The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 4 (of 12)

is God must be material. He must have the means by which he changes force to what we call thought. When he thinks he uses force, force that must be replaced. Yet we are told that h

If God is infinite he does not want. He has all. He who does

being as to imagine a square triangle, o

justly, honestly, but it cannot be our duty to love. We cannot be under obligation to admire a painting-to be charmed with a poem-or thrilled with music. Ad

been trying to love the gods-trying to so

-the Chaldeans sacrificing to Bel and Hea-the Egyptians bowing to Ptah and Ra, Osiris and Isis-the Medes placating the storm, worshiping the fire-the Babylonians supplicating Bel and Morodach-I see them all by the Euphrates, the Tigris, the Ganges and the Nile. I see the Greeks building temples for Zeus, Neptune and Venus. I see the Romans kneeling to a hundred gods. I see others spurning idols and pouring out their hopes and fears to a vague image in the mind. I see the multitudes, with open mouths, receive as truths the myths and fables of the vanished years. I see them give their toil, their wealth to robe the priests, to build the vaulted roofs, the spacious aisles, the glittering domes. I see them clad in rags, huddled in dens and huts, devouring crusts and scraps, that they may give the more to ghosts and gods. I see them make their cruel creeds and fill the world

alth were lost. The temples were built in vain, and

er-an arbitrary mind-an enthroned God-a supreme will that swa

from the infinite chain no link can be lost or broken-that there is no supernatural power th

rence-no chance-that behind every event are the necessary and countless causes, an

the skies. He must protect himself by finding the facts in Nature, by developing his brain,

ere a

not

n imm

not

pe, nor fear, belief, nor denial, can change the

it an