush of + youth, was elected to the office of preacher in Geneva. He at once, in + union with Farel, drew up a condensed statement of the Presbyterian + doctrine, and all the citizens of Geneva, on pain of banishment, were + compelled to take an oath that they believed this statement. Of this + proceeding Calvin very innocently remarked that it produced great + satisfaction. A man named Caroli had the audacity to dispute with Calvin. + For this outrage he was banished. + </p> + <p> + To show you what great subjects occupied the attention of Calvin, it is + only necessary to state that he furiously discussed the question as to + whether the sacramental bread should be leavened or unleavened. He drew up + laws regulating the cut of the citizens' clothes, and prescribing their + diet, and all those whose garments were not in the Calvin fashion were + refused the sacrament At last, the people becoming tired of this petty + theological tyranny, banished Calvin. In a few years, however, he was + recalled and received with great enthusiasm. After this he was supreme, + and the will of Calvin became the law of Geneva. Under his benign + administration, James Gruet was beheaded because he had written some + profane verses. The slightest word against Calvin or his absurd doctrines + was punished as a crime. 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. + </p> + <p> + Calvin founded a little theocracy, modeled after the Old Testament, and + succeeded in erect-ing the most detestable government that ever existed, + except the one from which it was copied. + </p> + <p> + Against all this intolerance, one man, a minister, raised his voice. The + name of this man should never be forgotten. It was Castellio. This brave + man had the goodness and the courage to declare the innocence of honest + error. He was the first of the so-called reformers to take this noble + ground. I wish I had the genius to pay a fitting tribute to his memory. + Perhaps it would be impossible to pay him a grander compliment than to + say, Castellio was in all things the opposite of Calvin. To plead for the + right of individual judgment was considered a crime, and Castellio was + driven from Geneva by John Calvin. By him he was denounced as a child of + the devil, as a dog of Satan, as a beast from hell, and as one who, by + this horrid blasphemy of the innocence of honest error, crucified Christ + afresh, and by him he was pursued until rescued by the hand of death. + </p> + <p> + Upon the name of Castellio, Calvin heaped every epithet, until his malice + was nearly satisfied and his imagination entirely exhausted. It is + impossible to conceive how human nature can become so frightfully + perverted as to pursue a fellow man with the malignity of a fiend, simply + because he is good, just, and generous Calvin was of a pallid, bloodless + complexion, thin, sickly, irritable, gloomy, impatient, egotistic, + tyrannical, heartless, and infamous. He was a strange compound of + revengeful morality, malicious forgiveness, ferocious charity, egotistic + humility, and a kind of hellish justice. In other words, he was as near + like the God of the Old Testament as his health permitted. + </p> + <p> + The best thing, however, about the Presbyterians of Geneva was, that they + denied the power of the Pope, and the best thing about the Pope was, that + he was not a Presbyterian. + </p> + <p> + The doctrines of Calvin spread rapidly, and were eagerly accepted by + multitudes on the continent; but Scotland, in a few years, became the real + fortress of Presbyterianism. The Scotch succeeded in establishing the same + kind of theocracy that flourished in Geneva. The clergy took possession + and control of everybody and everything. It is impossible to exaggerate + the mental degradation, the abject superstition of the people of Scotland + during the reign of Presbyterianism. Heretics were hunted and devoured as + though they had been wild beasts. The gloomy insanity of Presbyterianism + took possession of a great majority of the people. They regarded their + ministers as the Jews did Moses and Aaron. They believed that they were + the especial agents of God, and that whatsoever they bound in Scotland + would be bound in heaven. There was not one particle of intellectual + freedom. No man was allowed to differ with the Church, or to even + contradict a priest. Had Presbyterianism maintained its ascendency, + Scotland would have been peopled by savages to-day. + </p> + <p> + The revengeful spirit of Calvin took possession of the Puritans, and + caused them to redden the soil of the New World with the brave blood of + honest men. Clinging to the five points of Calvin, they too established + governments in accordance with the teachings of the Old Testament. They + too attached the penalty of death to the expression of honest thought. + They too believed their church supreme, and exerted all their power to + curse this continent with a spiritual despotism as infamous as it was + absurd. They believed with Luther that universal toleration is universal + error, and universal error is universal hell. Toleration was denounced as + a crime. + </p> + <p> + Fortunately for us, civilization has had a softening effect even upon the + Presbyterian Church. To the ennobling influence of the arts and sciences + the savage spirit of Calvinism has, in some slight degree, succumbed. + True, the old creed remains substantially as it was written, but by a kind + of tacit understanding it has come to be regarded as a relic of the past. + The cry of "heresy" has been growing fainter and fainter, and, as a + consequence, the ministers of that denomination have ventured, now and + then, to express doubts as to the damnation of infants, and the doctrine + of total depravity. The fact is, the old ideas became a little monotonous + to the people. The fall of man, the scheme of redemption and irresistible + grace, began to have a familiar sound. The preachers told the old stories + while the congregations slept. Some of the ministers became tired of these + stories themselves. The five points grew dull, and they felt that nothing + short of irresistible grace could bear this endless repetition. The + outside world was full of progress, and in every direction men advanced, + while this church, anchored to a creed, idly rotted at the shore. Other + denominations, imbued some little with the spirit of investigation, were + springing up on every side, while the old Presbyterian ark rested on the + Ararat of the past, filled with the theological monsters of another age. + </p> + <p> + Lured by the splendors of the outer world, tempted by the achievements of + science, longing to feel the throb and beat of the mighty march of the + human race, a few of the ministers of this conservative denomination were + compelled, by irresistible sense, to say a few words in harmony with the + splendid ideas of to-day. + </p> + <p> + These utterances have upon several occasions so nearly wakened some of the + members that, rubbing their eyes, they have feebly inquired whether these + grand ideas were not somewhat heretical. These ministers found that just + in the proportion that their orthodoxy decreased, their congregations + increased. Those who dealt in the pure unadulterated article found + themselves demonstrating the five points to a less number of hearers than + they had points. Stung to madness by this bitter truth, this galling + contrast, this harassing fact, the really orthodox have raised the cry of + heresy, and expect with this cry to seal the lips of honest men. One of + the Presbyterian ministers, and one who has been enjoying the luxury of a + little honest thought, and the real rapture of expressing it, has already + been indicted, and is about to be tried by the Presbytery of Illinois. He + is charged— + </p> + <p> + First. With having neglected to preach that most comforting and consoling + truth, the eternal damnation of the soul. + </p> + <p> + Surely, that man must be a monster who could wish to blot this blessed + doctrine out and rob earth's wretched children of this blissful hope! + </p> + <p> + Who can estimate the misery that has been caused by this most infamous + doctrine of eternal punishment? Think of the lives it has blighted—of + the tears it has caused—of the agony it has produced. Think of the + millions who have been driven to insanity by this most terrible of dogmas. + This doctrine renders God the basest and most cruel being in the universe. + Compared with him, the most frightful deities of the most barbarous and + degraded tribes are miracles of goodness and mercy. There is nothing more + degrading than to worship such a god. Lower than this the soul can never + sink. If the doctrine of eternal damnation is true, let me share the fate + of the unconverted; let me have my portion in hell, rather than in heaven + with a god infamous enough to inflict eternal misery upon any of the sons + of men. + </p> + <p> + Second. With having spoken a few kind words of Robert Collyer and John + Stuart Mill. + </p> + <p> + I have the honor of a slight acquaintance with Robert Collyer. I have read + with pleasure some of his exquisite productions. He has a brain full of + the dawn, the head of a philosopher, the imagination of a poet and the + sincere heart of a child. + </p> + <p> + Is a minister to be silenced because he speaks fairly of a noble and + candid adversary? Is it a crime to compliment a lover of justice, an + advocate of liberty; one who devotes his life to the elevation of man, the + discovery of truth, and the promulgation of what he believes to be right? + </p> + <p> + Can that tongue be palsied by a presbytery that praises a self-denying and + heroic life? Is it a sin to speak a charitable word over the grave of John + Stuart Mill? Is it heretical to pay a just and graceful tribute to + departed worth? Must the true Presbyterian violate the sanctity of the + tomb, dig open the grave and ask his God to curse the silent dust? Is + Presbyterianism so narrow that it conceives of no excellence, of no purity + of intention, of no spiritual and moral grandeur outside of its barbaric + creed? Does it still retain within its stony heart all the malice of its + founder? Is it still warming its fleshless hands at the flames that + consumed Servetus? Does it still glory in the damnation of infants, and + does it still persist in emptying the cradle in order that perdition may + be filled? Is it still starving the soul and famishing the heart? Is it + still trembling and shivering, crouching and crawling before its ignorant + Confession of Faith? + </p> + <p> + Had such men as Robert Collyer and John Stuart Mill been present at the + burning of Servetus, they would have extinguished the flames with their + tears. Had the presbytery of Chicago been there, they would have quietly + turned their backs, solemnly divided their coat tails, and warmed + themselves. + </p> + <p> + Third, With having spoken disparagingly of the doctrine of predestination. + </p> + <p> + If there is any dogma that ought to be protected by law, predestination is + that doctrine. Surely it is a cheerful, joyous thing, to one who is + laboring, struggling, and suffering in this weary world, to think that + before he existed; before the earth was; before a star had glittered in + the heavens; before a ray of light had left the quiver of the sun, his + destiny had been irrevocably fixed, and that for an eternity before his + birth he had been doomed to bear eternal pain. + </p> + <p> + Fourth. With failing to preach the efficacy of a "vicarious sacrifice." + </p> + <p> + Suppose a man had been convicted of murder, and was about to be hanged—the + governor acting as the executioner; and suppose that just as the doomed + man was about to suffer death some one in the crowd should step forward + and say, "I am willing to die in the place of that murderer. He has a + family, and I have none." And suppose further, that the governor should + reply, "Come forward, young man, your offer is accepted. A murder has been + committed and somebody must be hung, and your death will satisfy the law + just as well as the death of the murderer." What would you then think of + the doctrine of "vicarious sacrifice?" + </p> + <p> + This doctrine is the consummation of two outrages—forgiving one + crime and committing another. + </p> + <p> + Fifth, With having inculcated a phase of the doctrine commonly known as + "evolution," or "development". + </p> + <p> + 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," + Bastian and his "Spontaneous Generation," Huxley and his "Protoplasm" + Tyndall and his "Prayer Gauge" 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. + </p> + <p> + 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 + Catharine II. + </p> + <p> + Penelope, waiting patiently and trustfully for her lord's return, delaying + her suitors, while sadly weaving and unweaving the shroud of Laertes, is + the most perfect type of wife and woman produced by the civilization of + Greece. + </p> + <p> + Socrates, whose life was above reproach and whose death was beyond all + praise, stands to-day, in the estimation of every thoughtful man, at least + the peer of Christ. + </p> + <p> + Catharine II assassinated her husband. Stepping upon his corpse, she + mounted the throne. She was the murderess of Prince Iwan, 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. + </p> + <p> + 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 of "irresistible grace." + </p> + <p> + Seventh, With repudiating the idea of a "call" to the ministry, and + pretending that men were "called" to preach as they were to the other + avocations of life. + </p> + <p> + 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. + </p> + <p> + 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 had a "call" to the ministry. To which the deacon replied, "That + may be so, but it's very unfortunate for you, that when God called you to + preach, he forgot to call anybody to hear you." + </p> + <p> + There is nothing more stupidly egotistic than the claim of the clergy that + they are, in some divine sense, set apart to the service of the Lord; that + they have been chosen, and sanctified; that there is an infinite + difference between them and persons employed in secular affairs. They + teach us that all other professions must take care of themselves; that God + allows anybody to be a doctor, a lawyer, statesman, soldier, or artist; + that the Motts and Coopers—the Mansfields and Marshalls—the + Wilberforces and Sumners—the Angelos and Raphaels, were never + honored by a "call." They chose their professions and won their laurels + without the assistance of the Lord. All these men were left free to follow + their own inclinations, while God was busily engaged selecting and + "calling" priests, rectors, elders, ministers and exhorters. + </p> + <p> + Eighth. With having doubted that God was the author of the 109th Psalm. + </p> + <p> + The portion of that psalm which carries with it the clearest and most + satisfactory evidences of inspiration, and which has afforded almost + unspeakable consolation to the Presbyterian church, is as follows: + </p> + <p> + Set thou a wicked man over him; and let Satan stand at his right hand. + </p> + <p> + When he shall be judged, let him be condemned; and let his prayer become + sin. + </p> + <p> + Let his days be few; and let another take his office. + </p> + <p> + Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. + </p> + <p> + Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek their + bread also out of their desolate places. + </p> + <p> + Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil + his labor. + </p> + <p> + Let there be none to extend mercy unto him; neither let there be any to + favor his fatherless children. + </p> + <p> + Let his posterity be cut off: and in the generation following let their + name be blotted out. