is disgrace. On them
you can not construct an indictment--they mark his limitations, that is
all.

Ingersoll gave superstition such a jolt that the consensus of
intelligence has counted it out. Ingersoll did not destroy the good--all
that is vital and excellent and worthy in religion we have yet, and in
such measure as it never existed before.

In every so-called "Orthodox" pulpit you can now hear sermons calling
upon men to manifest their religion in their work; to show their love
for God in their attitude toward men; to gain the kingdom of heaven by
having the kingdom of heaven in their own hearts.

Ingersoll pleaded for the criminal, the weak, the defenseless and the
depraved. Our treatment toward all these has changed marvelously within
a decade. When we ceased to believe that God was going to damn folks,
we left off damning them ourselves. We think better now of God and we
think better of men and women. Who dares now talk about the "hopelessly
lost"?

You can not afford to indict a man who practised every so-called
Christian virtue, simply because there was a flaw or two in his
"belief"--the world has gotten beyond that. Everybody now admits that
Ingersoll was quite as good a man as those who denounced him most. His
life was full of kind deeds and generous acts, and his daily walk was
quite as blameless as the life of the average priest and preacher.

Those who seek to cry Ingersoll down reveal either density or malice. He
did a great and necessary work, and did it so thoroughly and well that
it will never have to be done again. His mission was to liberalize and
to Christianize every church in Christendom; and no denomination, be its
creed never so ossified, stands now where it stood before Ingersoll
began his crusade. He shamed men into sanity.

Ingersoll uttered in clarion tones what thousands of men and women
believed, but dared not voice. He was the spokesman for many of the best
thinkers of his time. He abolished fear, gave courage in place of
cringing doubt, and lived what he believed was truth. His was a brave,
cheerful and kindly life. He was loved most by those who knew him best,
for in his nature there was neither duplicity nor concealment. He had
nothing to hide. We know and acknowledge the man's limitations, yet we
realize his worth: his influence in the cause of simplicity and honesty
has been priceless.

The dust of conflict has not yet settled; prejudice still is in the air;
but time, the gr