VOLUME IV.--LECTURES

DETAILED CONTENTS OF VOLUME IV.

WHY I AM AN AGNOSTIC.

THE TRUTH.

HOW TO REFORM MANKIND.

A THANKSGIVING SERMON.

A LAY SERMON.

THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH.

SUPERSTITION.

THE DEVIL.

PROGRESS.

WHAT IS RELIGION?

DETAILED CONTENTS OF VOLUME IV.

WHY I AM AN AGNOSTIC.

(1896.) I. Influence of Birth in determining Religious BeliefóScotch, Irish, English, and Americans Inherit their FaithóReligions of Nations not Suddenly ChangedóPeople who KnewóWhat they were Certain AboutóRevivalsóCharacter of Sermons PreachedóEffect of ConversionóA Vermont Farmer for whom Perdition had no TerrorsóThe Man and his DogóBacksliding and Re-birthóMinisters who were SincereóA Free Will Baptist on the Rich Man and LazarusóII. The Orthodox GodóThe Two DispensationsóThe Infinite HorroróIII. Religious BooksóThe CommentatorsóPaley's Watch ArgumentóMilton, Young, and PollokóIV. Studying AstronomyóGeologyóDenial and Evasion by the ClergyóV. The Poems of Robert BurnsóByron, Shelley, Keats, and ShakespeareóVI. Volney, Gibbon, and Thomas PaineóVoltaire's Services to LibertyóPagans Compared with PatriarchsóVII. Other Gods and Other ReligionsóDogmas, Myths, and Symbols of Christianity Older than our EraóVIII. The Men of Science, Humboldt, Darwin, Spencer, Huxley, HaeckelóIX. Matter and Force Indestructible and UncreatableóThe Theory of DesignóX. God an Impossible BeingóThe Panorama of the PastóXI. Free from Sanctified Mistakes and Holy Lies.

THE TRUTH.

(1897.) I. The Martyrdom of ManóHow is Truth to be FoundóEvery Man should be Mentally HonestóHe should be Intellectually HospitableóGeologists, Chemists, Mechanics, and Professional Men are Seeking for the TruthóII. Those who say that Slavery is Better than LibertyóPromises are not EvidenceóHorace Greeley and the Cold StoveóIII. "The Science of Theology" the only Dishonest ScienceóMoses and Brigham YoungóMinds Poisoned and Paralyzed in YouthóSunday Schools and Theological SeminariesóOrthodox Slanderers of ScientistsóReligion has nothing to do with CharityóHospitals Built in Self-DefenceóWhat Good has the Church Accomplished?óOf what use are the Orthodox Ministers, and What are they doing for the Good of MankindóThe Harm they are DoingóDelusions they TeachóTruths they Should Tell about the BibleóConclusionsóOur Christs and our Miracles.

HOW TO REFORM MANKIND.

(1896.) I. "There is no Darkness but Ignorance"óFalse Notions Concerning All Departments of LifeóChanged Ideas about Science, Government and MoralsóII. How can we Reform the World?óIntellectual Light the First NecessityóAvoid Waste of Wealth in WaróIII. Another WasteóVast Amount of Money Spent on the ChurchóIV. Plow can we Lessen Crime?óFrightful Laws for the Punishment of Minor CrimesóA Penitentiary should be a SchoolóProfessional Criminals should not be Allowed to Populate the EarthóV. Homes for All-Make a Nation of HouseholdersóMarriage and Divorce-VI. The Labor QuestionóEmployers cannot Govern PricesóRailroads should Pay PensionsóWhat has been Accomplished for the Improvement of the Condition of LaboróVII. Educate the ChildrenóUseless KnowledgeóLiberty cannot be Sacrificed for the Sake of AnythingóFalse worship of WealthóVIII. We must Work and Wait.

A THANKSGIVING SERMON.

