Morning journal and courier., 1880-05-03
Colonel Ingersoll Reviewed.

Rev. MT. McA1fster Rebukes the Great
 Nationalist - George Street MI E.
 Church Crowded by a Large and Tn-
 teIIigent Aud1ence-The Subject 10 be
 Further Discussed Next Sunday Even
 ing.
 The George street M. E. church was crowd ed to overfowing last evening by an intelli- gent audience who assembled to listen to review of Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll's re- cent lecture at the Grand Opera House in this city, by the pastor, Rev. William H. McAlis- ter. Long before the hour appointed for the services to commence every available seat in the church was filled, and hundreds went away who couId-not find so much as standing room.
 After the usual opening exercises Rev. MT. McAlistsr spoke in substance as follows: could find plenty of texts on which to base the subject on which I propose to discourse to night. Turning to Psalms I read, s'There is no fear of God before his eyes," or to Proverbs, where read, ''Sesth man wise in his own conceit; there is more of fool than of him." all of which applies to Colonel hi gerson. Or turn to James and find that 'tthe devils believed and trembled;" and the devils in hell were not inidels then. Mir. Ingersol, said the preacher, has recently ad- dressed the citizens of New Haven in de- rision of the things that we revere and venerats. I did not hear him, but I read an abstract of his lecture in the daily papers. I have heard him speak on other subjects and have listened to him with pleasure. There are things in MT. Ingerson that most heartily appreciate, and propose on this occasion to accept the code of prize fighters and will not strike below tho belt. When was in my teens MT. Ingerson was 8 soldier of the republic. and it was no mean service that he did to maintain the honor of his country, and honor him for that service. I have listened to his eloquent words on the rostrum as patriot, but it is Q shallow patri- otism that don't defend the land of our fathers and at the same time their religion. I have heard that he was Q worthy man, kind to his neighbcrs and generous to the poor; and while recognize all of this I must say that there are some things bad in him. will call on a man who was the equal of Pitt and Burke in point of eloquence, and who, although himself nn infdel, stood up - in the British Parliament and rebuked another who by his infdeI utterances had at tempted to currupt the morals of the com munity. It was Sheridan who despised such a man as this. What is Mir. Ingersoll? Look out at wonder cliff; it is the cliff of Calais, and on its summit is a bright and shining light guiding the mariner on his way, and un- der it's guidance he steers clear of the rocks which lay scattered along the coast. man climbs to the top of the cliff and puts out the light, leaving the vessels to the mercy of rocks and pirates on the shore. That man represents Mir. Ingersoll. He puts out the light, he wrecks souls. That is his business j; he acknowledges it. Mir. Ingersoll is not of the stuff that the champion cheats of infideli- ty are made. He has a personal magnetism about him. When he comes upon the stage his diamonds glisten brightly, his paunch al most shakes with laughter, he is the picture of health, and has all the elements of popular speaker.
 Let us now consider his method as con- troversialist. He has no bulk of brain. He is not Sir Isaac Newton, though that great man was an infidsl until by study he was led to change his views. The same has been true of other great men until they became con vinced of their error by study. Mr. Ingersoll belongs to the vulgar sort of his class. Like Tom Paine, he indulges in that that is bold in that that is vulgar. For argument he sub stitutes affirmation. Assumption, vulgarity and jocularity are what make up the man, and thess three classes will probably listen to what he has to say. It is postulates that Ingerson lays down, it is assumption. He appears as though his audience did not expect argument, and when he has finished he appears like the man in the circus ring who jumps through the hoop of fire and in 8 minute is gone. Ipger- soil sets down St. John on the Isle of Patmes as an idiot, and tells you that the Bible is the foundation of my faith. I be- ieve in the Lord Jesus Christ, and He alone is the foundation on which I stand. I believe in Moses and the prophets because Christ so tells me to believe. John Stuart Mill would not believe in the inspiration of the Bible, yet admits the sublime teachings of Christ. Although 8 skeptic, yet he says 'Christ was charged with a special and unique commission from God" Christ himself was the word and God was that word. Even MT. Ingersoll accepts the golden rule, and says that is all the religion he wants. Christ no- where tells ust that we must believe in the Bible, but He tells us to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be saved. was not taught by my father to believe in the Bible as divinely inspired book handed down directly from heaven. Even Dr. Adam Clarke did not believe everything that is written in the Bible, as he plainly shows in his commentary. We do not believe that the deluge submerged the whole universe, but only part of it. We do not believe that the sun actually stood still when commanded by Joshua. I tell you, however, that Christianity has stood every strain that has been put upon 1t. MT. IDgersoll does not attack Christ, for he knows that he cannot attack him; but he comes up like bush whacker and attacks the Bible. Lord Bacon said little theology would lead men to inf delity; but the depth of theology would lead to religion. Mir. Ingersoll says the Jews had a hard time of it so long as God had charge of them, but ever since the Lord abandoned them they have been happy and prosperous people. This statement the speaker charac- terized as unblushing effrontery and as far from the truth as possible to get. He then gave illustrations in support of his statement and quoted in an effective way from Shake speare's "Shylock." He said he respected the Hebrews as 8 raco, and only mentioned these things to refute the statements made by Mir. Ingsrsoll, which he considered unblush- ing dishonesty on his part in making them.
 In concluding the preacher said: This in presented demurrer and worn out antiqui- ty. Infidelity is a hydra, with writhing trunks and snaky heads, and as fast as one head Is destroyed others grow. Is there no Hercules to destroy the monster? An! who is this that cometh from Edom This is our Hercules. He, the seed of the woman, shall bruiss the serpent's head thrust it to the earth, roll the Rock of Ages upon it and bury it forever Even the devils in hell believed and trembled, and while they trembled they acknowledged Christ's sway
 The exercises were closed by singing 'From Greenland's Icy Mountains" and the benedic- ton by the pastor.
 This sermon was more in tho nature of an introduction to another which is to follow on the same subject next Sunday evening.
 PersODaIs
 Charles D. Dyer, business manager of the Norwich Bulletin since December 14, 1875, has resioued that position AIonzo IT Harris