The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-03-15
Mr. Collyer on IngersolI.
New York Tribune.l


The Rev. Robert Collyer spoke last night
to a congregation in the Church of the Mes
siah, at Thirty-fourth street and Park ave
nue., upon the work of Robert Ingersoll:
81 count that rather a wonderful sight" he
said, THAT we see and hear OF now ana then IN
this city and in neighbOring cities, when great
public halls are crowded TO meet ana wei
come the arch-champion OF Atheism, and
to hear what be has to say, generally
about faith in God, that faith which, beyond all
other thugs has moved and nodded the human
mind in all ages. Those who watch the signs oil
the times closely will see that the most OF those
who crowd to see lngersOll also flock % see Moody
when he is here; ia fact they are the people who
will go to any place where good time Is 10 De had
The case is much as a great Eagilsh statesman
oEce put it, when his attention WAS called 10 the
cheering OF a crowd that was waiting for him;
Most of them would do that II they had come 10
see me hung The most prominent cnarac-
teristic Of IngersoN's present work Is MS want
of Charitable consideration of those who do
not believe as he does. This was not MS
earliest manner. 1t was my fortune not long since
70 spend morning with him on tram, ano that
genIeness WHICH IS SO pleasant to see I'm an Oppo-
neut, blew through our little contentious IKE me
summer wind through the biue0elis on tue NIL
sides, which are swayed TO and fro but stTaiShten
up after every breeze passes i don't expect
10 find him the same on the PLATFORM Is ne
was that morning. The seeking for applause ana
laughter. the playing for the BOwery boys lowers
and makes coarse the work OF any one VINO IN
dulges in II. The Mr. lngersOH FOSTERING
around ri Sl5 coo year, as the common AK mas
was working all alone in Peoria and WIN
ming the respect even OF those who could
nOt understand his position. There Is not
much danger that Atheism viii make great pre-
grcSs, with its greatest apostle appearing con-
stantly in motley as his best method of work, and
whoever goes about with a chip on his shoulder
incessan ty is sure 20 be voted nuisance. lntOl-
erence Can never help the advocacy OF Atheism
any more than II can its opponents.
No of common sense believes
some things in the books of Moses,
books which arc full OF beauty and truth, how
ever; but there is no man that hadn't lar bet
ter believe everything about the serpent, the
apple and the ark than Mr. Ingersolfs doc
tTine that there is no God. can agree
in nothing with the faith Of a man who tells me
that his mission is 10 destroy mems faith in
their God. { have stones TO throw 81
Atheism any more than at a bhnd man. III
eau never be al institution: it can never be more
than destitutiou. it was well said recently,
Atheism is plant that WON'T grow in our hardy
AnglO-SaXOn sJtL One thing Is certain, however,
those who bell I'VE in God and not in some mere
Surmtse about God. have got To stand firmly to
geiher, as the heroes Of twenty years ago 0ld TOT
the soiidity If the Union. I'll wade chin
deep into the fight by the side of shouting
MetlodIst wateTy Baptist, though he baptize
Tie twice year. under the old flag of the Al
mighty. All minor issues must be cast aside till
the question is settled for all time And we, as
sIeud. the pioneers of The trucSt fairest faith
in God. faith thar needs not the serpent or the
ark 10 lean upon, but fronts the light boldly. we
shall grow ever more worthy of His truth by show
inc il IN our lives. There is no argument so in
viueible as pure, true life.