(1897.) I. Our fathers Ages AgoóFrom Savagery to CivilizationóFor the Blessings we enjoy, Whom should we Thank?óWhat Good has the Church Done?-Did Christ add to the Sum of Useful KnowledgeóThe SaintsóWhat have the Councils and Synods Done?óWhat they Gave us, and What they did NotóShall we Thank them for the Hell Here and for the Hell of the Future?óII. What Does God Do?óThe Infinite Juggler and his PuppetsóWhat the Puppets have DoneóShall we Thank these Gods?óShall we Thank Nature?óIII. Men who deserve our ThanksóThe Infidels, Philanthropists and ScientistsóThe Discoverers and InventorsóMagellanóCopernicusóBrunoóGalileoóKepler, Herschel, Newton, and LaPlaceóLyellóWhat the Worldly have DoneóOrigin and Vicissitudes of the BibleóThe SeptuagintóInvestigating the Phenomena of NatureóIV. We thank the Good Men and Good Women of the PastóThe Poets, Dramatists, and ArtistsóThe StatesmenóPaine, Jefferson, Ericsson, Lincoln. GrantóVoltaire, Humboldt, Darwin.

A LAY SERMON.

(1886.) Prayer of King LearóWhen Honesty wears a Rag and Rascality a Robe-The Nonsense of "Free Moral Agency "óDoing Right is not Self-denial-Wealth often a Gilded HellóThe Log HouseóInsanity of Getting MoreóGreat Wealth the Mother of CrimeóSeparation of Rich and PooróEmulationóInvention of Machines to Save LaboróProduction and DestitutionóThe Remedy a Division of the LandóEvils of Tenement HousesóOwnership and UseóThe Great Weapon is the BallotóSewing WomenóStrikes and Boycotts of No AvailóAnarchy, Communism, and SocialismóThe Children of the Rich a Punishment for WealthóWorkingmen Not a DangeróThe Criminals a Necessary ProductóSociety's Right to PunishóThe Efficacy of KindnessóLabor is HonorableóMental Independence.

THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH.

(1895.) I. The Old TestamentóStory of the CreationóAge of the Earth and of ManóAstronomical Calculations of the EgyptiansóThe FloodóThe Firmament a FictionóIsraelites who went into EgyptóBattles of the JewsóArea of PalestineóGold Collected by David for the TempleóII. The New TestamentóDiscrepancies about the Birth of ChristóHerod and the Wise MenóThe Murder of the Babes of BethlehemóWhen was Christ bornóCyrenius and the Census of the WorldóGenealogy of Christ according to Matthew and LukeóThe Slaying of ZachariasóAppearance of the Saints at the CrucifixionóThe Death of Judas IscariotóDid Christ wish to be Convicted?óIII. JehovahóIV. The TrinityóThe IncarnationóWas Christ God?óThe Trinity Expoundedó"Let us pray"óV. The Theological ChristóSayings of a Contradictory CharacteróChrist a Devout JewóAn asceticóHis PhilosophyóThe AscensionóThe Best that Can be Said about ChristóThe Part that is beautiful and GloriousóThe Other SideóVI. The Scheme of RedemptionóVII. BeliefóEternal PainóNo Hope in Hell, Pity in Heaven, or Mercy in the Heart of GodóVIII. Conclusion.

SUPERSTITION.

(1898.) I. What is Superstition?óPopular Beliefs about the Significance of Signs, Lucky and Unlucky Numbers, Days, Accidents, Jewels, etc.óEclipses, Earthquakes, and Cyclones as OmensóSigns and Wonders of the HeavensóEfficacy of Bones and Rags of SaintsóDiseases and DevilsóII. WitchcraftóNecromancersóWhat is a Miracle?óThe Uniformity of NatureóIII. Belief in the Existence of Good Spirits or AngelsóGod and the DevilóWhen Everything was done by the SupernaturalóIV. All these Beliefs now Rejected by Men of IntelligenceóThe Devil's Success Made the Coming of Christ a Necessityó"Thou shalt not Suffer a Witch to Live"óSome Biblical AngelsóVanished VisionsóV. Where are Heaven and Hell?óPrayers Never AnsweredóThe Doctrine of DesignóWhy Worship our Ignorance?óWould God Lead us into Temptation?óPresident McKinley's Thanks giving for the Santiago VictoryóVI. What Harm Does Superstition Do?óThe Heart Hardens and the Brain SoftensóWhat Superstition has Done and TaughtóFate of SpainóOf Portugal, Austria, GermanyóVII. Inspired BooksóMysteries added to by the Explanations of TheologiansóThe Inspired Bible the Greatest Curse of ChristendomóVIII. Modifications of JehovahóChanging the BibleóIX. Centuries of DarknessóThe Church TriumphantóWhen Men began to ThinkóX. Possibly these Superstitions are True, but We have no EvidenceóWe Believe in the NaturalóScience is the Real Redeemer.