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for Thy name's sake; because Thy mercy + is good, deliver Thou me. * * I will greatly praise the Lord with my <i>mouth</i>. + </p> + <p> + Think of a God wicked and malicious enough to inspire this prayer. Think + of one infamous enough to answer it. + </p> + <p> + Had this inspired psalm been found in some temple erected for the worship + of snakes, or in the possession of some cannibal king, written with blood + upon the dried skins of babes, there would have been a perfect harmony + between its surroundings and its sentiments. + </p> + <p> + No wonder that the author of this inspired psalm coldly received Socrates + and Penelope, and reserved his sweetest smiles for Catharine the Second. + </p> + <p> + Ninth. With having said that the battles in which the Israelites engaged, + with the approval and command of Jehovah, surpassed in cruelty those of + Julius Cæsar. + </p> + <p> + Was it Julius Cæsar who said, "And the Lord our God delivered him before + us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. And we took all + his cities, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little + ones, of every city, we left none to remain"? + </p> + <p> + Did Julius Caesar send the following report to the Roman senate? "And we + took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not + from them, three-score cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og + in Bashan. All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; + beside unwalled towns a great many. And we utterly destroyed them, as we + did unto. Sihon, king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and + children of every city." + </p> + <p> + Did Caesar take the city of Jericho "and utterly destroy all that was in + the city, both men and women, young and old"? Did he smite "all the + country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the + springs, and all their kings, and leave none remaining that breathed, as + the Lord God had commanded"? + </p> + <p> + Search the records of the whole world, find out the history of every + barbarous tribe, and you cart find no crime that touched a lower depth of + infamy than those the bible's God commanded and approved. For such a God I + have no words to express my loathing and contempt, and all the words in + all the languages of man would scarcely be sufficient. Away with such a + God! Give me Jupiter rather, with Io and Europa, or even Siva with his + skulls and snakes. + </p> + <p> + Tenth. With having repudiated the doctrine of "total depravity." + </p> + <p> + What a precious doctrine is that of the total depravity of the human + heart! How sweet it is to believe that the lives of all the good and great + were continual sins and perpetual crimes; that the love a mother bears her + child is, in the sight of God, a sin; that the gratitude of the natural + heart is simple meanness; that the tears of pity are impure; that for the + unconverted to live and labor for others is an offense to heaven; that the + noblest aspirations of the soul are low and groveling in the sight of God; + that man should fall upon his knees and ask forgiveness, simply for loving + his wife and child, and that even the act of asking forgiveness is in fact + a crime! + </p> + <p> + Surely it is a kind of bliss to feel that every woman and child in the + wide world, with the exception of those who believe the five points, or + some other equally cruel creed, and such children as have been baptized, + ought at this very moment to be dashed down to the lowest glowing gulf of + hell. + </p> + <p> + Take from the Christian the history of his own church—leave that + entirely out of the question—and he has no argument left with which + to substantiate the total depravity of man. + </p> + <p> + Eleventh. With having doubted the "perseverance of the saints." + </p> + <p> + I suppose the real meaning of this doctrine is, that Presbyterians are + just as sure of going to heaven as all other folks are of going to hell. + The real idea being, that it all depends upon the will of God, and not + upon the character of the person to be damned or saved; that God has the + weakness to send Presbyterians to Paradise, and the justice to doom the + rest of mankind to eternal fire. + </p> + <p> + It is admitted that no unconverted brain can see the least particle of + sense in this doctrine; that it is abhorrent to all who have not been the + recipients of a "new heart;" that only the perfectly good can justify the + perfectly infamous. + </p> + <p> + It is contended that the saints do not persevere of their own free will—that + they are entitled to no credit for persevering; but that God forces them + to persevere, while on the other hand, every crime is committed in + accordance with the secret will of God, who does all things for his own + glory. + </p> + <p> + Compared with this doctrine, there is no other idea, that has ever been + believed by man, that can properly be called absurd. + </p> + <p> + Twelfth, With having spoken and written somewhat lightly of the idea of + converting the heathen with doctrinal sermons. + </p> + <p> + Of all the failures of which we have any history or knowledge, the + missionary effort is the most conspicuous. The whole question has been + decided here, in our own country, and conclusively settled. We have nearly + exterminated the Indians, but we have converted none. From the days of + John Eliot to the execution of the last Modoc, not one Indian has been the + subject of irresistible grace or particular redemption. The few red men + who roam the western wilderness have no thought or care concerning the + five points of Calvin. They are utterly oblivious to the great and vital + truths contained in the Thirty-nine Articles, the Saybrook platform, and + the resolutions of the Evangelical Alliance. No Indian has ever scalped + another on account of his religious belief. This of itself shows + conclusively that the missionaries have had no effect. + </p> + <p> + Why should we convert the heathen of China and kill our own? Why should we + send missionaries across the seas, and soldiers over the plains? Why + should we send bibles to the east and muskets to the west? If it is + impossible to convert Indians who have no religion of their own; no + prejudice for or against the "eternal procession of the Holy Ghost," how + can we expect to convert a heathen who has a religion; who has plenty of + gods and bibles and prophets and Christs, and who has a religious + literature far grander than our own? Can we hope with the story of Daniel + in the lions' den to rival the stupendous miracles of India? Is there + anything in our bible as lofty and loving as the prayer of the Buddhist? + Compare your "Confession of Faith" with the following: "Never will I seek + nor receive private individual salvation—never enter into final + peace alone; but forever and everywhere will I live and strive for the + universal redemption of every creature throughout all worlds. Until all + are delivered, never will I leave the world of sin, sorrow, and struggle, + but will remain where I am." + </p> + <p> + Think of sending an average Presbyterian to convert a man who daily offers + this tender, this infinitely generous, this incomparable prayer. Think of + reading the 109th Psalm to a heathen who has a bible of his own in which + is found this passage: "Blessed is that man and beloved of all the gods, + who is afraid of no man, and of whom no man is afraid." + </p> + <p> + Why should you read even the New Testament to a Hindu, when his own + Chrishna has said, "If a man strike thee, and in striking drop his staff, + pick it up and hand it to him again"? Why send a Presbyterian to a Sufi, + who says, "Better one moment of silent contemplation and inward love, than + seventy thousand years of outward worship"? "Whoso would carelessly tread + one worm that crawls on earth, that heartless one is darkly alienate from + God; but he that, living, embraceth all things in his love, to live with + him God bursts all bounds above, below." + </p> + <p> + Why should we endeavor to thrust our cruel and heartless theology upon one + who prays this prayer: "O God, show pity toward the wicked; for on the + good thou hast already bestowed thy mercy by having created them + virtuous"? + </p> + <p> + Compare this prayer with the curses and cruelties of the Old Testament—with + the infamies commanded and approved by the being whom we are taught to + worship as a God—and with the following tender product of + Presbyterianism: "It may seem absurd to human wisdom that God should + harden, blind, and deliver up some men to a reprobate sense; that he + should first deliver them over to evil, and then condemn them for that + evil; but the believing spiritual man sees no absurdity in all this, + knowing that God would be never a whit less good even though he should + destroy all men." + </p> + <p> + Of all the religions that have been produced by the egotism, the malice, + the ignorance and ambition of man, Presbyterianism is the most hideous. + </p> + <p> + But what shall I say more, for the time would fail me to tell of + Sabellianism, of a "Modal Trinity," and the "Eternal Procession of the + Holy Ghost"? + </p> + <p> + Upon these charges, a minister is to be tried, here in Chicago; in this + city of pluck and progress—this marvel of energy—this miracle + of nerve. The cry of "heresy," here, sounds like a wail from the dark ages—a + shriek from the inquisition, or a groan from the grave of Calvin. + </p> + <p> + Another effort is being made to enslave a man. + </p> + <p> + It is claimed that every member of the church has solemnly agreed never to + outgrow the creed; that he has pledged himself to remain an intellectual + dwarf. Upon this condition the church agrees to save his soul, and he + hands over his brains to bind the bargain. Should a fact be found + inconsistent with the creed, he binds himself to deny the fact and curse + the finder. With scraps of dogmas and crumbs of doctrine, he agrees that + his soul shall be satisfied forever. What an intellectual feast the + Confession of Faith must be! It reminds one of the dinner described by + Sydney Smith, where everything was cold except the water, and everything + sour except the vinegar. + </p> + <p> + Every member of a church promises to remain orthodox, that is to say—stationary. + Growth is heresy. Orthodox ideas are the feathers that have been moulted + by the eagle of progress. They are the dead leaves under the majestic + palm, while heresy is the bud and blossom at the top. + </p> + <p> + Imagine a vine that grows at one end and decays at the other. The end that + grows is heresy, the end that rots is orthodox. The dead are orthodox, and + your cemetery is the most perfect type of a well regulated church. No + thought, no progress, no heresy there. Slowly and silently, side by side, + the satisfied members peacefully decay. There is only this difference—the + dead do not persecute. + </p> + <p> + And what does a trial for heresy mean? It means that the Church says to a + heretic, "Believe as I do, or I will withdraw my support. I will not + employ you. I will pursue you until your garments are rags; until your + children cry for bread; until your cheeks are furrowed with tears. I will + hunt you to the very portals of the tomb, and then my God will do the rest. + I will not imprison you. I will not burn you. The law prevents my doing + that. I helped make the law, not however to protect you, nor to deprive me + of the right to exterminate you; but in order to keep other churches from + exterminating me." + </p> + <p> + A trial for heresy means that the spirit of persecution still lingers in + the Church; that it still denies the right of private judgment; that it + still thinks more of creed than truth, and that it is still determined to + prevent the intellectual growth of man. It means that churches are + shambles in which are bought and sold the souls of men. It means that the + Church is still guilty of the barbarity of opposing thought with force. It + means that if it had the power, the mental horizon would be bounded by a + creed; that it would bring again the whips and chains and dungeon keys, + the rack and fagot of the past But let me tell the Church it lacks the + power. There have been, and still are, too many men who own themselves—too + much thought, too much knowledge for the Church to grasp again the sword + of power. The Church must abdicate. For the Eglon of superstition Science + has a message from Truth. + </p> + <p> + The heretics have not thought and suffered and died in vain. Every heretic + has been, and is, a ray of light Not in vain did Voltaire, that great man, + point from the foot of the Alps the finger of scorn at every hypocrite in + Europe. Not in vain were the splendid utterances of the infidels, while + beyond all price are the discoveries of science. + </p> + <p> + The Church has impeded, but it has not and it cannot stop the onward march + of the human race. Heresy cannot be burned, nor imprisoned, nor starved. + It laughs at presbyteries and synods, at ecumenical councils and the + impotent thunders of Sinai. Heresy is the eternal dawn, the morning star, + the glittering herald of the day. Heresy is the last and best thought. It + is the perpetual New World, the unknown sea, toward which the brave all + sail. It is the eternal horizon of progress. + </p> + <p> + Heresy extends the hospitalities of the brain to a new thought. + </p> + <p> + Heresy is a cradle; orthodoxy, a coffin. + </p> + <p> + Why should man be afraid to think, and why should he fear to express his + thoughts? + </p> + <p> + Is it possible that an infinite Deity is unwilling that a man should + investigate the phenomena by which he is surrounded? Is it possible that a + god delights in threatening and terrifying men? What glory, what honor and + renown a god must win on such a field! The ocean raving at a drop; a star + envious of a candle; the sun jealous of a fire-fly. + </p> + <p> + Go on, presbyteries and synods, go on! Thrust the heretics out of the + Church—that is to say, throw away your brains,—put out your + eyes. The infidels will thank you. They are willing to adopt your exiles. + Every deserter from your camp is a recruit for the army of progress. Cling + to the ignorant dogmas of the past; read the 109th Psalm; gloat over the + slaughter of mothers and babes; thank God for total depravity; shower your + honors upon hypocrites, and silence every minister who is touched with + that heresy called genius. + </p> + <p> + Be true to your history. Turn out the astronomers, the geologists, the + naturalists, the chemists, and all the honest scientists. With a whip of + scorpions, drive them all out. We want them all. Keep the ignorant, the + superstitious, the bigoted, and the writers of charges and specifications. + </p> + <p> + Keep them, and keep them all. Repeat your pious platitudes in the drowsy + ears of the faithful, and read your bible to heretics, as kings read some + forgotten riot-act to stop and stay the waves of revolution. You are too + weak to excite anger. We forgive your efforts as the sun forgives a cloud—as + the air forgives the breath you waste. + </p> + <p> + How long, O how long, will man listen to the threats of God, and shut his + eyes to the splendid possibilities of Nature? How long, O how long will + man remain the cringing slave of a false and cruel creed? + </p> + <p> + By this time the whole world should know that the real bible has not yet + been written, but is being written, and that it will never be finished + until the race begins its downward march, or ceases to exist. + </p> + <p> + The real bible is not the work of inspired men, nor prophets, nor + apostles, nor evangelists, nor of Christs. Every man who finds a fact, + adds, as it were, a word to this great book. It is not attested by + prophecy, by miracles or signs. It makes no appeal to faith, to ignorance, + to credulity or fear. It has no punishment for unbelief, and no reward for + hypocrisy. It appeals to man in the name of demonstration. It has nothing + to conceal. It has no fear of being read, of being contradicted, of being + investigated and understood. It does not pretend