The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1878-11-30
some Mistakes orlngersoli.


Ono Of the most talented takers in
tho United States will deliver o briet
series Of lectures this week in Ciucin-
natl. His theme this evening is "soms
Mistakes Of Noses" He 10 an orator
Of captivating phrases. ofbrillians rhet'
oric, Of abundant aud graceful vocabu-
larry. and ho fashions thoughts almost
original into picturesque and beautiful
shape. Ho is gifted with imagination,
is an artist in bis way, and, with q
better inspiration. might almost become
poet. lie is q fascinating weaver oil
words. He molds sentences into weird,
wild shape, till they dazzle BY their
beauty aud startle by their freshness.
lie has the power Of what men call
eIoq ueuce. His thoughts sparkle into
gsms Of speech like q torch at mid
night. His opinions glitter and fash
so buwitchingly that it il the flash aud
tho glitter that We admire rather than
tho idea they were meant to adorn.
Mr.. Ingersoll appears as really an ar
list in language, and the artist 10
speech, like all artists, should bc
measured chiefly BY tho cud ut which
bis art aims. The lecture platform in
,hl, country is ono of tho teachers and
preachers of this generation. It is the
Church without q creed. the journal
without party, the pulpit without a
congregation to please. 1t is less
known here than 10 New England, for
there it is to large extent library aud
school and newspaper. How does Mr.
IngcrsoIl, standing on this emincnco,
use that pedestal? What is his mis-
sion US teacher? How does be CON-
pare with the other teachers in our
time aud civilization ? What is tho
end Of his teaching? Docs it add to
the happiness or wor!hiness Of men?
The chief Grand Of Mr.. IugcrsOll
seems to be to batter down the beliefin
God and tue Christian religion. Is
that an crrand Of mercy to men? Even
il be could entirely succeed iu this
mission, hc would be robbiug hundreds
Of millions Of Christian people Of q
great solace, of hope that carries them
through the ills Of this life quite to the
moment Of leaving il; for we never
heard that any ono, after leading a
Christian life, renouncCd the Christian
religion on dcath.bcd. There is very
little danger Of loo much Christianity.
and any religion in the lives Of men
and in the story Of the race, for oil are
elevatipg. Even though tho Christian
religion wero deiusion, why rob mill
ions Of tho sweet solace it gives? Ono
Of tho themes Of Robert 1ngcrsoll this
week is Robert Burns, one Of tho
geutlest and most hcartful, aud one Of
the lougest.livcd, Of poets. In this
lecture tho brilliant orator will pay
tribute to one Of the highest Of the
arts, and one Of the most lovable Of its
representatives. Religion hos Ger.
tsinly been as beuefccut minister in
ths affairs Of man as poetry. 1t has
contributed as much to the cultivation
aud elevation Of mankind as either OF
tho arts. Indeed, it has summoned oil
the arts as its messengers. Mr.. lugcr.
soil would DO less harm and would bc
more logical in wngiug war on poetry
Or music. Or sculpture, or pictures, or
even on clOqucnco ITSELF thuu in wag-
lug war on tho foundation OF tho
Christian religion. No man in tho cx-
,rcmc moment ever relied on bis art.
But there is the beautiful story Of the
martyrs. whose aspiring spirits tho
tlumes that consumed their bodies could
not quench. And VIC arS freshly ra'
minded Of o story Of horror aud Of
beauty, more than q decade old. that
came from a New England town OF ja-
dcd faces aud weary feet, where seven
hundred aud City people were suddenly
plunged into q lurid tragedy out Of
which not moro tlan iofescot6 WeEc
brought out alive. And gifted pen
has told tho stOr, Of the hump'backsd
daughter Of the cObbler, whose requiem
tho Slerrimack sang, and low from out
and ubuvs tho crackle and roar Of the
burning ruins Eve quote from tho
thrilling repOrD a womnn's voice rang
like bell:
"wc'Ic going home to die no moro: :"
and how child's notc quavCrca in the
chorus, aud from scaled aud unseen
graves. while young lips sWelled the