Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-08-11
Judge Black and Bob lngeFssn.

Never since its inception has the
North .!msiean Reriero contained
any articles as notable as those in
this months number, by Robert m
, gersoll and Judge Black The for.
mer in much more dignifiel tone
than his ribald lectures. gives his rea.
sons for disbelieving in God aud
Christianity, while the latter, chaI-
;; lenged to DO go, replies in defence OF
:: the faith. Ingersoll's article is spe-
cious, llorid, spicy and popular rs-
hash of the great masters of infdeli-
ty. To the ordinary and unthinking,
not to say sensual. mind. the obiec-
tions made by the doughty Colonel
are iorciblea and unanswerable. Hith.
erto, the ministers have advanced
against this adversary in a metaphy-
seal, pole1nical and technical style.
that did :ot altogether satisfy the
garlic eating multitude. Judge Black.
with a clear concer ion of the fraud
before him, and perfect understand
ingofhis methods, and with superior
arsenal Of facts, backed by the most
luminous logic and style estant, takes
Insersoll fairly by the throat and
holds him up as a political charlatan
and sordid skeptic, who has neither
principle nor profnndity. Artistical-
ly, the great Judge, who confronted
Stanton, Wilson and Garfield, in the
arena Of discussion, and struck them
dumb, has performed the same surgi-
cal operation upon Ingersoll. There
is not point made made by Inger.
soil that he evades, and not one that
he does not annihilate and turn
against his opponent. For the wise
and otherwise, but especially fer the
thousands poisoned BY Ingersolls wit
and satire, this article of Judge
Blacks will prove saving antidote.
1t is learned, bnt it is within the
meaneat comprehension. it is syste.
matte in statement, but as pellucid as
crystal. Besides the tawdry tinsel Of
Ingersoll's Chinese pagoda, the
mighty pageant Of Judge Blacks ar.
gument towers like the Parthenon or
the dome Of St. Peter. Somebody
once exempliied the defeat of one
statesman by another as the tread Of
an elepant on mouse. This thought
and image will occur to all who, after
reading IDgersoll's soreed, peruae the
evisceraring process of Judge Blacks
rely. But for its length and the
existing heat, We could cordially rec.
ommend that our ministers today
would read it from their pulpits in
lieu Of other sermons. We at first
determined to pint copious extracts,
but forebore at last, because nothing
could he omitted in Justice to the au-
thor and his masterpiece. If Col.
Ingereoll had any real conscience OF
decency, he would retire from the
contest, as Henry Wilson or James A.
Garfield did, on other memorable oc.
casions. They at least knew that the
bad CAUSES tllay advocated Nad lJ
longer leg to stand upon when
;udse Black had finished with them.
And so. honestly discomftsd and as a
tribute to superior truth, they were
significantly silent. But Bob" In
gersoll will revel in the new public
ity given him and continue to rail at
his Creator because being q mou1.
tebank and huckster, he knows
that in the infinite multitude OF fools
there will always be sufficient num-
ber to pay fifty cents head to hear
him blaspheme like London tish.
monger and play antics like one Of
Darwins apes. That he will ever
make a serious effort to answer Judge
Black we think improbable; but
should he 10 go, it will only be to
sink himself lower in perdition and
tempt a thunder-stroke that Will stop
his mockery. The "old man eloquent"
very seldom has to deliver a second
blow. Bnt it may be necessary in
this case, since nothing is go hard to
silence as /. monstrous egotist who
thinks nothing OF arraying his micro.
scopic personality against the L?rd
of All that Ia.
Chronicle d Constimttom7tst.