At present, a good many men engaged in scientific pursuits, and who have signally failed in gaining recognition among their fellows, are endeavoring to make reputations among the churches by delivering weak and vapid lectures upon the 'harmony of Genesis and Geology.' Like all hypocrites, these men overstate the case to such a degree, and so turn and pervert facts and words that they succeed only in gaining the applause of other hypocrites like themselves. Among the great scientists they are regarded as generals regard sutlers who trade with both armies.Surely the time must come when the wealth of the world will not be wasted in the propagation of ignorant creeds and miraculous mistakes. The time must come when churches and cathedrals will be dedicated to the use of man; when minister and priest will deem the discoveries of the living of more importance than the errors of the dead; when the truths of Nature will outrank the 'sacred' falsehoods of the past, and when a single fact will outweigh all the miracles of Holy Writ.Who can over estimate the progress of the world if all the money wasted in superstition could be used to enlighten, elevate and civilize mankind?When every church becomes a school, every cathedral a university, every clergyman a teacher, and all their hearers brave and honest thinkers, then, and not until then, will the dream of poet, patriot, philanthropist and philosopher, become a real and blessed truth.
applause blessed brave cathedrals church churches civilize clergyman creeds dead discoveries elevate enlighten errors fact facts failed falsehoods generals genesis geology great harmony holy-writ honest hypocrites ignorant lectures living mankind minister miracles miraculous mistakes money nature past patriot peers perfert philanthropist philosopher poet priest progress pursuit real recognition reputation sacred school science scientific stlers superstition teacher think truth university use vapid waste weak wealth

About This Quote

About Robert G. Ingersoll

Robert G. Ingersoll was a 19th-century agnostic, lawyer, politician and orator. Robert Green Ingersoll, nicknamed "the Great Agnostic", was an American lawyer, writer, and orator during the Golden Age of Free Thought, who campaigned in defense of agnosticism. Read more on Wikipedia →

Themes

  • Money — Thoughts on wealth, value, and material pursuits
  • Nature — Appreciation for the natural world and our place within it
  • Science — Discovery, inquiry, and the wonders of the natural world
  • Truth — Meditations on honesty, authenticity, and the search for truth

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