INGERSOLL, COOK, AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
By W. H. Littlejohn
As there are planets in the clear evening sky which, by their size and brilliancy, are rendered the objects of almost universal attention, so in the horizon of the religious world there frequently are individuals whose conspicuous talents and active labors keep them prominent in the thoughts of men. There are in this country, just now, two persons who are notably of the latter character. The first of these is Robert Ingersoll, and the second, Joseph Cook. The former as an infidel lecturer, and the latter as a defender of the Scriptures from a philosophical standpoint, are, perhaps, equally well known to the reading public. As it regards intellectual ability, we think we should not do injustice to Mr. Ingersoll should we say that he is inferior to Mr. Cook. The two men are cast in entirely different molds. The one is an orator whose rhetoric is captivating in the extreme, but whose logic, in some respects, is sadly defective; the other unites, in a rare combination, qualities which would enable him to excel either as a metaphysician or a poet. Both of these lecturers—though, so far as we are aware, never having come in personal contact—have succeeded in popularizing their peculiar views in a most wonderful manner. On the one hand, it may well be doubted whether any exponent of infidel sentiments in this country has ever been able, like Mr. Ingersoll, to travel from city to city, address on consecutive evenings large and intelligent congregations made up of hearers whose interest has in many cases induced them to travel for miles to reach the place of the lecture, and then pay a large admittance fee at the door; and, on the other hand, we doubt whether a parallel to Mr. Cook’s Monday lectures in Boston can be found in the history of any similar lectureship on this continent. Week after week and month after month, large audiences have been assembled on one of the busiest of the secular days, to listen to the discussion of themes which heretofore have been supposed to possess interest only for a certain class of impracticable individuals whose love for the abstruse and the polemical has been supposed to unfit them for the more practical themes of every-day life. Both of these lecturers have also made themselves felt not only upon those who have heard the sound of their voices, but their printed orations have found their way to the hearths and homes of the people all over the northern portion of this continent to almost an incredible extent. Why these things should be so,—why these two men should suddenly emerge from the bosom of society, and thus unexpectedly revolutionize the taste of the reading and thinking public, is a question worthy of consideration. Another query of like importance might be propounded in reference to the results of this unprecedented phenomenon. Should it be replied that the success which has attended the efforts of these two lecturers is wholly attributable to their superior methods in the presentation of their respective themes, it might be said that while this undoubtedly is true to a great extent, he who believes that there is a destiny which presides over the affairs of men cannot help but feel that the wonderful coincidence which is found in the time and extent of the success of two men of such widely divergent sentiments, can only be satisfactorily explained on the theory that God’s providence is in some way connected therewith. As it regards the second query, it requires no prophetic gift to predict that the special stimulation which is being given to the infidel element in this country must terminate in a large increase of unbelievers in the Holy Scriptures, and in a more radical antagonism between them and those who represent the religion of Christ. For years skeptics have been cowed into an unwilling submission to many things in the existing state of society, by a sense of a lack of sufficient sympathy on the part of the masses to enable them to secure the changes which they have long desired. When, however—as was recently the case—sixteen hundred auditors can be assembled, in the city of Washington, to listen to what a distinguished newspaper correspondent calls a “Laugh at Moses,” and when similar events are transpiring all over the land, new courage will take possession of the hearts of the dejected ones, and, coming out of their hiding-places, they will ere long utter a howl of hate and a cry of war such as never yet has been heard within the confines of our favored country. Without doubt the first attempt in the direction of the inauguration of a new order of things will be found in an effort for the removal of all legal enactments which in any way favor Christianity. This effort, of course, will be followed by a struggle for the maintenance of those regulations which so many Christians have regarded as inseparably connected with the prosperity of the church and the safety of the State. In fact, the issue is already made up, and the drum beat and the bugle note which summon the combatants to their respective encampments is heard sounding everywhere throughout the nation. Even now an infidel political party demands the repeal of all purely Christian statutes on the one hand, while on the other, a Christian political party, not content with the vantage ground already occupied by the church, is loudly demanding more rigid Sunday laws, the recognition of God and Christ in the Constitution, and the reading of the Bible in the common schools. Thus the flint and steel of a mighty struggle between Christianity and infidelity have come together, and thus the spark has already been emitted which may kindle a mighty conflagration that shall continue to rage until in one way or another it shall leave to us nothing but the smouldering ruins of what once was the proud fabric of religious liberty; for it matters not which of these extreme views predominates, perfect liberty of conscience and freedom from coercion in matters of faith can never survive the success of extremists, by whatever name they may be called. Nay, more; in addition to those clear indications which may be drawn from the history of other nations under like circumstances, “we have a more sure word of prophecy,” whereunto we do well to take heed. In the 13th and 14th chapters of Revelation, God has, according to the views of Seventh-day Adventists, clearly marked out the history of this government, and shown that, though republican in form, it should persecute the last generation of Christians for keeping the commandments of God. The pretext for that persecution, the people in question have for more than twenty-five years confidently declared would be the enforcement, against