The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-11-27
A CHAMPION FOR CHRISTIANITY.
Mr., Magruder Ready to Meet the Ir.
reVerent Col. IngersOlI.


Mr.. Allen b. Magruder, of Stephens
City, Frederic county Va, who signs
himself "a servant of God and disciple
of Christ" having learning that Col.
Robert Ingersoll boldly challenges all
who maintain and publicly teach the
Divine origin of the Bible rs the re-
vealed word of God, to meet him in
fair public discussion takes up the
glove thus thrown down. He does
this in the belief that contemptuous
silence is not the best method of meet
Ing this "bold blasphemer." He
thinks that the subtle intidelity, which
is said to be diffiused among our intelli-
gent people, may be due to this "su-
pine policy of silent contempt. In
continuance of this argument the de-
fender of Christianity says: at is
certain that our forefathers, IN laying
in the fabric of our Government, the
foundations Of our civil and religious
freedom did not adopt or recommend
the timid and serpentlike policy of
weak liberation or contemptuous
silence in respect to such social
CataliDes as Col. Ingersoll. On the
contrary, while they forbid the
sword of persecution or the fires of
martyrdom as a remedy for such dis
orders, they have distinctly pointed
to the weapons of fair argument and
free public discussion as the only legit-
innate and the best means of arresting
pernicious errors in political and reli-
gious doctrine, and protecting society
from the consequences" He further
regards this as the undoubted teach
ing of Holy Writ, and in support of
this position quotes such texts as:
I" Come let us reason together aud
" Earnestly contend for the faith
which was once delivered to the
saints" He goes on to remark that
"the examples recorded in Scripture
are to the SAM effect. Witness the
public contention between David and
Goliah of Gath-of Elijah with the
prophets of Baal- of Jesus of Nazareth
with the soothing Scribes, Pharsees
and chief Priests of Israel-of the
Apostles with the Jews at Jerusalem
of Paul with the Gentle rulers at
Ephesus and Thessalonica, and with
the Stole and Epicurean Philosophers
and oven in the palace of the Caesars
- Dnn,n Gha eanaa Arastlo Sverns ,,s
that there should arise many unruly
and vain takers, deceivers and gain
mouths must be stop
ped \ teaching things which
they ought not, for filthy lucres sake
Inspired and instructed by such exam
pies, he accepts Col. Ingersolps chal-
lenge "to such an oral debate on such
terms of fair and equal rights of dis
cussiOn as may be mutually agreed
upon" He undertakes the task
of responding to and repelling
Colonel Ingersoll's assaults in no
vain confidence in his own strength
and wisdom relying solely in the
power of the Divine word and ia
my earnest conviction of the abso-
word, and which cannot be success
July gainsayed and overthrown by
jhe puny weapons of human invention,
however vauntingly and skillfully
The smooth stone of the
brook, hurled from little David's sling
vas, when directed in its course by
he Divine Power, and on that ac- {
,Ount more than match for the
Philistine champion,
hough he was of the enormous
tature of twelve feet and clad in a
lelmet of brass and coat of mail. 1t
! the same God that Col. Ingersoll
low has the temelity to defy in deny
ng and denOuncing the Record that
iOd hath given to us eternal life, and
his life is in his son. In such a con-
let a pigmy is more than a match for
giant, seeing that it is God and not
he man that defends the right and gives |
he victory. For the rest, suffice it to say !
nat the undersigned is, like Col.
ngersoll, layman, lawyer and a
,cturer on the Bible-that he readily
ccords to him what is accredited to
i'm by common report, viz: That he !
a gentleman of intelligence and
lucation, and of proper social rank
nd consideration. Claiming nothing
ore for himself, the undersigned
limits that they will meet, in this c
Irnest but not unfriendly contention
+ the discovery of the truth, on fair
I'd equal terms"