to be holy, or sacred; it + simply claims to be true. It challenges the scrutiny of all, and implores + every reader to verify every line for himself. It is incapable of being + blasphemed. This book appeals to all the surroundings of man. Each thing + that exists testifies of its perfection. The earth, with its heart of fire + and crowns of snow; with its forests and plains, its rocks and seas; with + its every wave and cloud; with its every leaf and bud and flower, confirms + its every word, and the solemn stars, shining in the infinite abysses, are + the eternal witnesses of it's truth. + </p> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HERETICS AND HERESIES ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..630391f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #38095 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38095) diff --git a/old/38095-8.txt b/old/38095-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e5052f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38095-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1304 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Heretics And Heresies, by Robert G. Ingersoll + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Heretics And Heresies + From 'The Gods and Other Lectures' + +Author: Robert G. Ingersoll + +Release Date: November 22, 2011 [EBook #38095] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HERETICS AND HERESIES *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + +HERETICS AND HERESIES + +By Robert G. Ingersoll + + + + +HERETICS AND HERESIES + +LIBERTY, A WORD WITHOUT WHICH ALL OTHER WORDS ARE VAIN. + +WHOEVER has an opinion of his own, and honestly expresses it, will be +guilty of heresy. Heresy is what the minority believe; it is the name +given by the powerful to the doctrine of the weak. This word was born of +the hatred, arrogance and cruelty of those who love their enemies, and +who, when smitten on one cheek, turn the other. This word was born of +intellectual slavery in the feudal ages of thought. It was an epithet +used in the place of argument. From the commencement of the Christian +era, every art has been exhausted and every conceivable punishment +inflicted to force all people to hold the same religious opinions. This +effort was born of the idea that a certain belief was necessary to the +salvation of the soul. Christ taught, and the Church still teaches, +that unbelief is the blackest of crimes. God is supposed to hate with +an infinite and implacable hatred, every heretic upon the earth, and the +heretics who have died are supposed at this moment to be suffering the +agonies of the damned. The Church persecutes the living and her God +burns the dead. + +It is claimed that God wrote a book called the Bible, and it is +generally admitted that this book is somewhat difficult to understand. +As long as the Church had all the copies of this book, and the people +were not allowed to read it, there was comparatively little heresy in +the world; but when it was printed and read, people began honestly to +differ as to its meaning. A few were independent and brave enough to +give the world their real thoughts, and for the extermination of these +men the Church used all her power. Protestants and Catholics vied with +each other in the work of enslaving the human mind. For ages they were +rivals in the infamous effort to rid the earth of honest people. They +infested every country, every city, town, hamlet and family. They +appealed to the worst passions of the human heart. They sowed the seeds +of discord and hatred in every land. Brother denounced brother, wives +informed against their husbands, mothers accused their children, +dungeons were crowded with the innocent; the flesh of the good and true +rotted in the clasp of chains; the flames devoured the heroic, and in +the name of the most merciful God, his children were exterminated with +famine, sword, and fire. Over the wild waves of battle rose and fell +the banner of Jesus Christ. For sixteen hundred years the robes of the +Church were red with innocent blood. The ingenuity of Christians was +exhausted in devising punishment severe enough to be inflicted upon +other Christians who honestly and sincerely differed with them upon any +point whatever. + +Give any orthodox church the power, and to-day they would punish heresy +with whip, and chain, and fire. As long as a church deems a certain +belief essential to salvation, just so long it will kill and burn if it +has the power. Why should the Church pity a man whom her God hates? Why +should she show mercy to a kind and noble heretic whom her God will burn +in eternal fire? Why should a Christian be better than his God? It is +impossible for the imagination to conceive of a greater atrocity than +has been perpetrated by the Church. Every nerve in the human body +capable of pain has been sought out and touched by the Church. + +Let it be remembered that all churches have persecuted heretics to the +extent of their power. Toleration has increased only when and where the +power of the church has diminished. From Augustine until now the +spirit of the Christians has remained the same. There has been the same +intolerance, the same undying hatred of all who think for themselves, +and the same determination to crush out of the human brain all knowledge +inconsistent with an ignorant creed. + +Every church pretends that it has a revelation from God, and that this +revelation must be given to the people through the Church; that the +Church acts through its priests, and that ordinary mortals must be +content with a revelation--not from God--but from the Church. Had +the people submitted to this preposterous claim, of course there could +have been but one church, and that church never could have advanced. +It might have retrograded, because it is not necessary to think or +investigate in order to forget. Without heresy there could have been no +progress. + +The highest type of the orthodox Christian does not forget; neither +does he learn. He neither advances nor recedes. He is a living fossil +embedded in that rock called faith. He makes no effort to better his +condition, because all his strength is exhausted in keeping other people +from improving theirs. The supreme desire of his heart is to force all +others to adopt his creed, and in order to accomplish this object he +denounces free-thinking as a crime, and this crime he calls heresy. When +he had power, heresy was the most terrible and formidable of words. It +meant confiscation, exile, imprisonment, torture, and death. + +In those days the cross and rack were inseparable companions. Across +the open bible lay the sword and fagot. Not content with burning such +heretics as were alive, they even tried the dead, in order that the +Church might rob their wives and children. The property of all heretics +was confiscated, and on this account they charged the dead with being +heretical--indicted, as it were, their dust--to the end that the +Church might clutch the bread of orphans. Learned divines discussed +the propriety of tearing out the tongues of heretics before they were +burned, and the general opinion was, that this ought to be done so that +the heretics should not be able, by uttering blasphemies, to shock +the Christians who were burning them. With a mixture of ferocity and +Christianity, the priests insisted that heretics ought to be burned at +a slow fire, giving as a reason that more time was given them for +repentance. + +No wonder that Jesus Christ said, "I came not to bring peace, but a +sword." + +Every priest regarded himself as the agent of God. He answered all +questions by authority, and to treat him with disrespect was an insult +offered to God. No one was asked to think, but all were commanded to +obey. + +In 1208 the Inquisition was established. Seven years afterward, the +fourth council of the Lateran enjoined all kings and rulers to swear +an oath that they would exterminate heretics from their dominions. The +sword of the Church was unsheathed, and the world was at the mercy of +ignorant and infuriated priests, whose eyes feasted upon the agonies +they inflicted. Acting, as they believed, or pretended to believe, under +the command of God; stimulated by the hope of infinite reward in another +world--hating heretics with every drop of their bestial blood; savage +beyond description; merciless beyond conception,--these infamous +priests, in a kind of frenzied joy, leaped upon the helpless victims of +their rage. They crushed their bones in iron boots; tore their quivering +flesh with iron hooks and pincers; cut off their lips and eyelids; +pulled out their nails, and into the bleeding quick thrust needles; tore +out their tongues; extinguished their eyes; stretched them upon racks; +flayed them alive; crucified them with their heads downward; exposed +them to wild beasts; burned them at the stake; mocked their cries and +groans; ravished their wives; robbed their children, and then prayed God +to finish the holy work in hell. + +Millions upon millions were sacrificed upon the altars of bigotry. The +Catholic burned the Lutheran, the Lutheran burned the Catholic, the +Episcopalian tortured the Presbyterian, the Presbyterian tortured the +Episcopalian. Every denomination killed all it could of every other; and +each Christian felt in duty bound to exterminate every other Christian +who denied the smallest fraction of his creed. + +In the reign of Henry VIII--that pious and moral founder of the +apostolic Episcopal Church,--there was passed by the parliament of +England an act entitled "An act for abolishing of diversity of opinion." +And in this act was set forth what a good Christian was obliged to +believe: + +First, That in the sacrament was the real body and blood of Jesus +Christ. + +Second, That the body and blood of Jesus Christ was in the bread, and +the blood and body of Jesus Christ was in the wine. + +Third, That priests should not marry. + +Fourth, That vows of chastity were of perpetual obligation. + +Fifth, That private masses ought to be continued; and, + +Sixth, That auricular confession to a priest must be maintained. + +This creed was made by law, in order that all men might know just what +to believe by simply reading the statute. The Church hated to see the +people wearing out their brains in thinking upon these subjects. It was +thought far better that a creed should be made by parliament, so that +whatever might be lacking in evidence might be made up in force. The +punishment for denying the first article was death by fire. For +the denial of any other article, imprisonment, and for the second +offense--death. + +Your attention is called to these six articles, established during the +reign of Henry VIII, and by the Church of England, simply because not +one of these articles is believed by that church to-day. If the law then +made by the church could be enforced now, every Episcopalian would be +burned at the stake. + +Similar laws were passed in most Christian countries, as all orthodox +churches firmly believed that mankind could be legislated into heaven. +According to the creed of every church, slavery leads to heaven, liberty +leads to hell. It was claimed that God had founded the Church, and that +to deny the authority of the Church was to be a traitor to God, and +consequently an ally of the devil. To torture and destroy one of the +soldiers of Satan was a duty no good Christian cared to neglect. Nothing +can be sweeter than to earn the gratitude of God by killing your own +enemies. Such a mingling of profit and revenge, of heaven for yourself +and damnation for those you dislike, is a temptation that your ordinary +Christian never resists. + +According to the theologians, God, the Father of us all, wrote a letter +to his children. The children have always differed somewhat as to the +meaning of this letter. In consequence of these honest differences, +these brothers began to cut out each other's hearts. In every land, +where this letter from God has been read, the children to whom and for +whom it was written have been filled with hatred and malice. They have +imprisoned and murdered each other, and the wives and children of each +other. In the name of God every possible crime has been committed, every +conceivable outrage has been perpetrated. Brave men, tender and loving +women, beautiful girls, and prattling babes have been exterminated in +the name of Jesus Christ. For more than fifty generations the Church +has carried the black flag. Her vengeance has been measured only by +her power. During all these years of infamy no heretic has ever been +forgiven. With the heart of a fiend she has hated; with the clutch of +avarice she has grasped; with the jaws of a dragon she has devoured; +pitiless as famine, merciless as fire, with the conscience of a serpent: +such is the history of the Church of God. + +I do not say, and I do not believe, that Christians are as bad as their +creeds. In spite of Church and dogma, there have been millions and +millions of men and women true to the loftiest and most generous +promptings of the human heart. They have been true to their convictions, +and, with a self-denial and fortitude excelled by none, have labored +and suffered for the salvation of men. Imbued with the spirit of +self-sacrifice, believing that by personal effort they could rescue at +least a few souls from the infinite shadow of hell, they have +cheerfully endured every hardship and scorned every danger. And yet, +notwithstanding all this, they believed that honest error was a crime. +They knew that the bible so declared, and they believed that all +unbelievers would be eternally lost. They believed that religion was +of God, and all heresy of the devil. They killed heretics in defense +of their own souls and the souls of their children. They killed them +because, according to their idea, they were the enemies of God, and +because the bible teaches that the blood of the unbeliever is a most +acceptable sacrifice to heaven. + +Nature never prompted a loving mother to throw her child into the +Ganges. Nature never prompted men to exterminate each other for a +difference of opinion concerning the baptism of infants. These crimes +have been produced by religions filled with all that is illogical, +cruel and hideous. These religions were produced for the most part by +ignorance, tyranny and hypocrisy. Under the impression that the infinite +ruler and creator of the universe had commanded the destruction of +heretics and infidels, the Church perpetrated all these crimes. + +Men and women have been burned for thinking there is but one God; that +there was none; that the Holy Ghost is younger than God; that God was +somewhat older than his son; for insisting that good works will save a +man without faith; that faith will do without good works; for declaring +that a sweet babe will not be burned eternally, because its parents +failed to have its head wet by a priest; for speaking of God as +though he had a nose; for denying that Christ was his own father; for +contending that three persons, rightly added together, make more than +one; for believing in purgatory; for denying the reality of hell; for +pretending that priests can forgive sins; for preaching that God is an +essence; for denying that witches rode through the air on sticks; +for doubting the total depravity of the human heart; for laughing +at irresistible grace, predestination and particular redemption; for +denying that good bread could be made of the body of a dead man; for +pretending that the pope was not managing this world for God, and in the +place of God; for disputing the efficacy of a vicarious atonement; for +thinking the Virgin Mary was born like other people; for thinking that a +man's rib was hardly sufficient to make a good-sized woman; for denying +that God used his finger for a pen; for asserting that prayers are not +answered, that diseases are not sent to punish unbelief; for denying +the authority of the bible; for having a bible in their possession; for +attending mass, and for refusing to attend; for wearing