THE DEVIL.

(1899.) I. If the Devil should Die, would God Make Another?óHow was the Idea of a Devil ProducedóOther Devils than OursóNatural Origin of these MonstersóII. The Atlas of Christianity is The DevilóThe Devil of the Old TestamentóThe Serpent in Edenó"Personifications" of EvilóSatan and JobóSatan and DavidóIII. Take the Devil from the Drama of Christianity and the Plot is GoneóJesus Tempted by the Evil OneóDemoniac PossessionóMary MagdaleneóSatan and JudasóIncubi and SuccubióThe Apostles believed in Miracles and MagicóThe Pool of BethesdaóIV. The Evidence of the ChurchóThe Devil was forced to Father the Failures of GodóBelief of the Fathers of the Church in DevilsóExorcism at the Baptism of an Infant in the Sixteenth CenturyóBelief in Devils made the Universe a Madhouse presided over by an Insane GodóV. Personifications of the DevilóThe Orthodox Ostrich Thrusts his Head into the SandóIf Devils are Personifications so are all the Other Characters of the BibleóVI. Some Queries about the Devil, his Place of Residence, his Manner of Living, and his Object in LifeóInterrogatories to the ClergyóVII. The Man of Straw the Master of the Orthodox MinistersóHis recent AccomplishmentsóVIII. Keep the Devils out of ChildrenóIX. Conclusion.óDeclaration of the Free.

PROGRESS.

(1860-64.) The Prosperity of the World depends upon its WorkersóVeneration for the AncientóCredulity and Faith of the Middle AgesóPenalty for Reading the Scripture in the Mother TongueóUnjust, Bloody, and Cruel LawsóThe Reformers too were PersecutorsóBigotry of Luther and KnoxóPersecution of CastalioóMontaigne against Torture in Franceó"Witchcraft" (chapter on)óConfessed WizardsóA Case before Sir Matthew HaleóBelief in LycanthropyóAnimals Tried and ExecutedóAnimals received as WitnessesóThe Corsned or Morsel of ExecutionóKepler an AstrologeróLuther's Encounter with the DevilóMathematician Stoefflers, Astronomical Prediction of a FloodóHistories Filled with FalsehoodóLegend about the Daughter of Pharaoh invading Scotland and giving the Country her nameóA Story about MohammedóA History of the Britains written by ArchdeaconsóIngenuous Remark of EusebiusóProgress in the Mechanic ArtsóEngland at the beginning of the Eighteenth CenturyóBarbarous PunishmentsóQueen Elizabeth's Order Concerning Clergymen and Servant GirlsóInventions of Watt, Arkwright, and OthersóSolomon's DeprivationsóLanguage (chapter on)óBelief that the Hebrew was of ParadiseóGeography (chapter on)óThe Works of CosmasóPrinting InventedóChurch's Opposition to BooksóThe InquisitionóThe Reformationó"Slavery" (chapter on)óVoltaire's Remark on Slavery as a ContractóWhite Slaves in Greece, Rome, England, Scotland, and FranceóFree minds make Free BodiesóCauses of the Abolition of White Slavery in EuropeóThe French RevolutionóThe African Slave Trade, its Beginning and EndóLiberty Triumphed (chapter head)óAbolition of Chattel SlaveryóConclusion.

WHAT IS RELIGION?

(1899.) I. Belief in God and SacrificeóDid an Infinite God Create the Children of Men and is he the Governor of the Universe?óII. If this God Exists, how do we Know he is Good?óShould both the Inferior and the Superior thank God for their Condition?óIII. The Power that Works for RighteousnessóWhat is this Power?óThe Accumulated Experience of the World is a Power Working for Good?óLove the Commencement of the Higher VirtuesóIV. What has our Religion Done?óWould Christians have been Worse had they Adopted another Faith?óV. How Can Mankind be Reformed Without Religion?óVI. The Four Corner-stones of my TheoryóVII. Matter and Force EternalóLinks in the Chain of EvolutionóVIII. ReformóThe Gutter as a NurseryóCan we Prevent the Unfit from Filling the World with their Children?óScience must make Woman the Owner and Mistress of HerselfóMorality Born of IntelligenceóIX. Real Religion and Real Worship.