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                              1900

                             FORWARD

     In presenting to the public this edition of the writings of
Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, it has been the aim to make it as
handsome, durable and complete as possible worthy in every way of
the valiant, generous, much beloved genius who penned these magical
pages. 

     Robert Ingersoll's tremendous message -- one of the most
important messages of all time -- thunders through these volumes.
The orator himself has passed away, but the words that woke America
from sleep and stupor ring out as liberty bells for all mankind!

     The Age of Enlightenment dawned upon the world in that hour
when Robert Ingersoll first delivered his lecture on The Gods, the
opening chapter of this volume. In that hour the darkness of
medieval madness and hypocrisy and witchcraft and superstition
began to give way. The armies of the Terrible Unseen commenced to
melt away into mist. The phantoms and weird horrors which had
haunted the imaginations of men faded in the sunshine and sanity of
an Emancipator who was the personal friend of Lincoln and did as
much for enslaved minds as Lincoln had done for enslaved bodies!

     Were these books of Ingersoll's go there will be tranquillity
in the spirits of men. He brings peace to troubled minds, courage
to frightened hearts. With infinite gaiety and good-humor he builds
up the strong fortress of Reason to defend men against the
whirlwinds of Superstition.

     His speeches and writings were originally collected and
prepared for publication by his kinsman, C.P. Farrell. At a time
when the hosts of the dealers in hob-goblins still made a great
shouting against Ingersoll, this man had the courage to be his
first "publisher". All honor to him! 

     Now Mr. Farrell too has passed away, and the legacy which
Ingersoll left to mankind, his thoughts and writings, impose a duty
on his family and friends. To perpetuate his influence and insure
to his fellow-countrymen the easiest and readiest access to his
books, the Ingersoll League has been founded. 

     The League feels it is its duty to make Mr. Ingersoll's
victorious point of view available to all who need and crave it.
There never was a time when his type of thinking was more needed
than to-day! And by preparing this official edition the Ingersoll
League hopes to deserve the praise and thanks of all who wish
mankind well!

     The League sends its cordial greeting to all those who are now
and later to be benefitted, strengthened, cheered and uplifted by
these books. If they are enlightened and helped and stimulated, if
their lives are a little freer and happier and more courageous --

                                     THE INGERSOLL LEAGUE.

                         Bank of Wisdom
                  Box 926, Louisville, KY 40201
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