a surplice; for +carrying a cross, and for refusing; for being a Catholic, and for being +a Protestant; for being an Episcopalian, a Presbyterian, a Baptist, and +for being a Quaker. In short, every virtue has been a crime, and every +crime a virtue. The Church has burned honesty and rewarded hypocrisy. +And all this, because it was commanded by a book--a book that men had +been taught implicitly to believe, long before they knew one word that +was in it. They had been taught that to doubt the truth of this +book--to examine it, even--was a crime of such enormity that it could +not be forgiven, either in this world or in the next. + +The bible was the real persecutor. The bible burned heretics, built +dungeons, founded the Inquisition, and trampled upon all the liberties +of men. + +How long, O how long will mankind worship a book? How long will they +grovel in the dust before the ignorant legends of the barbaric past? +How long, O how long will they pursue phantoms in a darkness deeper than +death? + +Unfortunately for the world, about the beginning of the sixteenth +century, a man by the name of Gerard Chauvin was married to Jeanne +Lefranc, and still more unfortunately for the world, the fruit of this +marriage was a son, called John Chauvin, who afterwards became famous as +John Calvin, the founder of the Presbyterian Church. + +#This man forged five fetters for the brain. These fetters he called +points. That is to say, predestination, particular redemption, total +depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. About +the neck of each follower he put a collar bristling with these five iron +points. The presence of all these points on the collar is still the test +of orthodoxy in the church he founded. This man, when in the flush of +youth, was elected to the office of preacher in Geneva. He at once, +in union with Farel, drew up a condensed statement of the Presbyterian +doctrine, and all the citizens of Geneva, on pain of banishment, were +compelled to take an oath that they believed this statement. Of this +proceeding Calvin very innocently remarked that it produced great +satisfaction. A man named Caroli had the audacity to dispute with +Calvin. For this outrage he was banished. + +To show you what great subjects occupied the attention of Calvin, it is +only necessary to state that he furiously discussed the question as to +whether the sacramental bread should be leavened or unleavened. He drew +up laws regulating the cut of the citizens' clothes, and prescribing +their diet, and all those whose garments were not in the Calvin fashion +were refused the sacrament At last, the people becoming tired of this +petty theological tyranny, banished Calvin. In a few years, however, +he was recalled and received with great enthusiasm. After this he was +supreme, and the will of Calvin became the law of Geneva. Under his +benign administration, James Gruet was beheaded because he had written +some profane verses. The slightest word against Calvin or his absurd +doctrines was punished as a crime. 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 erect-ing the most detestable government that ever existed, +except the one from which it was copied. + +Against all this intolerance, one man, a minister, raised his voice. The +name of this man should never be forgotten. It was Castellio. This brave +man had the goodness and the courage to declare the innocence of honest +error. He was the first of the so-called reformers to take this noble +ground. I wish I had the genius to pay a fitting tribute to his memory. +Perhaps it would be impossible to pay him a grander compliment than to +say, Castellio was in all things the opposite of Calvin. To plead for +the right of individual judgment was considered a crime, and Castellio +was driven from Geneva by John Calvin. By him he was denounced as a +child of the devil, as a dog of Satan, as a beast from hell, and as +one who, by this horrid blasphemy of the innocence of honest error, +crucified Christ afresh, and by him he was pursued until rescued by the +hand of death. + +Upon the name of Castellio, Calvin heaped every epithet, until his +malice was nearly satisfied and his imagination entirely exhausted. It +is impossible to conceive how human nature can become so frightfully +perverted as to pursue a fellow man with the malignity of a fiend, +simply because he is good, just, and generous Calvin was of a pallid, +bloodless complexion, thin, sickly, irritable, gloomy, impatient, +egotistic, tyrannical, heartless, and infamous. He was a strange +compound of revengeful morality, malicious forgiveness, ferocious +charity, egotistic humility, and a kind of hellish justice. In other +words, he was as near like the God of the Old Testament as his health +permitted. + +The best thing, however, about the Presbyterians of Geneva was, that +they denied the power of the Pope, and the best thing about the Pope +was, that he was not a Presbyterian. + +The doctrines of Calvin spread rapidly, and were eagerly accepted by +multitudes on the continent; but Scotland, in a few years, became the +real fortress of Presbyterianism. The Scotch succeeded in establishing +the same kind of theocracy that flourished in Geneva. The clergy took +possession and control of everybody and everything. It is impossible to +exaggerate the mental degradation, the abject superstition of the people +of Scotland during the reign of Presbyterianism. Heretics were hunted +and devoured as though they had been wild beasts. The gloomy insanity of +Presbyterianism took possession of a great majority of the people. They +regarded their ministers as the Jews did Moses and Aaron. They believed +that they were the especial agents of God, and that whatsoever they +bound in Scotland would be bound in heaven. There was not one particle +of intellectual freedom. No man was allowed to differ with the Church, +or to even contradict a priest. Had Presbyterianism maintained its +ascendency, Scotland would have been peopled by savages to-day. + +The revengeful spirit of Calvin took possession of the Puritans, and +caused them to redden the soil of the New World with the brave blood of +honest men. Clinging to the five points of Calvin, they too established +governments in accordance with the teachings of the Old Testament. They +too attached the penalty of death to the expression of honest thought. +They too believed their church supreme, and exerted all their power to +curse this continent with a spiritual despotism as infamous as it was +absurd. They believed with Luther that universal toleration is universal +error, and universal error is universal hell. Toleration was denounced +as a crime. + +Fortunately for us, civilization has had a softening effect even upon +the Presbyterian Church. To the ennobling influence of the arts and +sciences the savage spirit of Calvinism has, in some slight degree, +succumbed. True, the old creed remains substantially as it was written, +but by a kind of tacit understanding it has come to be regarded as a +relic of the past. The cry of "heresy" has been growing fainter and +fainter, and, as a consequence, the ministers of that denomination +have ventured, now and then, to express doubts as to the damnation of +infants, and the doctrine of total depravity. The fact is, the old ideas +became a little monotonous to the people. The fall of man, the scheme of +redemption and irresistible grace, began to have a familiar sound. The +preachers told the old stories while the congregations slept. Some of +the ministers became tired of these stories themselves. The five points +grew dull, and they felt that nothing short of irresistible grace could +bear this endless repetition. The outside world was full of progress, +and in every direction men advanced, while this church, anchored to a +creed, idly rotted at the shore. Other denominations, imbued some little +with the spirit of investigation, were springing up on every side, while +the old Presbyterian ark rested on the Ararat of the past, filled with +the theological monsters of another age. + +Lured by the splendors of the outer world, tempted by the achievements +of science, longing to feel the throb and beat of the mighty march of +the human race, a few of the ministers of this conservative denomination +were compelled, by irresistible sense, to say a few words in harmony +with the splendid ideas of to-day. + +These utterances have upon several occasions so nearly wakened some of +the members that, rubbing their eyes, they have feebly inquired whether +these grand ideas were not somewhat heretical. These ministers found +that just in the proportion that their orthodoxy decreased, their +congregations increased. Those who dealt in the pure unadulterated +article found themselves demonstrating the five points to a less number +of hearers than they had points. Stung to madness by this bitter truth, +this galling contrast, this harassing fact, the really orthodox have +raised the cry of heresy, and expect with this cry to seal the lips +of honest men. One of the Presbyterian ministers, and one who has been +enjoying the luxury of a little honest thought, and the real rapture of +expressing it, has already been indicted, and is about to be tried by +the Presbytery of Illinois. He is charged-- + +First. With having neglected to preach that most comforting and +consoling truth, the eternal damnation of the soul. + +Surely, that man must be a monster who could wish to blot this blessed +doctrine out and rob earth's wretched children of this blissful hope! + +Who can estimate the misery that has been caused by this most infamous +doctrine of eternal punishment? Think of the lives it has blighted--of +the tears it has caused--of the agony it has produced. Think of the +millions who have been driven to insanity by this most terrible of +dogmas. This doctrine renders God the basest and most cruel being in +the universe. Compared with him, the most frightful deities of the most +barbarous and degraded tribes are miracles of goodness and mercy. There +is nothing more degrading than to worship such a god. Lower than this +the soul can never sink. If the doctrine of eternal damnation is true, +let me share the fate of the unconverted; let me have my portion in +hell, rather than in heaven with a god infamous enough to inflict +eternal misery upon any of the sons of men. + +Second. With having spoken a few kind words of Robert Collyer and John +Stuart Mill. + +I have the honor of a slight acquaintance with Robert Collyer. I have +read with pleasure some of his exquisite productions. He has a brain +full of the dawn, the head of a philosopher, the imagination of a poet +and the sincere heart of a child. + +Is a minister to be silenced because he speaks fairly of a noble and +candid adversary? Is it a crime to compliment a lover of justice, an +advocate of liberty; one who devotes his life to the elevation of man, +the discovery of truth, and the promulgation of what he believes to be +right? + +Can that tongue be palsied by a presbytery that praises a self-denying +and heroic life? Is it a sin to speak a charitable word over the grave +of John Stuart Mill? Is it heretical to pay a just and graceful tribute +to departed worth? Must the true Presbyterian violate the sanctity of +the tomb, dig open the grave and ask his God to curse the silent dust? +Is Presbyterianism so narrow that it conceives of no excellence, of no +purity of intention, of no spiritual and moral grandeur outside of its +barbaric creed? Does it still retain within its stony heart all the +malice of its founder? Is it still warming its fleshless hands at the +flames that consumed Servetus? Does it still glory in the damnation of +infants, and does it still persist in emptying the cradle in order that +perdition may be filled? Is it still starving the soul and famishing +the heart? Is it still trembling and shivering, crouching and crawling +before its ignorant Confession of Faith? + +Had such men as Robert Collyer and John Stuart Mill been present at the +burning of Servetus, they would have extinguished the flames with their +tears. Had the presbytery of Chicago been there, they would have quietly +turned their backs, solemnly divided their coat tails, and warmed +themselves. + +Third, With having spoken disparagingly of the doctrine of +predestination. + +If there is any dogma that ought to be protected by law, predestination +is that doctrine. Surely it is a cheerful, joyous thing, to one who is +laboring, struggling, and suffering in this weary world, to think that +before he existed; before the earth was; before a star had glittered in +the heavens; before a ray of light had left the quiver of the sun, his +destiny had been irrevocably fixed, and that for an eternity before his +birth he had been doomed to bear eternal pain. + +Fourth. With failing to preach the efficacy of a "vicarious sacrifice." + +Suppose a man had been convicted of murder, and was about to be +hanged--the governor acting as the executioner; and suppose that just as +the doomed man was about to suffer death some one in the crowd should +step forward and say, "I am willing to die in the place of that +murderer. He has a family, and I have none." And suppose further, that +the governor should reply, "Come forward, young man, your offer is +accepted. A murder has been committed and somebody must be hung, and +your death will satisfy the law just as well as the death of the +murderer." What would you then think of the doctrine of "vicarious +sacrifice?" + +This doctrine is the consummation of two outrages--forgiving one crime +and committing another. + +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," Bastian and his "Spontaneous Generation," Huxley and his +"Protoplasm" Tyndall and his "Prayer Gauge" 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 Catharine II. + +Penelope, waiting patiently and trustfully for her lord's return, +delaying her suitors, while sadly weaving and unweaving 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 to-day, 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 Iwan, 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 of "irresistible grace." + +Seventh, With repudiating the idea of a "call" to the 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 had a "call" to the ministry. To which the deacon replied, "That +may be so, but it's very unfortunate for you, that when God called you +to preach, he forgot to call anybody to hear you." + +There is nothing more stupidly egotistic than the claim of the clergy +that they are, in some divine sense, set apart to the service of the +Lord; that they have been chosen, and sanctified; that there is an +infinite difference between them and persons employed in secular +affairs. They teach us that all other professions must take care of +themselves; that God allows anybody to be a doctor, a lawyer, statesman, +soldier, or artist; that the Motts and Coopers--the Mansfields and +Marshalls--the Wilberforces and Sumners--the Angelos and Raphaels, +were never honored by a "call." They chose their professions and won +their laurels without the assistance of the Lord. All these men were +left free to follow their own inclinations, while God was busily +engaged selecting and "calling" priests, rectors, elders, ministers and +exhorters. + +Eighth. With having doubted that God was the author of the 109th Psalm. + +The portion of that psalm which carries with it the clearest and most +satisfactory evidences of inspiration, and which has afforded almost +unspeakable consolation to the Presbyterian church, is as follows: + +Set thou a wicked man over him; and let Satan stand at his right hand. + +When he shall be judged, let him be condemned; and let his prayer become +sin. + +Let his days be few; and let another take his office. + +Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. + +Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek their +bread also out of their desolate places. + +Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil +his labor. + +Let there be none to extend mercy unto him; neither let there be any