Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-03-21

= HiS aslSHlich dIlsCS uOG So lnucn IfOHl
the peculiar infdel belief of Mr.. Ing
ersoll, as from the eloquent manner
and enthusiastic zeal he has, and mani
tests, in his denunciation of the great
truths of the Bible. Mr.. Ingersoll is
an orator by birth. He is the most
eloquent man in the nation, without
doubt, and that he is a better man
than he knows himself to be, or than
are many who profess to be better than
he, we do not doubt But Mr.. Inger.
soil is volunteer in the phalanx OF
the Adversary of souls. What he has
accomplished in the work of separat-
ing a great multitude from the Infinite
God in the great future must some
day come up before him like a mighty
cloud surcharged with the lightning
of terrible remorse. He teaches
men morality alone is the great re-
qui.ite for the enjoyments Of an eter-
nal life, and thousands are to-day
practicing morality wholly selfish,
with blasphemy and idolatiy, who,
one day will say "'twas the eloquent
1ngersoll who has shut me out from
the presence of the Infinite hove"
Gods rewards are for those, we be-
lieve, who try. and many who have
tried again and again, and have
ul,coa failed at last, but have not
wholly failed. Many a man walks up
and down the earth to-day. glorying in
has pure life and boasting of his purity,
whose life moves along like placid
stream in which there are no rocks nor
shoals of temptation. Such an one IS
entitled to no credit for his seemingly
perfect life. Place him in position
where thousands are struggling to-day
and yet standing fast, as Christ stood
fast amid his persecution and the
bufetings o. malignant enemies, and
he, perchance, will go down like grass
before the mower IngersoIl is doing
much good in the temperance work as
he is in the edifying Of homes, but he is
teaching men only morality which is
but filthy covering if not sanctifed
by & good villa love which has its
growth in the ever enervating love
which Christ bore to us from the In
finite God. We are constrained to
write because of the following very per-
tinent correspondence which we clip
from the Wisconsin State Register:
"All theological questions aside, is
Robert Ingersoll a man of ordinary
prudence?
"Hc takes issue with the greater
part of civilized humanity, on ques
ton which it is impossible satisfactor-
lily to solve in this life.
"Any man, living il this world, is
incompetent, OF his own knowledge, to
produce any evidence for or again; a
state Of future punishment. The non
existence Of such state is as much a
| matter of faith as its existence,
"Supposing Ingcrsoii's belief to be
the correct one.
"What harm does the opposing view
do to those who hold it? A. a matter
of history, has nations standard of
morals ever been lowered by the intro
duction of an idea of accountability to
higher power?
No person ever lied, or stole or
cheated more, because he held that
he was to be Judged after death, for
The deeds done in the body.
Ingersoll's daugeter, who has
never been inside Of church. is no
doubt something superhuman in her
character and virtues, but the sons of
praying mothers will generally admit
that there wore some fairly good NO.
men formed on the old plan
eff a delusive system has no bad
effect on the personal character of its
believers, why take SO much pains to
disturb it? $50 cts. ticket, do |
hear some one murmur!)
| That some persons continue to hold
it, can hardly be construed into an in
suit or injury to those enancipated
from it.
But supposing chat the opposing
view. which i. held by many men of
intellect equal to Ingersolls, be the
true one!
ITO what then, shall we likcn this
great apostle of reform?
"He is like man standing on the
track over which. sooner or later, a
loaded :rain must swiftly and surely
pass.
"He says there is no train coming,
and laughs at those who frantically
becken him to get off
"He gathers his children about him
and calls to his friends and neighbors
to come and stand there too.
''If in the distance he hears faint
murmur like the rolling of heavy
wheels. he puts his fingers in his ears,
and shrieks louder to drown the sound
Suppose the train were not coming,
would ne gain anything in particular
by standing on the track?
"But if that resistless train as on the
way, will it not crush HIM as surely
whether he believes in 1t or not!
ut would become him better to put
his ear to the rail, and listen with
strained attention for the first warning