The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-12-27
THE MEN OF TONGUE.
Christian burgess and InGdeI Under
wood.
they Talk About the bible.

We listened TO the discussion by Bur
CESS and Underwood of the questions
'I- the Bible Historically Untrue:', ant
as the Bible Scientifically Untr'leT
MIR. | .li rNood affirmed and Mr.. Bur
gcs> denied.
We were expected to DC very much IN
terested In these discussions, but W
could not be because In the first place
We believe no good will result from tn
debate, and, next, because neither of tn
disputants manifested any considerable
ability. Mr.. Underwood has at hi
tongues end all the clap-trap Of Infidel
ism. lie asks, as all Infdels
do. with wise look, How
about the arky" and. where did Cain
get his Wife, and How about tina,
miraculous conception - Besides this,
he SmatterS little in geology and as
tronomy, and mathematics; talks about
the old philosophers scars above com
prehen,ion and evolves mysteries. leading
llls hearers into junblcd terms of mean
inglcss import orincomprchensiblc mean
ing. All this he does in school-boyi,h
manner, without force. leaving upon his
audience the impression that he might
have done much more than he did do--an
impression of dissatisfaction difficult to
define.
Mr.. Burgess IL tall, black-l0oking
man. He bears himself swagpcrishlv
ana Uses his tongue with some skill.
Evidently he has a little learning-has
tasted at least of the Picrian spring, and is
anxious to air his knowledge. When he
got hold of the Hebrew word for trina
nent he stuck TO it with all the tenacity
ola cookie burr to the wool of a sheen.
liz manner in this part Of the discussion
was oppressive. II seemed to say:
~ on see, my dear hearers. that | am
Hebrew ,chola.. aud This fellow Under
wood j. not. \ Hebrew scholar. is a
great man. and you ought to be surprised
to learn that | am great Ia this way
Il, well as in so many other respects.
Thcrelorc--and ask your particular at
tention to the force of thi. point-the
Bible Is not scientifically untrue"
Underwood is not strong, and Burgess IS
not weak. Underwood lacks force because
he is a professional debatcr without Or
iginal genius. lie is not learned lac is a
stuffed disputant Burgess is not
weak, because lac is emphatic, aud be-
lievcs pithy sentence, favored with a
little rudeness or sarcasm, l. better than
an argument with mixed audience.
When Underwood say: Flood"
Burgess replies, with sneer
"Well, what of It? You can't
prove that 1t was much Of shower after
all" When Underwood says: Moses
was not scientific because he believed
God made light before he made the SUM-
Burges, says: "This is a, expected.
Mr.. Underwood asserts but he produces
no authorities. 1t Is true he has occa-
sionally yentured to quote from scraps
cut from the daily Dawn Of Creation.
u very unreliable paper; and In this way
seks to put Moses down. have read
from Herodotus to prove that Moses
knew what he was talking about, but this |
is brushed aside. In view of
these facts ask you If Mr.. Underwood |
has not failed 10 knock the pins from nm |
der Moses, who on the mount stood face |
TO face with Jehovah, while round his |
head the lightning flashed. am surprised !
that the gentleman is so weak, |
and ask him TO rise up now, il he can. |
aud at my expense of time dare TO tell me !
that this argument that have made in |
favor of Moses is not as sound as the
eternal hills. All, the gentleman does !
not accept the invitation. 1t is as /
thought" Then Underwood apollo
getically replies, and weakly filings the
Hood about again, which Burgess
gathers together and puts into wash
bowl, exclaiming; ''Shal this great
book be put aside for so small an amount
of waterg Never -
And 50 on. OF course We ought Ia ho
delighted. We ought to say these are
great men; but we can't. We don't be-
Iievc they are.