to +favor his fatherless children. + +Let his posterity be cut off: and in the generation following let their +name be blotted out. + +***** + +But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for Thy name's sake; because Thy +mercy is good, deliver Thou me. * * I will greatly praise the Lord with +my _mouth_. + +Think of a God wicked and malicious enough to inspire this prayer. Think +of one infamous enough to answer it. + +Had this inspired psalm been found in some temple erected for the +worship of snakes, or in the possession of some cannibal king, written +with blood upon the dried skins of babes, there would have been a +perfect harmony between its surroundings and its sentiments. + +No wonder that the author of this inspired psalm coldly received +Socrates and Penelope, and reserved his sweetest smiles for Catharine +the Second. + +Ninth. With having said that the battles in which the Israelites +engaged, with the approval and command of Jehovah, surpassed in cruelty +those of Julius Cæsar. + +Was it Julius Cæsar who said, "And the Lord our God delivered him before +us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. And we took all +his cities, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little +ones, of every city, we left none to remain"? + +Did Julius Caesar send the following report to the Roman senate? "And we +took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not +from them, three-score cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of +Og in Bashan. All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and +bars; beside unwalled towns a great many. And we utterly destroyed them, +as we did unto. Sihon, king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, +women, and children of every city." + +Did Caesar take the city of Jericho "and utterly destroy all that was +in the city, both men and women, young and old"? Did he smite "all the +country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the +springs, and all their kings, and leave none remaining that breathed, as +the Lord God had commanded"? + +Search the records of the whole world, find out the history of every +barbarous tribe, and you cart find no crime that touched a lower depth +of infamy than those the bible's God commanded and approved. For such +a God I have no words to express my loathing and contempt, and all the +words in all the languages of man would scarcely be sufficient. Away +with such a God! Give me Jupiter rather, with Io and Europa, or even +Siva with his skulls and snakes. + +Tenth. With having repudiated the doctrine of "total depravity." + +What a precious doctrine is that of the total depravity of the human +heart! How sweet it is to believe that the lives of all the good and +great were continual sins and perpetual crimes; that the love a mother +bears her child is, in the sight of God, a sin; that the gratitude of +the natural heart is simple meanness; that the tears of pity are impure; +that for the unconverted to live and labor for others is an offense to +heaven; that the noblest aspirations of the soul are low and groveling +in the sight of God; that man should fall upon his knees and ask +forgiveness, simply for loving his wife and child, and that even the act +of asking forgiveness is in fact a crime! + +Surely it is a kind of bliss to feel that every woman and child in the +wide world, with the exception of those who believe the five points, or +some other equally cruel creed, and such children as have been baptized, +ought at this very moment to be dashed down to the lowest glowing gulf +of hell. + +Take from the Christian the history of his own church--leave that +entirely out of the question--and he has no argument left with which to +substantiate the total depravity of man. + +Eleventh. With having doubted the "perseverance of the saints." + +I suppose the real meaning of this doctrine is, that Presbyterians are +just as sure of going to heaven as all other folks are of going to hell. +The real idea being, that it all depends upon the will of God, and not +upon the character of the person to be damned or saved; that God has the +weakness to send Presbyterians to Paradise, and the justice to doom the +rest of mankind to eternal fire. + +It is admitted that no unconverted brain can see the least particle of +sense in this doctrine; that it is abhorrent to all who have not been +the recipients of a "new heart;" that only the perfectly good can +justify the perfectly infamous. + +It is contended that the saints do not persevere of their own free +will--that they are entitled to no credit for persevering; but that God +forces them to persevere, while on the other hand, every crime is +committed in accordance with the secret will of God, who does all things +for his own glory. + +Compared with this doctrine, there is no other idea, that has ever been +believed by man, that can properly be called absurd. + +Twelfth, With having spoken and written somewhat lightly of the idea of +converting the heathen with doctrinal sermons. + +Of all the failures of which we have any history or knowledge, the +missionary effort is the most conspicuous. The whole question has been +decided here, in our own country, and conclusively settled. We have +nearly exterminated the Indians, but we have converted none. From the +days of John Eliot to the execution of the last Modoc, not one Indian +has been the subject of irresistible grace or particular redemption. +The few red men who roam the western wilderness have no thought or care +concerning the five points of Calvin. They are utterly oblivious to +the great and vital truths contained in the Thirty-nine Articles, the +Saybrook platform, and the resolutions of the Evangelical Alliance. No +Indian has ever scalped another on account of his religious belief. This +of itself shows conclusively that the missionaries have had no effect. + +Why should we convert the heathen of China and kill our own? Why should +we send missionaries across the seas, and soldiers over the plains? +Why should we send bibles to the east and muskets to the west? If it +is impossible to convert Indians who have no religion of their own; no +prejudice for or against the "eternal procession of the Holy Ghost," how +can we expect to convert a heathen who has a religion; who has plenty +of gods and bibles and prophets and Christs, and who has a religious +literature far grander than our own? Can we hope with the story of +Daniel in the lions' den to rival the stupendous miracles of India? Is +there anything in our bible as lofty and loving as the prayer of the +Buddhist? Compare your "Confession of Faith" with the following: "Never +will I seek nor receive private individual salvation--never enter into +final peace alone; but forever and everywhere will I live and strive for +the universal redemption of every creature throughout all worlds. Until +all are delivered, never will I leave the world of sin, sorrow, and +struggle, but will remain where I am." + +Think of sending an average Presbyterian to convert a man who daily +offers this tender, this infinitely generous, this incomparable prayer. +Think of reading the 109th Psalm to a heathen who has a bible of his own +in which is found this passage: "Blessed is that man and beloved of all +the gods, who is afraid of no man, and of whom no man is afraid." + +Why should you read even the New Testament to a Hindu, when his own +Chrishna has said, "If a man strike thee, and in striking drop his +staff, pick it up and hand it to him again"? Why send a Presbyterian to +a Sufi, who says, "Better one moment of silent contemplation and inward +love, than seventy thousand years of outward worship"? "Whoso would +carelessly tread one worm that crawls on earth, that heartless one is +darkly alienate from God; but he that, living, embraceth all things in +his love, to live with him God bursts all bounds above, below." + +Why should we endeavor to thrust our cruel and heartless theology upon +one who prays this prayer: "O God, show pity toward the wicked; for on +the good thou hast already bestowed thy mercy by having created them +virtuous"? + +Compare this prayer with the curses and cruelties of the Old +Testament--with the infamies commanded and approved by the being whom we +are taught to worship as a God--and with the following tender product +of Presbyterianism: "It may seem absurd to human wisdom that God should +harden, blind, and deliver up some men to a reprobate sense; that he +should first deliver them over to evil, and then condemn them for that +evil; but the believing spiritual man sees no absurdity in all this, +knowing that God would be never a whit less good even though he should +destroy all men." + +Of all the religions that have been produced by the egotism, the malice, +the ignorance and ambition of man, Presbyterianism is the most hideous. + +But what shall I say more, for the time would fail me to tell of +Sabellianism, of a "Modal Trinity," and the "Eternal Procession of the +Holy Ghost"? + +Upon these charges, a minister is to be tried, here in Chicago; in this +city of pluck and progress--this marvel of energy--this miracle of +nerve. The cry of "heresy," here, sounds like a wail from the dark +ages--a shriek from the inquisition, or a groan from the grave of Calvin. + +Another effort is being made to enslave a man. + +It is claimed that every member of the church has solemnly agreed +never to outgrow the creed; that he has pledged himself to remain an +intellectual dwarf. Upon this condition the church agrees to save his +soul, and he hands over his brains to bind the bargain. Should a fact be +found inconsistent with the creed, he binds himself to deny the fact +and curse the finder. With scraps of dogmas and crumbs of doctrine, he +agrees that his soul shall be satisfied forever. What an intellectual +feast the Confession of Faith must be! It reminds one of the dinner +described by Sydney Smith, where everything was cold except the water, +and everything sour except the vinegar. + +Every member of a church promises to remain orthodox, that is to +say--stationary. Growth is heresy. Orthodox ideas are the feathers that +have been moulted by the eagle of progress. They are the dead leaves +under the majestic palm, while heresy is the bud and blossom at the top. + +Imagine a vine that grows at one end and decays at the other. The +end that grows is heresy, the end that rots is orthodox. The dead are +orthodox, and your cemetery is the most perfect type of a well regulated +church. No thought, no progress, no heresy there. Slowly and silently, +side by side, the satisfied members peacefully decay. There is only this +difference--the dead do not persecute. + +And what does a trial for heresy mean? It means that the Church says to +a heretic, "Believe as I do, or I will withdraw my support. I will not +employ you. I will pursue you until your garments are rags; until your +children cry for bread; until your cheeks are furrowed with tears. I +will hunt you to the very portals of the tomb, and then my God will do +the rest I will not imprison you. I will not burn you. The law prevents +my doing that. I helped make the law, not however to protect you, nor to +deprive me of the right to exterminate you; but in order to keep other +churches from exterminating me." + +A trial for heresy means that the spirit of persecution still lingers in +the Church; that it still denies the right of private judgment; that it +still thinks more of creed than truth, and that it is still determined +to prevent the intellectual growth of man. It means that churches are +shambles in which are bought and sold the souls of men. It means that +the Church is still guilty of the barbarity of opposing thought with +force. It means that if it had the power, the mental horizon would be +bounded by a creed; that it would bring again the whips and chains and +dungeon keys, the rack and fagot of the past But let me tell the Church +it lacks the power. There have been, and still are, too many men who own +themselves--too much thought, too much knowledge for the Church to grasp +again the sword of power. The Church must abdicate. For the Eglon of +superstition Science has a message from Truth. + +The heretics have not thought and suffered and died in vain. Every +heretic has been, and is, a ray of light Not in vain did Voltaire, that +great man, point from the foot of the Alps the finger of scorn at every +hypocrite in Europe. Not in vain were the splendid utterances of the +infidels, while beyond all price are the discoveries of science. + +The Church has impeded, but it has not and it cannot stop the onward +march of the human race. Heresy cannot be burned, nor imprisoned, nor +starved. It laughs at presbyteries and synods, at ecumenical councils +and the impotent thunders of Sinai. Heresy is the eternal dawn, the +morning star, the glittering herald of the day. Heresy is the last and +best thought. It is the perpetual New World, the unknown sea, toward +which the brave all sail. It is the eternal horizon of progress. + +Heresy extends the hospitalities of the brain to a new thought. + +Heresy is a cradle; orthodoxy, a coffin. + +Why should man be afraid to think, and why should he fear to express his +thoughts? + +Is it possible that an infinite Deity is unwilling that a man should +investigate the phenomena by which he is surrounded? Is it possible that +a god delights in threatening and terrifying men? What glory, what honor +and renown a god must win on such a field! The ocean raving at a drop; a +star envious of a candle; the sun jealous of a fire-fly. + +Go on, presbyteries and synods, go on! Thrust the heretics out of the +Church--that is to say, throw away your brains,--put out your eyes. +The infidels will thank you. They are willing to adopt your exiles. +Every deserter from your camp is a recruit for the army of progress. +Cling to the ignorant dogmas of the past; read the 109th Psalm; gloat +over the slaughter of mothers and babes; thank God for total depravity; +shower your honors upon hypocrites, and silence every minister who is +touched with that heresy called genius. + +Be true to your history. Turn out the astronomers, the geologists, the +naturalists, the chemists, and all the honest scientists. With a whip of +scorpions, drive them all out. We want them all. Keep the ignorant, +the superstitious, the bigoted, and the writers of charges and +specifications. + +Keep them, and keep them all. Repeat your pious platitudes in the drowsy +ears of the faithful, and read your bible to heretics, as kings read +some forgotten riot-act to stop and stay the waves of revolution. +You are too weak to excite anger. We forgive your efforts as the sun +forgives a cloud--as the air forgives the breath you waste. + +How long, O how long, will man listen to the threats of God, and shut +his eyes to the splendid possibilities of Nature? How long, O how long +will man remain the cringing slave of a false and cruel creed? + +By this time the whole world should know that the real bible has not yet +been written, but is being written, and that it will never be finished +until the race begins its downward march, or ceases to exist. + +The real bible is not the work of inspired men, nor prophets, nor +apostles, nor evangelists, nor of Christs. Every man who finds a fact, +adds, as it were, a word to this great book. It is not attested +by prophecy, by miracles or signs. It makes no appeal to faith, to +ignorance, to credulity or fear. It has no punishment for unbelief, and +no reward for hypocrisy. It appeals to man in the name of demonstration. +It has nothing to conceal. It has no fear of being read, of being +contradicted, of being investigated and understood. It does not pretend +to be holy, or sacred; it simply claims to be true. It challenges the +scrutiny of all, and implores every reader to verify every line for +himself. It is incapable of being blasphemed. This book appeals to +all the surroundings of man. Each thing that exists testifies of its +perfection. The earth, with its heart of fire and crowns of snow; with +its forests and plains, its rocks and seas; with its every wave and +cloud; with its every leaf and bud and flower, confirms its every word, +and the solemn stars, shining in the infinite abysses, are the eternal +witnesses of it's truth. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Heretics And Heresies, by Robert G. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/38095-8.zip b/old/38095-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fda0a1a --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38095-8.zip diff --git a/old/38095.txt b/old/38095.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9de3bac --- /dev/null +++ b/old/38095.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1304 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Heretics And Heresies, by Robert G. Ingersoll + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Heretics And Heresies + From 'The Gods and Other Lectures' + +Author: Robert G. Ingersoll + +Release Date: November 22, 2011 [EBook #38095] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HERETICS AND HERESIES *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + +HERETICS AND HERESIES + +By Robert G. Ingersoll + + + + +HERETICS AND HERESIES + +LIBERTY, A WORD WITHOUT WHICH ALL OTHER WORDS ARE VAIN. + +WHOEVER has an opinion of his own, and honestly expresses it, will be +guilty of heresy. Heresy is what the minority believe; it is the name +given by the powerful to the doctrine of the weak. This word was born of +the hatred, arrogance and cruelty of those who love their enemies, and +who, when smitten on one cheek, turn the other. This word was born of +intellectual slavery in the feudal ages of thought. It was an epithet +used in the place of argument. From the commencement of the Christian +era, every art has been exhausted and every conceivable punishment +inflicted to force all people to hold the same religious opinions. This +effort was born of the idea that a certain belief was necessary to the +salvation of the soul. Christ taught, and the Church still teaches, +that unbelief is the blackest of crimes. God is supposed to hate with +an infinite and implacable hatred, every heretic upon the earth, and the +heretics who have died are supposed at this moment to be suffering the +agonies of the damned. The Church persecutes the living and her God +burns the dead. + +It is claimed that God wrote a book called the Bible, and it is +generally admitted that this book is somewhat difficult to understand. +As long as the Church had all the copies of this book, and the people +were not allowed to read it, there was comparatively little heresy in +the world; but when it was printed and read, people began honestly to +differ as to its meaning. A few were independent and brave enough to +give the world their real thoughts, and for the extermination of these +men the Church used all her power. Protestants and Catholics vied with +each other in the work of enslaving the human mind. For ages they were +rivals in the infamous effort to rid the earth of honest people. They +infested every country, every city, town, hamlet and family. They +appealed to the worst passions of the human heart. They sowed the seeds +of discord and hatred in every land. Brother denounced brother, wives +informed against their husbands, mothers accused their children, +dungeons were crowded with the innocent; the flesh of the good and true +rotted in the clasp of chains; the flames devoured the heroic, and in +the name of the most merciful God, his children were exterminated with +famine, sword, and fire. Over the wild waves of battle rose and fell +the banner of Jesus Christ. For sixteen hundred years the robes of the +Church were red with innocent blood. The ingenuity of Christians was +exhausted in devising punishment severe enough to be inflicted upon +other Christians who honestly and sincerely differed with them upon any +point whatever. + +Give any orthodox church the power, and to-day they would punish heresy +with whip, and chain, and fire. As long as a church deems a certain +belief essential to salvation, just so long it will kill and burn if it +has the power. Why should the Church pity a man whom her God hates? Why +should she show mercy to a kind and noble heretic whom her God will burn +in eternal fire? Why should a Christian be better than his God? It is +impossible for the imagination to conceive of a greater atrocity than +has been perpetrated by the Church. Every nerve in the human body +capable of pain has been sought out and touched by the Church. + +Let it be remembered that all churches have persecuted heretics to the +extent of their power. Toleration has increased only when and where the +power of the church has diminished. From Augustine until now the +spirit of the Christians has remained the same. There has been the same +intolerance, the same undying hatred of all who think for themselves, +and the same determination to crush out of the human brain all knowledge +inconsistent with an ignorant creed. + +Every church pretends that it has a revelation from God, and that this +revelation must be given to the people through the Church; that the +Church acts through its priests, and that ordinary mortals must be +content with a revelation--not from God--but from the Church. Had +the people submitted to this preposterous claim, of course there could +have been but one church, and that church never could have advanced. +It might have retrograded, because it is not necessary to think or +investigate in order to forget. Without heresy there could have been no +progress. + +The highest type of the orthodox Christian does not forget; neither +does he learn. He neither advances nor recedes. He is a living fossil +embedded in that rock called faith. He makes no effort to better his +condition, because all his strength is exhausted in keeping other people +from improving theirs. The supreme desire of his heart is to force all +others to adopt his creed, and in order to accomplish this object he +denounces free-thinking as a crime, and this crime he calls heresy. When +he had power, heresy was the most terrible and formidable of words. It +meant confiscation, exile, imprisonment, torture, and death. + +In those days the cross and rack were inseparable companions. Across +the open bible lay the sword and fagot. Not content with burning such +heretics as were alive, they even tried the dead, in order that the +Church might rob their wives and children. The property of all heretics +was confiscated, and on this account they charged the dead with being +heretical--indicted, as it were, their dust--to the end that the +Church might clutch the bread of orphans. Learned divines discussed +the propriety of tearing out the tongues of heretics before they were +burned, and the general opinion was, that this ought to be done so that +the heretics should not be able, by uttering blasphemies, to shock +the Christians who were burning them. With a mixture of ferocity and +Christianity, the priests insisted that heretics ought to be burned at +a slow fire, giving as a reason that more time was given them for +repentance. + +No wonder that Jesus Christ said, "I came not to bring peace, but a +sword." + +Every priest regarded himself as the agent of God. He answered all +questions by authority, and to treat him with disrespect was an insult +offered to God. No one was asked to think, but all were commanded to +obey. + +In 1208 the Inquisition was established. Seven years afterward, the +fourth council of the Lateran enjoined all kings and rulers to swear +an oath that they would exterminate heretics from their dominions. The +sword of the Church was unsheathed, and the world was at the mercy of +ignorant and infuriated priests, whose eyes feasted upon the agonies +they inflicted. Acting, as they believed, or pretended to believe, under +the command of God; stimulated by the hope of infinite reward in another +world--hating heretics with every drop of their bestial blood; savage +beyond description; merciless beyond conception,--these infamous +priests, in a kind of frenzied joy, leaped upon the helpless victims of +their rage. They crushed their bones in iron boots; tore their quivering +flesh with iron hooks and pincers; cut off their lips and eyelids; +pulled out their nails, and into the bleeding quick thrust needles; tore +out their tongues; extinguished their eyes; stretched them upon racks; +flayed them alive; crucified them with their heads downward; exposed +them to wild beasts; burned them at the stake; mocked their cries and +groans; ravished their wives; robbed their children, and then prayed God +to finish the holy work in hell. + +Millions upon millions were sacrificed upon the altars of bigotry. The +Catholic burned the Lutheran, the Lutheran burned the Catholic, the +Episcopalian tortured the Presbyterian, the Presbyterian tortured the +Episcopalian. Every denomination killed all it could of every other; and +each Christian felt in duty bound to exterminate every other Christian +who denied the smallest fraction of his creed. + +In the reign of Henry VIII--that pious and moral founder of the +apostolic Episcopal Church,--there was passed by the parliament of +England an act entitled "An act for abolishing of diversity of opinion." +And in this act was set forth what a good Christian was obliged to +believe: + +First, That in the sacrament was the real body and blood of Jesus +Christ. + +Second, That the body and blood of Jesus Christ was in the bread, and +the blood and body of Jesus Christ was in the wine. + +Third, That priests should not marry. + +Fourth, That vows of chastity were of perpetual obligation. + +Fifth, That private masses ought to be continued; and, + +Sixth, That auricular confession to a priest must be maintained. + +This creed was made by law, in order that all men might know just what +to believe by simply reading the statute. The Church hated to see the +people wearing out their brains in thinking upon these subjects. It was +thought far better that a creed should be made by parliament, so that +whatever might be lacking in evidence might be made up in force. The +punishment for denying the first article was death by fire. For +the denial of any other article, imprisonment, and for the second +offense--death. + +Your attention is called to these six articles, established during the +reign of Henry VIII, and by the Church of England, simply because not +one of these articles is believed by that church to-day. If the law then +made by the church could be enforced now, every Episcopalian would be +burned at the stake. + +Similar laws were passed in most Christian countries, as all orthodox +churches firmly believed that mankind could be legislated into heaven. +According to the creed of every church, slavery leads to heaven, liberty +leads to hell. It was claimed that God had founded the Church, and that +to deny the authority of the Church was to be a traitor to God, and +consequently an ally of the devil. To torture and destroy one of the +soldiers of Satan was a duty no good Christian cared to neglect. Nothing +can be sweeter than to earn the gratitude of God by killing your own +enemies. Such a mingling of profit and revenge, of heaven for yourself +and damnation for those you dislike, is a temptation that your ordinary +Christian never resists. + +According to the theologians, God, the Father of us all, wrote a letter +to his children. The children have always differed somewhat as to the +meaning of this letter. In consequence of these honest differences, +these brothers began to cut out each other's hearts. In every land, +where this letter from God has been read, the children to whom and for +whom it was written have been filled with hatred and malice. They have +imprisoned and murdered each other, and the wives and children of each +other. In the name of God every possible crime has been committed, every +conceivable outrage has been perpetrated. Brave men, tender and loving +women, beautiful girls, and prattling babes have been exterminated in +the name of Jesus Christ. For more than fifty generations the Church +has carried the black flag. Her vengeance has been measured only by +her power. During all these years of infamy no heretic has ever been +forgiven. With the heart of a fiend she has hated; with the clutch of +avarice she has grasped; with the jaws of a dragon she has devoured; +pitiless as famine, merciless as fire, with the conscience of a serpent: +such is the history of the Church of God. + +I do not say, and I do not believe, that Christians are as bad as their +creeds. In spite of Church and dogma, there have been millions and +millions of men and women true to the loftiest and most generous +promptings of the human heart. They have been true to their convictions, +and, with a self-denial and fortitude excelled by none, have labored +and suffered for the salvation of men. Imbued with the spirit of +self-sacrifice, believing that by personal effort they could rescue at +least a few souls from the infinite shadow of hell, they have +cheerfully endured every hardship and scorned every danger. And yet, +notwithstanding all this, they believed that honest error was a crime. +They knew that the bible so declared, and they believed that all +unbelievers would be eternally lost. They believed that religion was +of God, and all heresy of the devil. They killed heretics in defense +of their own souls and the souls of their children. They killed them +because, according to their idea, they were the enemies of God, and +because the bible teaches that the blood of the unbeliever is a most +acceptable sacrifice to heaven. + +Nature never prompted a loving mother to throw her child into the +Ganges. Nature never prompted men to exterminate each other for a +difference of opinion concerning the baptism of infants. These crimes +have been produced by religions filled with all that is illogical, +cruel and hideous. These religions were produced for the most part by +ignorance, tyranny and hypocrisy. Under the impression that the infinite +ruler and creator of the universe had commanded the destruction of +heretics and infidels, the Church perpetrated all these crimes. + +Men and women have been burned for thinking there is but one God; that +there was none; that the Holy Ghost is younger than God; that God was +somewhat older than his son; for insisting that good works will save a +man without faith; that faith will do without good works; for declaring +that a sweet babe will not be burned eternally, because its parents +failed to have its head wet by a priest; for speaking of God as +though he had a nose; for denying that Christ was his own father; for +contending that three persons, rightly added together, make more than +one; for believing in purgatory; for denying the reality of hell; for +pretending that priests can forgive sins; for preaching that God is an +essence; for denying that witches rode through the air on sticks; +for doubting the total depravity of the human heart; for laughing +at irresistible grace, predestination and particular redemption; for +denying that good bread could be made of the body of a dead man; for +pretending that the pope was not managing this world for God, and in the +place of God; for disputing the efficacy of a vicarious atonement; for +thinking the Virgin Mary was born like other people; for thinking that a +man's rib was hardly sufficient to make a good-sized woman; for denying +that God used his finger for a pen; for asserting that prayers are not +answered, that diseases are not sent to punish unbelief; for denying +the authority of the bible; for having a bible in their possession; for +attending mass, and for refusing to attend; for wearing a surplice; for +carrying a cross, and for refusing; for being a Catholic, and for being +a Protestant; for being an Episcopalian, a Presbyterian, a Baptist, and +for being a Quaker. In short, every virtue has been a crime, and every +crime a virtue. The Church has burned honesty and rewarded hypocrisy. +And all this, because it was commanded by a book--a book that men had +been taught implicitly to believe, long before they knew one word that +was in it. They had been taught that to doubt the truth of this +book--to examine it, even--was a crime of such enormity that it could +not be forgiven, either in this world or in the next. + +The bible was the real persecutor. The bible burned heretics, built +dungeons, founded the Inquisition, and trampled upon all the liberties +of men. + +How long, O how long will mankind worship a book? How long will they +grovel in the dust before the ignorant legends of the barbaric past? +How long, O how long will they pursue phantoms in a darkness deeper than +death? + +Unfortunately for the world, about the beginning of the sixteenth +century, a man by the name of Gerard Chauvin was married to Jeanne +Lefranc, and still more unfortunately for the world, the fruit of this +marriage was a son, called John Chauvin, who afterwards became famous as +John Calvin, the founder of the Presbyterian Church. + +#This man forged five fetters for the brain. These fetters he called +points. That is to say, predestination, particular redemption, total +depravity, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. About +the neck of each follower he put a collar bristling with these five iron +points. The presence of all these points on the collar is still the test +of orthodoxy in the church he founded. This man, when in the flush of +youth, was elected to the office of preacher in Geneva. He at once, +in union with Farel, drew up a condensed statement of the Presbyterian +doctrine, and all the citizens of Geneva, on pain of banishment, were +compelled to take an oath that they believed this statement. Of this +proceeding Calvin very innocently remarked that it produced great +satisfaction. A man named Caroli had the audacity to dispute with +Calvin. For this outrage he was banished. + +To show you what great subjects occupied the attention of Calvin, it is +only necessary to state that he furiously discussed the question as to +whether the sacramental bread should be leavened or unleavened. He drew +up laws regulating the cut of the citizens' clothes, and prescribing +their diet, and all those whose garments were not in the Calvin fashion +were refused the sacrament At last, the people becoming tired of this +petty theological tyranny, banished Calvin. In a few years, however, +he was recalled and received with great enthusiasm. After this he was +supreme, and the will of Calvin became the law of Geneva. Under his +benign administration, James Gruet was beheaded because he had written +some profane verses. The slightest word against Calvin or his absurd +doctrines was punished as a crime. 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 erect-ing the most detestable government that ever existed, +except the one from which it was copied. + +Against all this intolerance, one man, a minister, raised his voice. The +name of this man should never be forgotten. It was Castellio. This brave +man had the goodness and the courage to declare the innocence of honest +error. He was the first of the so-called reformers to take this noble +ground. I wish I had the genius to pay a fitting tribute to his memory. +Perhaps it would be impossible to pay him a grander compliment than to +say, Castellio was in all things the opposite of Calvin. To plead for +the right of individual judgment was considered a crime, and Castellio +was driven from Geneva by John Calvin. By him he was denounced as a +child of the devil, as a dog of Satan, as a beast from hell, and as +one who, by this horrid blasphemy of the innocence of honest error, +crucified Christ afresh, and by him he was pursued until rescued by the +hand of death. + +Upon the name of Castellio, Calvin heaped every epithet, until his +malice was nearly satisfied and his imagination entirely exhausted. It +is impossible to conceive how human nature can become so frightfully +perverted as to pursue a fellow man with the malignity of a fiend, +simply because he is good, just, and generous Calvin was of a pallid, +bloodless complexion, thin, sickly, irritable, gloomy, impatient, +egotistic, tyrannical, heartless, and infamous. He was a strange +compound of revengeful morality, malicious forgiveness, ferocious +charity, egotistic humility, and a kind of hellish justice. In other +words, he was as near like the God of the Old Testament as his health +permitted. + +The best thing, however, about the Presbyterians of Geneva was, that +they denied the power of the Pope, and the best thing about the Pope +was, that he was not a Presbyterian. + +The doctrines of Calvin spread rapidly, and were eagerly accepted by +multitudes on the continent; but Scotland, in a few years, became the +real fortress of Presbyterianism. The Scotch succeeded in establishing +the same kind of theocracy that flourished in Geneva. The clergy took +possession and control of everybody and everything. It is impossible to +exaggerate the mental degradation, the abject superstition of the people +of Scotland during the reign of Presbyterianism. Heretics were hunted +and devoured as though they had been wild beasts. The gloomy insanity of +Presbyterianism took possession of a great majority of the people. They +regarded their ministers as the Jews did Moses and Aaron. They believed +that they were the especial agents of God, and that whatsoever they +bound in Scotland would be bound in heaven. There was not one particle +of intellectual freedom. No man was allowed to differ with the Church, +or to even contradict a priest. Had Presbyterianism maintained its +ascendency, Scotland would have been peopled by savages to-day. + +The revengeful spirit of Calvin took possession of the Puritans, and +caused them to redden the soil of the New World with the brave blood of +honest men. Clinging to the five points of Calvin, they too established +governments in accordance with the teachings of the Old Testament. They +too attached the penalty of death to the expression of honest thought. +They too believed their church supreme, and exerted all their power to +curse this continent with a spiritual despotism as infamous as it was +absurd. They believed with Luther that universal toleration is universal +error, and universal error is universal hell. Toleration was denounced +as a crime. + +Fortunately for us, civilization has had a softening effect even upon +the Presbyterian Church. To the ennobling influence of the arts and +sciences the savage spirit of Calvinism has, in some slight degree, +succumbed. True, the old creed remains substantially as it was written, +but by a kind of tacit understanding it has come to be regarded as a +relic of the past. The cry of "heresy" has been growing fainter and +fainter, and, as a consequence, the ministers of that denomination +have ventured, now and then, to express doubts as to the damnation of +infants, and the doctrine of total depravity. The fact is, the old ideas +became a little monotonous to the people. The fall of man, the scheme of +redemption and irresistible grace, began to have a familiar sound. The +preachers told the old stories while the congregations slept. Some of +the ministers became tired of these stories themselves. The five points +grew dull, and they felt that nothing short of irresistible grace could +bear this endless repetition. The outside world was full of progress, +and in every direction men advanced, while this church, anchored to a +creed, idly rotted at the shore. Other denominations, imbued some little +with the spirit of investigation, were springing up on every side, while +the old Presbyterian ark rested on the Ararat of the past, filled with +the theological monsters of another age. + +Lured by the splendors of the outer world, tempted by the achievements +of science, longing to feel the throb and beat of the mighty march of +the human race, a few of the ministers of this conservative denomination +were compelled, by irresistible sense, to say a few words in harmony +with the splendid ideas of to-day. + +These utterances have upon several occasions so nearly wakened some of +the members that, rubbing their eyes, they have feebly inquired whether +these grand ideas were not somewhat heretical. These ministers found +that just in the proportion that their orthodoxy decreased, their +congregations increased. Those who dealt in the pure unadulterated +article found themselves demonstrating the five points to a less number +of hearers than they had points. Stung to madness by this bitter truth, +this galling contrast, this harassing fact, the really orthodox have +raised the cry of heresy, and expect with this cry to seal the lips +of honest men. One of the Presbyterian ministers, and one who has been +enjoying the luxury of a little honest thought, and the real rapture of +expressing it, has already been indicted, and is about to be tried by +the Presbytery of Illinois. He is charged-- + +First. With having neglected to preach that most comforting and +consoling truth, the eternal damnation of the soul. + +Surely, that man must be a monster who could wish to blot this blessed +doctrine out and rob earth's wretched children of this blissful hope! + +Who can estimate the misery that has been caused by this most infamous +doctrine of eternal punishment? Think of the lives it has blighted--of +the tears it has caused--of the agony it has produced. Think of the +millions who have been driven to insanity by this most terrible of +dogmas. This doctrine renders God the basest and most cruel being in +the universe. Compared with him, the most frightful deities of the most +barbarous and degraded tribes are miracles of goodness and mercy. There +is nothing more degrading than to worship such a god. Lower than this +the soul can never sink. If the doctrine of eternal damnation is true, +let me share the fate of the unconverted; let me have my portion in +hell, rather than in heaven with a god infamous enough to inflict +eternal misery upon any of the sons of men. + +Second. With having spoken a few kind words of Robert Collyer and John +Stuart Mill. + +I have the honor of a slight acquaintance with Robert Collyer. I have +read with pleasure some of his exquisite productions. He has a brain +full of the dawn, the head of a philosopher, the imagination of a poet +and the sincere heart of a child. + +Is a minister to be silenced because he speaks fairly of a noble and +candid adversary? Is it a crime to compliment a lover of justice, an +advocate of liberty; one who devotes his life to the elevation of man, +the discovery of truth, and the promulgation of what he believes to be +right? + +Can that tongue be palsied by a presbytery that praises a self-denying +and heroic life? Is it a sin to speak a charitable word over the grave +of John Stuart Mill? Is it heretical to pay a just and graceful tribute +to departed worth? Must the true Presbyterian violate the sanctity of +the tomb, dig open the grave and ask his God to curse the silent dust? +Is Presbyterianism so narrow that it conceives of no excellence, of no +purity of intention, of no spiritual and moral grandeur outside of its +barbaric creed? Does it still retain within its stony heart all the +malice of its founder? Is it still warming its fleshless hands at the +flames that consumed Servetus? Does it still glory in the damnation of +infants, and does it still persist in emptying the cradle in order that +perdition may be filled? Is it still starving the soul and famishing +the heart? Is it still trembling and shivering, crouching and crawling +before its ignorant Confession of Faith? + +Had such men as Robert Collyer and John Stuart Mill been present at the +burning of Servetus, they would have extinguished the flames with their +tears. Had the presbytery of Chicago been there, they would have quietly +turned their backs, solemnly divided their coat tails, and warmed +themselves. + +Third, With having spoken disparagingly of the doctrine of +predestination. + +If there is any dogma that ought to be protected by law, predestination +is that doctrine. Surely it is a cheerful, joyous thing, to one who is +laboring, struggling, and suffering in this weary world, to think that +before he existed; before the earth was; before a star had glittered in +the heavens; before a ray of light had left the quiver of the sun, his +destiny had been irrevocably fixed, and that for an eternity before his +birth he had been doomed to bear eternal pain. + +Fourth. With failing to preach the efficacy of a "vicarious sacrifice." + +Suppose a man had been convicted of murder, and was about to be +hanged--the governor acting as the executioner; and suppose that just as +the doomed man was about to suffer death some one in the crowd should +step forward and say, "I am willing to die in the place of that +murderer. He has a family, and I have none." And suppose further, that +the governor should reply, "Come forward, young man, your offer is +accepted. A murder has been committed and somebody must be hung, and +your death will satisfy the law just as well as the death of the +murderer." What would you then think of the doctrine of "vicarious +sacrifice?" + +This doctrine is the consummation of two outrages--forgiving one crime +and committing another. + +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," Bastian and his "Spontaneous Generation," Huxley and his +"Protoplasm" Tyndall and his "Prayer Gauge" 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 Catharine II. + +Penelope, waiting patiently and trustfully for her lord's return, +delaying her suitors, while sadly weaving and unweaving 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 to-day, 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 Iwan, 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 of "irresistible grace." + +Seventh, With repudiating the idea of a "call" to the 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 had a "call" to the ministry. To which the deacon replied, "That +may be so, but it's very unfortunate for you, that when God called you +to preach, he forgot to call anybody to hear you." + +There is nothing more stupidly egotistic than the claim of the clergy +that they are, in some divine sense, set apart to the service of the +Lord; that they have been chosen, and sanctified; that there is an +infinite difference between them and persons employed in secular +affairs. They teach us that all other professions must take care of +themselves; that God allows anybody to be a doctor, a lawyer, statesman, +soldier, or artist; that the Motts and Coopers--the Mansfields and +Marshalls--the Wilberforces and Sumners--the Angelos and Raphaels, +were never honored by a "call." They chose their professions and won +their laurels without the assistance of the Lord. All these men were +left free to follow their own inclinations, while God was busily +engaged selecting and "calling" priests, rectors, elders, ministers and +exhorters. + +Eighth. With having doubted that God was the author of the 109th Psalm. + +The portion of that psalm which carries with it the clearest and most +satisfactory evidences of inspiration, and which has afforded almost +unspeakable consolation to the Presbyterian church, is as follows: + +Set thou a wicked man over him; and let Satan stand at his right hand. + +When he shall be judged, let him be condemned; and let his prayer become +sin. + +Let his days be few; and let another take his office. + +Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. + +Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek their +bread also out of their desolate places. + +Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil +his labor. + +Let there be none to extend mercy unto him; neither let there be any to +favor his fatherless children. + +Let his posterity be cut off: and in the generation following let their +name be blotted out. + +***** + +But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for Thy name's sake; because Thy +mercy is good, deliver Thou me. * * I will greatly praise the Lord with +my _mouth_. + +Think of a God wicked and malicious enough to