diff options
Diffstat (limited to '38095-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 38095-0.txt | 1286 |
1 files changed, 1286 insertions, 0 deletions
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. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, +and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following +the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use +of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for +copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very +easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation +of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project +Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away--you may +do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected +by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark +license, especially commercial redistribution. + +START: FULL LICENSE + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full +Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at +www.gutenberg.org/license. + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or +destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your +possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a +Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound +by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the +person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph +1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this +agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the +Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection +of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual +works in the collection are in the public domain in the United +States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the +United States and you are located in the United States, we do not +claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, +displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as +all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope +that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting +free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm +works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the +Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily +comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the +same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when +you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are +in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, +check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this +agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, +distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any +other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no +representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any +country other than the United States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other +immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear +prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work +on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, +performed, viewed, copied or distributed: + + 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. + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is +derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not +contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the +copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in +the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are +redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply +either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or +obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm +trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any +additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms +will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works +posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the +beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including +any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access +to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format +other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official +version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm website +(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense +to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means +of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain +Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the +full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +provided that: + +* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed + to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has + agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project + Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid + within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are + legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty + payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project + Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in + Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg + Literary Archive Foundation." + +* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all + copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue + all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm + works. + +* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of + any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of + receipt of the work. + +* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than +are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing +from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of +the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the Foundation as set +forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project +Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may +contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate +or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or +other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or +cannot be read by your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium +with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you +with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in +lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person +or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second +opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If +the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing +without further opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO +OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of +damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement +violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the +agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or +limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or +unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the +remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in +accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the +production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, +including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of +the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this +or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or +additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any +Defect you cause. + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of +computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It +exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations +from people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future +generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see +Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at +www.gutenberg.org + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by +U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, +Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up +to date contact information can be found at the Foundation's website +and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without +widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND +DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular +state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To +donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project +Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be +freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and +distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of +volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in +the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not +necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper +edition. + +Most people start at our website which has the main PG search +facility: www.gutenberg.org + +This website 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. + + |