The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-02-28
PATTON VS.. INGALLS,.

ceased Senator. On the occasion referred to
Senator Ingalls,, of Kansas, delivered an ora
ton in which he took occasion to allude to
the impenetrable mysteries which surround
ed Senators as well as others who have been
less conspicuous in mundane affairs. Mr..
Ingalls, is not spiritualist. He does not
believe that any trustworthy information in
regard TO the departed has ever been vouch-
safed to the living; in fact Mr.. ingalls, may
be regarded as a disciple of Colonel Ingerson
and quite as willing as the famous Bob to
put his views on record whenever an oppor-
tunity offers. In his eulogium of Senator
Hill, Senator Ingalls, said:
Ben Hill has gone to the undiscovered country.
Whether his journey thither was but one step
across an imperceptible frontier, or whether an
interminable ocean, black, unfuctuating. and
voiceless sire tches between these earthly coasts
and those invisible shores-we do not know.
Whether on thai August morning after death
he saw a more glorious sun rise with unimagina-
BILE splendor above a celestial horizon. whether
his apathete and unconscious ashes still sleep in
cold obstruction and Insensible oblivion-we do
not know.
Whether his strong and subtle energies found
instant exercise In another forum, whether his
dexterous and disciplined faculties are now con-
tending in higher Senate than ours for suPrem-
acy, or whether his powers were dissipated and
dispersed with lis parting breath-we do not
know.
Whether his passions, ambitions and affections
| still sway. attract and lmpel, whether he remem-
bers US as we remember him-we do not yet know.
These are the unsolved, the insoluable prob
lens OF mortal life and human destiny. which
prompted the troubled patriarch to ask that mo-
mentous question for which the centuries have
given no answer,-''H a die, shall ne live
again?''
Every man is the center OF circle whose fatal
circumference he can not pass Within its mar
row confines he potential, beyond it he perishes
and If immortality is a splendid but delusiye
dream, If the incompleteness of every career
even the longest and most fortunate, be not sup
plemented and perfected after its termination
here. then he who breads to die should fear to
live, for life is a tragedy more desolate and mex
plicable than death.
When Senator ingalls, views were pub
lished, Rev. DR.. A. S. Patton, editor of
the Baptist Weekly, concluded to criticlse
them from a purely orthodox standpoint.
He referred to Mr.. Ingalls, speech as
heather talk in Congress" and quotes with
fattering Endorsement Washington letter
which sought TO rebuke the Kansas Senator
by saying: "But the Senate is not
the forum wherefrom to preach sermons on
infidelity, nor should the occasion of me-
mortal services upon deceased colleague be
embraced to question, did Mr.. Ingalls,.
whether If man die, shall he
H. ooo;o0iU NJ p,ttop d;roctIv and
indirectly, refers to Mr.. Ingalls, as
an infdel, at which the Kansas Senator
flies into passion, and bounces the Baptist
divine with an energy which, were it physi-
cal rather than intellectual or controversial,
would approximate an irreparable calamity.
In writing to DR.. Patton, Mr.. Ingalls,, in q
few terse sentences, sets forth how he sought
to honor the memory of Senator Hill, and
that he presented only such reflections as
arise in all thoughtful minds when medi-
tating upon the impenetrable mystery which
wells the future state of man from al ex-
cept the editor of the Baptist Weekly" and
adds:
| 1 suggested the argument for immortality
based upon the imperfection and incompleteness
of all earthly careers, even the longest and most
fortunate, unless supplemented and rounded out
hereafter and affirmed that from this standpoint
knew of no one whose life was so rich In the
prophecy of future existence as that of Senator
Hill. said further, that though his sun went
down at noon, 1t sank amid the prophetic SPLEEN
dors of an eternal dawn. Upon this you publish
| detached paragraphs of my speech and tell your
readers, If you have any, that 1 am a heather
and an inhdel. If you are a Christian prefer to
be a heather. If your religion prompts or per-
mits you without provocation, to libel those with
whose views upon the great problems of human
destiny you do not agree, prefer to be an infdel
But am neither the one nor the other. have
| had some doubts hitherto whether eternal pun
| ishment was consistent with infinite love, but
am quite sure If there is no hell for such bigoted
slanderers and malignant liars as you there
ought to be.
| The ludicrous feature of the controversy,
il such dIsputations can be said to have
funny or comical ingredients, is found in the
fact that the irate Senator after denouncing
the divine as bigoted slanderer and malig
nant liar, subscribes himself with great re-
spect," DIR. Patton's "obedient servant" A
remarkable condescension, to which. DR.. Pat
ton in responding to the Senator's philippe
alludes, to is as follows:
As TO your concluding personal and ungracious
| illusions, in which you class me with bigoted
slsnderers and malignant liars" have nothing to
say except that they are such terms as a true
| gentleman would not use, especially in addressing
/ one to whom he condescends to subscribe himself
with great respect, your obedient servant"
1t does not appear that DR.. Patton in COM
menting upon Senator ingalls, speech trans
cended the limits of permissible criticism,
but all fair minded men will agree that
Senator ingalls, permitted himself to use
language in fragrant violation of all the pro-
prieties observed among well bred men,. The
trouble grew out of the fact that DIR. Patton
referred to the Senator as an ''infdel," and
to his Grafton as heather talk in Congress"
But it appears that Mr.. Ingalls,. views are
are not those OF Christian. what then?
Simply this: Mr.. Ingalls, is an infdel. The
term "infideP' is no more a term of reproach
than is ''agnostic." Agnostic assume that
we have no knowledge but what we acquire
by means of our senses, and Mr.. Herbert