inspire this prayer. Think +of one infamous enough to answer it. + +Had this inspired psalm been found in some temple erected for the +worship of snakes, or in the possession of some cannibal king, written +with blood upon the dried skins of babes, there would have been a +perfect harmony between its surroundings and its sentiments. + +No wonder that the author of this inspired psalm coldly received +Socrates and Penelope, and reserved his sweetest smiles for Catharine +the Second. + +Ninth. With having said that the battles in which the Israelites +engaged, with the approval and command of Jehovah, surpassed in cruelty +those of Julius Caesar. + +Was it Julius Caesar who said, "And the Lord our God delivered him before +us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people. And we took all +his cities, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little +ones, of every city, we left none to remain"? + +Did Julius Caesar send the following report to the Roman senate? "And we +took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not +from them, three-score cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of +Og in Bashan. All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and +bars; beside unwalled towns a great many. And we utterly destroyed them, +as we did unto. Sihon, king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, +women, and children of every city." + +Did Caesar take the city of Jericho "and utterly destroy all that was +in the city, both men and women, young and old"? Did he smite "all the +country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the +springs, and all their kings, and leave none remaining that breathed, as +the Lord God had commanded"? + +Search the records of the whole world, find out the history of every +barbarous tribe, and you cart find no crime that touched a lower depth +of infamy than those the bible's God commanded and approved. For such +a God I have no words to express my loathing and contempt, and all the +words in all the languages of man would scarcely be sufficient. Away +with such a God! Give me Jupiter rather, with Io and Europa, or even +Siva with his skulls and snakes. + +Tenth. With having repudiated the doctrine of "total depravity." + +What a precious doctrine is that of the total depravity of the human +heart! How sweet it is to believe that the lives of all the good and +great were continual sins and perpetual crimes; that the love a mother +bears her child is, in the sight of God, a sin; that the gratitude of +the natural heart is simple meanness; that the tears of pity are impure; +that for the unconverted to live and labor for others is an offense to +heaven; that the noblest aspirations of the soul are low and groveling +in the sight of God; that man should fall upon his knees and ask +forgiveness, simply for loving his wife and child, and that even the act +of asking forgiveness is in fact a crime! + +Surely it is a kind of bliss to feel that every woman and child in the +wide world, with the exception of those who believe the five points, or +some other equally cruel creed, and such children as have been baptized, +ought at this very moment to be dashed down to the lowest glowing gulf +of hell. + +Take from the Christian the history of his own church--leave that +entirely out of the question--and he has no argument left with which to +substantiate the total depravity of man. + +Eleventh. With having doubted the "perseverance of the saints." + +I suppose the real meaning of this doctrine is, that Presbyterians are +just as sure of going to heaven as all other folks are of going to hell. +The real idea being, that it all depends upon the will of God, and not +upon the character of the person to be damned or saved; that God has the +weakness to send Presbyterians to Paradise, and the justice to doom the +rest of mankind to eternal fire. + +It is admitted that no unconverted brain can see the least particle of +sense in this doctrine; that it is abhorrent to all who have not been +the recipients of a "new heart;" that only the perfectly good can +justify the perfectly infamous. + +It is contended that the saints do not persevere of their own free +will--that they are entitled to no credit for persevering; but that God +forces them to persevere, while on the other hand, every crime is +committed in accordance with the secret will of God, who does all things +for his own glory. + +Compared with this doctrine, there is no other idea, that has ever been +believed by man, that can properly be called absurd. + +Twelfth, With having spoken and written somewhat lightly of the idea of +converting the heathen with doctrinal sermons. + +Of all the failures of which we have any history or knowledge, the +missionary effort is the most conspicuous. The whole question has been +decided here, in our own country, and conclusively settled. We have +nearly exterminated the Indians, but we have converted none. From the +days of John Eliot to the execution of the last Modoc, not one Indian +has been the subject of irresistible grace or particular redemption. +The few red men who roam the western wilderness have no thought or care +concerning the five points of Calvin. They are utterly oblivious to +the great and vital truths contained in the Thirty-nine Articles, the +Saybrook platform, and the resolutions of the Evangelical Alliance. No +Indian has ever scalped another on account of his religious belief. This +of itself shows conclusively that the missionaries have had no effect. + +Why should we convert the heathen of China and kill our own? Why should +we send missionaries across the seas, and soldiers over the plains? +Why should we send bibles to the east and muskets to the west? If it +is impossible to convert Indians who have no religion of their own; no +prejudice for or against the "eternal procession of the Holy Ghost," how +can we expect to convert a heathen who has a religion; who has plenty +of gods and bibles and prophets and Christs, and who has a religious +literature far grander than our own? Can we hope with the story of +Daniel in the lions' den to rival the stupendous miracles of India? Is +there anything in our bible as lofty and loving as the prayer of the +Buddhist? Compare your "Confession of Faith" with the following: "Never +will I seek nor receive private individual salvation--never enter into +final peace alone; but forever and everywhere will I live and strive for +the universal redemption of every creature throughout all worlds. Until +all are delivered, never will I leave the world of sin, sorrow, and +struggle, but will remain where I am." + +Think of sending an average Presbyterian to convert a man who daily +offers this tender, this infinitely generous, this incomparable prayer. +Think of reading the 109th Psalm to a heathen who has a bible of his own +in which is found this passage: "Blessed is that man and beloved of all +the gods, who is afraid of no man, and of whom no man is afraid." + +Why should you read even the New Testament to a Hindu, when his own +Chrishna has said, "If a man strike thee, and in striking drop his +staff, pick it up and hand it to him again"? Why send a Presbyterian to +a Sufi, who says, "Better one moment of silent contemplation and inward +love, than seventy thousand years of outward worship"? "Whoso would +carelessly tread one worm that crawls on earth, that heartless one is +darkly alienate from God; but he that, living, embraceth all things in +his love, to live with him God bursts all bounds above, below." + +Why should we endeavor to thrust our cruel and heartless theology upon +one who prays this prayer: "O God, show pity toward the wicked; for on +the good thou hast already bestowed thy mercy by having created them +virtuous"? + +Compare this prayer with the curses and cruelties of the Old +Testament--with the infamies commanded and approved by the being whom we +are taught to worship as a God--and with the following tender product +of Presbyterianism: "It may seem absurd to human wisdom that God should +harden, blind, and deliver up some men to a reprobate sense; that he +should first deliver them over to evil, and then condemn them for that +evil; but the believing spiritual man sees no absurdity in all this, +knowing that God would be never a whit less good even though he should +destroy all men." + +Of all the religions that have been produced by the egotism, the malice, +the ignorance and ambition of man, Presbyterianism is the most hideous. + +But what shall I say more, for the time would fail me to tell of +Sabellianism, of a "Modal Trinity," and the "Eternal Procession of the +Holy Ghost"? + +Upon these charges, a minister is to be tried, here in Chicago; in this +city of pluck and progress--this marvel of energy--this miracle of +nerve. The cry of "heresy," here, sounds like a wail from the dark +ages--a shriek from the inquisition, or a groan from the grave of Calvin. + +Another effort is being made to enslave a man. + +It is claimed that every member of the church has solemnly agreed +never to outgrow the creed; that he has pledged himself to remain an +intellectual dwarf. Upon this condition the church agrees to save his +soul, and he hands over his brains to bind the bargain. Should a fact be +found inconsistent with the creed, he binds himself to deny the fact +and curse the finder. With scraps of dogmas and crumbs of doctrine, he +agrees that his soul shall be satisfied forever. What an intellectual +feast the Confession of Faith must be! It reminds one of the dinner +described by Sydney Smith, where everything was cold except the water, +and everything sour except the vinegar. + +Every member of a church promises to remain orthodox, that is to +say--stationary. Growth is heresy. Orthodox ideas are the feathers that +have been moulted by the eagle of progress. They are the dead leaves +under the majestic palm, while heresy is the bud and blossom at the top. + +Imagine a vine that grows at one end and decays at the other. The +end that grows is heresy, the end that rots is orthodox. The dead are +orthodox, and your cemetery is the most perfect type of a well regulated +church. No thought, no progress, no heresy there. Slowly and silently, +side by side, the satisfied members peacefully decay. There is only this +difference--the dead do not persecute. + +And what does a trial for heresy mean? It means that the Church says to +a heretic, "Believe as I do, or I will withdraw my support. I will not +employ you. I will pursue you until your garments are rags; until your +children cry for bread; until your cheeks are furrowed with tears. I +will hunt you to the very portals of the tomb, and then my God will do +the rest I will not imprison you. I will not burn you. The law prevents +my doing that. I helped make the law, not however to protect you, nor to +deprive me of the right to exterminate you; but in order to keep other +churches from exterminating me." + +A trial for heresy means that the spirit of persecution still lingers in +the Church; that it still denies the right of private judgment; that it +still thinks more of creed than truth, and that it is still determined +to prevent the intellectual growth of man. It means that churches are +shambles in which are bought and sold the souls of men. It means that +the Church is still guilty of the barbarity of opposing thought with +force. It means that if it had the power, the mental horizon would be +bounded by a creed; that it would bring again the whips and chains and +dungeon keys, the rack and fagot of the past But let me tell the Church +it lacks the power. There have been, and still are, too many men who own +themselves--too much thought, too much knowledge for the Church to grasp +again the sword of power. The Church must abdicate. For the Eglon of +superstition Science has a message from Truth. + +The heretics have not thought and suffered and died in vain. Every +heretic has been, and is, a ray of light Not in vain did Voltaire, that +great man, point from the foot of the Alps the finger of scorn at every +hypocrite in Europe. Not in vain were the splendid utterances of the +infidels, while beyond all price are the discoveries of science. + +The Church has impeded, but it has not and it cannot stop the onward +march of the human race. Heresy cannot be burned, nor imprisoned, nor +starved. It laughs at presbyteries and synods, at ecumenical councils +and the impotent thunders of Sinai. Heresy is the eternal dawn, the +morning star, the glittering herald of the day. Heresy is the last and +best thought. It is the perpetual New World, the unknown sea, toward +which the brave all sail. It is the eternal horizon of progress. + +Heresy extends the hospitalities of the brain to a new thought. + +Heresy is a cradle; orthodoxy, a coffin. + +Why should man be afraid to think, and why should he fear to express his +thoughts? + +Is it possible that an infinite Deity is unwilling that a man should +investigate the phenomena by which he is surrounded? Is it possible that +a god delights in threatening and terrifying men? What glory, what honor +and renown a god must win on such a field! The ocean raving at a drop; a +star envious of a candle; the sun jealous of a fire-fly. + +Go on, presbyteries and synods, go on! Thrust the heretics out of the +Church--that is to say, throw away your brains,--put out your eyes. +The infidels will thank you. They are willing to adopt your exiles. +Every deserter from your camp is a recruit for the army of progress. +Cling to the ignorant dogmas of the past; read the 109th Psalm; gloat +over the slaughter of mothers and babes; thank God for total depravity; +shower your honors upon hypocrites, and silence every minister who is +touched with that heresy called genius. + +Be true to your history. Turn out the astronomers, the geologists, the +naturalists, the chemists, and all the honest scientists. With a whip of +scorpions, drive them all out. We want them all. Keep the ignorant, +the superstitious, the bigoted, and the writers of charges and +specifications. + +Keep them, and keep them all. Repeat your pious platitudes in the drowsy +ears of the faithful, and read your bible to heretics, as kings read +some forgotten riot-act to stop and stay the waves of revolution. +You are too weak to excite anger. We forgive your efforts as the sun +forgives a cloud--as the air forgives the breath you waste. + +How long, O how long, will man listen to the threats of God, and shut +his eyes to the splendid possibilities of Nature? How long, O how long +will man remain the cringing slave of a false and cruel creed? + +By this time the whole world should know that the real bible has not yet +been written, but is being written, and that it will never be finished +until the race begins its downward march, or ceases to exist. + +The real bible is not the work of inspired men, nor prophets, nor +apostles, nor evangelists, nor of Christs. Every man who finds a fact, +adds, as it were, a word to this great book. It is not attested +by prophecy, by miracles or signs. It makes no appeal to faith, to +ignorance, to credulity or fear. It has no punishment for unbelief, and +no reward for hypocrisy. It appeals to man in the name of demonstration. +It has nothing to conceal. It has no fear of being read, of being +contradicted, of being investigated and understood. It does not pretend +to be holy, or sacred; it simply claims to be true. It challenges the +scrutiny of all, and implores every reader to verify every line for +himself. It is incapable of being blasphemed. This book appeals to +all the surroundings of man. Each thing that exists testifies of its +perfection. The earth, with its heart of fire and crowns of snow; with +its forests and plains, its rocks and seas; with its every wave and +cloud; with its every leaf and bud and flower, confirms its every word, +and the solemn stars, shining in the infinite abysses, are the eternal +witnesses of it's truth. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Heretics And Heresies, by Robert G. 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