Sabbatarians and all others, of the observance of the first day of the week as a Christian institution. The source from whence that enforcement will come they have well understood must be religious in its character, since it is hardly to be presumed that infidels would be concerned in enforcing a Sabbath of whatever name or nature. The only difficulty in the premises has been to discover how the constitutional guarantees for religious freedom could be disposed of, and how it would be possible for a Christian community, Protestant in name, and therefore having in their ancestors suffered the injustice of papal persecution, ever to be brought to the point where they would be willing to oppress others who are conscientiously observing the Lord’s Sabbath, or seventh day of the week. So far as the constitutional difficulty is concerned, the organization of the religious party for the amendment of that instrument, furnishes a satisfactory clue as to the manner in which the necessary legal authority for the accomplishment of the work is to be obtained. As it regards, also, the method in which a sufficient amount of the odium theologicum (or religious hate), can be manufactured to induce the inauguration of the anticipated oppression, we think an explanation will be discovered in the rise of the infidel political party alluded to above. Religious animosities are worked up the most readily, and transform men into demons the most speedily and the most completely, of any with which the historian is familiar. Even where those antipathies have had for their basis simply technical distinctions, the bitterest and most relentless wars and persecutions have been the result in the churches themselves. But who cannot readily perceive that where the dividing line is drawn between those who on the one side hate, and those who on the other side love, or claim to love, the religion of Christ, the contest must be most fierce and terrible? Who, also, does not know—when he stops to consider the chronic impracticability and unreliability of infidel statesmen—that they cannot be safely entrusted with the management of governmental affairs? With the history of France and other nations before us, our people will hesitate to commit their dearest interests to the hands of those whose record in matters of government furnishes but a series of calamitous failures. Nevertheless, those men who always appear to the best advantage when engaged in the work of tearing down, will, no doubt, for a time be able to win victories. Their extravagances, however, will crown their opponents with success at last. We have no doubt that the contest will eventually terminate in the triumph of the Christian amendment party. But before this shall result, a bitter struggle must be experienced. That struggle will engender fierce passions. Its favorable termination, also, will have the effect to exalt in their own estimation those who have been the victors therein. Regarding themselves as divinely appointed to the work of regenerating and Christianizing the nation through legal enactments, they will in their effort to enforce their favorite Sunday laws find in Seventh-day Adventists and Seventh-day Baptists, a class of antagonists entirely different from such men as Ingersoll and Abbott and their compeers. The battle-ground will be transferred—as far as it can be done by Sabbatarians—from the political field to the written word. The weapons which they will employ will from the outset be such as the man of God is furnished with by that word. In such a contest, however, the observers of God’s holy rest-day as commanded in this law, will have infinitely the advantage. Everywhere success in debate will be assured to them. The only manner in which it will be possible to dispose of them165and of the arguments which they bring out of the word of God to prove the perpetuity of his ancient rest-day, will be found in the law of force. It will never do for men who have conquered the infidel, and legalized the “papal Sunday,” to be publicly exposed as those who themselves have been misguided into doing the work of him who should think to change the law of God, instead of doing that of Him who was to magnify the law and make it honorable. Therefore, whatever shall be lacking in argument will be speedily found in lines and bolts and padlocks. Then will be fulfilled the prediction of the prophet, and those who will not worship the papal beast, i. e., those who will not keep a Sabbath made by the pope instead of that commanded by the Lord, will be forbidden to buy or sell. Rev. 13: 11–18. Already in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and other States, conscientious Sabbath-keepers have been imprisoned for loyalty to the God of Heaven; but when the time under consideration shall have arrived, then a condition of things now local and exceptional will become universal. The only thing necessary to the accomplishment of that end is strength in numbers on the part of those who are at present the prime actors in the “Christian-Statesman” movement. That which they countenance in Pennsylvania, and which they have sought to provide for in the Constitution of that State, i. e., the punishment of all who violate Sunday sanctity even though they may conscientiously respect that of the Lord’s Sabbath, they would of course enforce in other parts of the nation. Nay, more, they boastfully proclaim their intention so to do, claiming that in such a course alone will be found the salvation of the country. All, therefore, which stands between the fulfillment of what Seventh-day Adventists have for a quarter of a century confidently predicted as certain to take place in this nation, is the acquisition of sufficient numbers on the part of these self-styled reformers for the achievement of their openly declared purpose. As for ourselves we have no doubt upon the point; first, because we believe it to be a subject of inspired prophecy; secondly, because we think we see in the proposed plan of recognizing God and Christ in the Constitution and the enforcement by law of Sunday observance the elements now at work which will bring out the result in question. There is in the movement a peculiar fascination for those who have embraced it, and one which is wonderfully calculated to capture the average Christian of the hour. The very thought of securing such ends furnishes to the minds of many an inspiration which those cannot appreciate who have not watched its effects. Many, having witnessed the writing on the roll of honor of the names of those who a few years ago were the despised agitators of the slavery question, fancied themselves engaged in another crusade which is soon destined to clothe its adherents with immortal fame.