New-York tribune., 1878-02-02
COLONEL INGERSOLES LECTURES
THE LECTURERS MENTAL CAVITY.

TO the EditOr or The Trt6uhe.
SIR: have read your report of Colonel
Robert q. Ingersols attack on Christianity and the
Bible and am thereby reminded OF several facts which
seem to me be appropriate as a critiquc thereon.
FirstYheu Talleyrand heard friend diating on tho
profundty OF an0thers mind. he is reported 20 have
said. C'est vertable eavte.'"
SecondIy-Iord Bacon gave his opinion that the great
Atheists are hypocrites handling holy things but
without feeling that they must needs be cauterzed IN
the end" true said he that little philosophy
inclincth mans mind TO atheism but depth in phil
osoplv brngeth mems minds about to religion; for
while the mind OF man loOketh upon second causes
scattered, it may sometimes rest in them ana 30 10
further but when It beholdeth tho chain oi them con-
federate and linked together IL must needs fly TO Proy
dence and Deity"
Christianity is a life and its laws are unveri
fable to those who have taste capacity therefor.
Thousands OF quotations from Christ. his Apostles the
Christian Fathers and Christian writers 10 our own day
bear testimony TO this fact 1t Is the pure In he"'
ONLY who "cau see God, and well might we expect
to be guided through labyrinth by blind man as 10
seek for truth on tho subject OF Christianity from
one who only has experience OF the life ITSELF
but who plu,nes himself his skill in dragging those
sacred thoughts INTO rdicule which most powerfully
sway the affections OF bis fellow creatures IL was
vivid sense OF this principle Christianity life that
led rho late witty Dr. Nelson of Illinois when passing
an infdel bookstore New York, call in and inquire
Russia on Vegetation in the West Indies tha, OF the
King of the Sandwich Islands the effects OF climate
In the Arctic Regions.
That Colonel Ingersols mind is "une vertablc
cayite" on this subject proved by the vanity
dsp ayCd in his lecture Here stand Chief Justice Mar.
sha aud Daniel Webster, Of country, testfying
that faithful and eeyating lhnuence they have
met IN life has their OF obligation to G0d,
aud up starts Colonel who says they mistaken,
for he research. has found the Bible was not In
sprcd" That Colonel Ingersoii has made his induction
from compass OF facts may wei be Inferred
from the Inconsistencies and the lack OF wisdom he has
displayed He disparages "collegate education" as
crushing ont originality by the diffusion OF "useless
knowledge" and, at the same tmc he commends sell
ence Witch has always received enormous advantages
from such educ ltOu That he knows nothing whatever
OF the philosophy OF Christanlty-of Christianity Gs
c-s manifest to the humDest believer. for he bellies
the faith, which demands that prove all things, by
stating that "rcgiOnists" dread reason. so FAR from
this assertion being true, the most intelligent CHRIS
ans welcome the contest with science. Whilst phii0s-
ophy has changed her front from age 10 age Christianity
has never changed. she stands in her despsel
weakness she came to US Heaven in the first oen-
tury-wi hout observation. and yet the mlgnties power
for good that the world has ever known.
Nec York, Jan. 80, 1873 WINTHROP s. GILMAN