The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll, Volume I, by
Robert Green Ingersoll

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Lectures of Col. R. G. Ingersoll, Volume I

Author: Robert Green Ingersoll

Posting Date: January 15, 2009 [EBook #8140]
Release Date: May, 2005

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK INGERSOLL LECTURES, VOLUME I ***

Produced by Mark R. Jaqua. HTML version by Al Haines.

LECTURES OF COL. R. G. INGERSOLL

Including His Answers To The Clergy,
His Oration At His Brother's Grave, Etc., Etc.

Complete In Two Volumes

Volume I

CONTENTS

Gods
Ghosts
Hell
Individuality
Humboldt
Which Way
The Great Infidels
Talmagian Theology
At a Child's Grave
Ingersoll's Oration at His Brother's Grave
Mistakes of Moses
Skulls and Replies
What Shall We Do To Be Saved?
Ingersoll's Answer To Prof. Swing, Dr. Thomas, And Others

INGERSOLL'S LECTURE ON GODS

Ladies and Gentlemen: An honest god is the noblest work of man. Each
nation has created a god, and the god has always resembled his
creators. He hated and loved what they hated and loved, and he was
invariably found on the side of those in power. Each god was intensely
patriotic, and detested all nations but his own. All these Gods
demanded praise, flattery, and worship. Most of them were pleased with
sacrifice, and the smell of innocent blood has ever been considered a
divine perfume. All these gods have insisted upon having a vast number
of priests, and the priests have always insisted upon being supported
by the people, and the principal business of these priests has been to
boast about their God, and to insist that he could easily vanquish all
the other gods put together.

These gods have been manufactured after numberless models, and
according to the most grotesque fashions. Some have a thousand arms,
some a hundred heads, some are adorned with necklaces of living snakes,
some are armed with clubs, some with sword and shield, some with
bucklers, and some with wings as a cherub; some were invisible, some
would show themselve