club, called a creed. He
is an intellectual slave, and dare not preach his honest thought.
There are thousands of good men in the pulpit, honest men. I am simply
describing the average shepherd; they tell me "they've been called,"
that Almighty God selected them. He looked all over the world and said:
"Now, there's a man I want!" And what selections! Shakespeare was not
called. Yet he has done more for this world than all the ministers who
have ever lived in it. Beethoven! He was not called. Raphael was not
called. He was all an accident. All the inventors, discoverers,
poets--God never called one of them; he turned his attention to popes,
cardinals, priests, exhorters; and what selections he has made! It's
astonishing.

In the United States a great many ministers have been good enough to
take me for a text. Among others the Rev. Mr. Talmage, of Brooklyn. I
have nothing to say about his reputation. It has nothing to do with
the question. Some ministers think he has more gesticulation than
grace. Some call him a pious pantaloon, a Christian clown; but such
remarks, I think, are born of envy. He is the only Presbyterian
minister in the United States who can draw an audience. He stands at
the head of the denomination, and I answer him. He's a strange man. I
believe he's orthodox, or intellectual pride would prevent his saying
these things. He believes in a literal resurrection of the dead; that
we shall see countless bones flying through the air. He has some
charges against me, and he has denied some of my statements. He has
produced what he calls arguments, and I am going to answer some of the
charges. Next Sunday afternoon, at 2 o'clock; in this place, I shall
have a matinee, and answer his arguments. He says I am the champion
blasphemer. What is blasphemy? To contradict a priest? to have a
mind of your own? Whoever takes a step in advance is a blasphemer.
Blasphemy is what a last year's leaf says to a this year's bud. To
deny that Mohammed is the prophet of God is not blasphemy in New York.
It is in Constantinople. It is a question, then, largely of Geography.
It depends on where you are. The missionary who laughs at a modern God
is a blasphemer. In a Catholic country whoever says Mary is not the
mother of God is a blasphemer. In a Protestant country to say she is
the mother of God is blasphemy. Everything has been blasphemy. My
doctrine is this: He is a blasphemer who refuses to tell his