The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll (Vol. 1-12): Complete Edition

by Robert G. Ingersoll

The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll in twelve volumes comprises philosophical, political religious, and other literary works by American writer and orator. Table of Volume 1: The Gods Humboldt Thomas Paine Individuality Heretics and Heresies The Ghost The Liberty of Man, Woman, and Child Conclusion About Farming in Illinois What Must We do to be Saved? Volume 2: Some Mistakes of Moses Some Reasons Why Orthodoxy Myth and Miracle Volume 3: Shakespeare Robert Burns Abraham Lincoln Voltaire Liberty in Literature The Great Infidels Which Way? About the Holy Bible Volume 4: 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? Volume 5: Ingersoll's Interviews on Talmage The Talmagian Catechism A Vindication of Thomas Pain The Observer's Second Attack Ingersoll's Second Reply Volume 6: The Christian Religion Faith or Agnosticism The Field-Ingersoll Discussion A Reply to the Rev. Henry M. Field A Last Word to Robert G. Ingersoll Letter to Dr. Field Controversy on Christianity Col. Ingersoll to Mr. Gladston Rome or Reason The Church Its Own Witness Is Divorce Wrong? Divorce Is Corporal Punishment Degrading? Volume 7: My Reviewers Reviewed My Chicago Bible Class To the Indianapolis Clergy The Brooklyn Divines The Limitations of Toleration A Christmas Sermon Suicide of Judge Normile Is Suicide a Sin? Is Avarice Triumphant? Replies and Interviews Volume 8: The Bible and a Future Life Mrs. Van Cott, The Revivalist European Trip and Greenback Question The Pre-Millennial Conference The Solid South and Resumption The Sunday Laws of Pitsburg Political and Religious… Volume 9: Speeches and Addresses Volume 10: Address to the Jury in Various Cases Volume 11: Address on the Civil Right Act Trial of C. B. Reynolds for Blasphemy God in the Constitution A Reply to Bishop Spalding Crimes Against Criminals A Wooden God Some Interrogation Points Art and Morality The Divided Household of Faith Huxley and Agnosticism… Volume 12: Prefaces, Tributes, and Essays

163 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2020

About the author

"On August 11, 1833, was born the greatest and noblest of the Western World; an immense personality, -- unique, lovable, sublime; the peerless orator of all time, and as true a poet as Nature ever held in tender clasp upon her loving breast, and, in words coined for the chosen few, told of the joys and sorrows, hopes, dreams, and fears of universal life; a patriot whose golden words and deathless deeds were worthy of the Great Republic; a philanthropist, real and genuine; a philosopher whose central theme was human love, -- who placed 'the holy hearth of home' higher than the altar of any god; an iconoclast, a builder -- a reformer, perfectly poised, absolutely honest, and as fearless as truth itself -- the most aggressive and formidable foe of superstition -- the most valiant champion of reason -- Robert G. Ingersoll." - Herman E. Kittredge

Robert Green Ingersoll, who became the best known advocate of freethought in the 19th-century, was born in Dresden, N.Y. The son of an impoverished itinerant pastor, he later recalled his formative church experiences: "The minister asked us if we knew that we all deserved to go to hell, and we all answered 'yes.' Then we were asked if we would be willing to go to hell if it was God's will, and every little liar shouted 'Yes!'" He became an attorney by apprenticeship, and a colonel in the Civil War, fighting in the Battle of Shiloh. In 1867, Ingersoll was appointed Illinois' first Attorney General. His political career was cut short by his refusal to halt his controversial lectures, but he achieved national political fame for his thrilling nomination speech for James G. Blaine for president at the national convention of the Republican Party in 1876. Ingersoll was good friends with three U.S. presidents. The distinguished attorney was known and admired by most of the leading progressives and thinkers of his day.

Ingersoll traveled the continent for 30 years, speaking to capacity audiences, once attracting 50,000 people to a lecture in Chicago—40,000 too many for the Exposition Center. His repertoire included 3 to 4-hour lectures on Shakespeare, Voltaire and Burns, but the largest crowds turned out to hear him denounce the bible and religion. He initially settled in Peoria, Illinois, then in Washington, D.C., where he successfully defended falsely accused men in the "Star Route" scandal, the most famous political trial of the 19th century. Religious rumors against Ingersoll abounded. One had it that Ingersoll's son was a drunkard who more than once had to be carried away from the table. Ingersoll wrote: "It is not true that intoxicating beverages are served at my table. It is not true that my son ever was drunk. It is not true that he had to be carried away from the table. Besides, I have no son!"

During the Civil War he was commissioned as Colonel and commander of the 11th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, and was captured near Corinth, Mississippi. Although soon released, he still made time to treat his Confederate captors to a rousing anti slavery speech.

He hoped for but was never awarded a Cabinet post. The Republicans were afraid of his unorthodox religious views. He was told that he could progress politically if he hid his religious views, but Ingersoll refused on the charge that withholding information from the public would be immoral.

He strongly advocated equal rights for blacks and women. He defended Susan B. Anthony from hecklers when she spoke in Peoria; when every hotel in the city refused to house Frederick Douglass, he welcomed him into his home.

More: https://ffrf.org/news/day/dayitems/it...

http://infidels.org/library/historica...

http://www.robertgreeningersoll.org/8-2/

http://www.positiveatheism.org/tochin...

http://www.philosopedia.org/index.php...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_G...