The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-02-28
FORUM Us. SANCTUM
THE sRRA TOR AND TIE RELIC
TOUS PAPER.

TIE hEAAIOh AND IHE RELLG
IOUS PAPER.
The New York Baptist Weekly
printed an editorial recently, en-
titled "Heathen Talk in Congress,
quoting a few sentences from the
remarks made by Mr.. Ingalls, on the
occasion of the Hill memorial ser
vices. The editor concludes as fol-
lows: "Mr. Ingalls,, we believe, is
an infidel, and these gloomy, hope
less utterances fitly embody his SEN
timents in relation to future life
If he had chosen another occasion
for their expression we would not
question his right to announce them,
but 10 do so in connection with the
solemn commemorative services of
a Christian Senator was a piece of
pure impertinence. Mr.. Ingalls's
views arc simply heathenish. In
stead of accepting the doctrine of a
future life, so distinctly taught by
Christ, he harbOrs the conflicting
-eoniectures of the old heather phil
osophers, whose minds alternated
between hope and fear, and is con-
tent TO initiate them in their la
menfable hesitation and doubt"
To which Mr.. Ingalls, replied:
USFrED STATES SENATE CHAMBER,
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb 10, 1888.
A. S. PIts0H, ID. d., Ne1 York City:
SIR. I have received the marked
copy Of the BIptlst Weekly for Feb 8.
which YOU were kind enough to send
me
In NV brief tribute to the memory of
Senator Hill, whom / honOred as a man
aud loved as a friend, presented those
reflections which rise in all thoughtful
minds when meditaiing upon the i'm
peuetrable mystery which wells the tu-
ture state Of man from all except the
editor OF the Bgphsf Weekly.
suggested the argument OF immor
tality, based upon the imperfectiOn and
incompleteness OF all earthly careers,
even the longest and most fortunats,
unless supplemented and rounded nut
hereafter, aud affirmed that from this
standpoint I knew of no one whose life
was so rich in the prophecy Of a future
existence as that of Senator Hill.
/ said, further, that, though his sun
wsnt down az noon, IL sank amid the
prophetic splendors Of an eternal dawn
Upon this you publish detached para
graphs Of my speech and tell your read
ers. IL you have any, that am heather
and an inidcl. IL you are Christian /
prefer TO be n heathen-that Is, IL your
religion prompts or permits You without
provacation TO libel those with whose
views upon the great problems OF hu-
man destiny you de- not agree, L prefer
70 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 qui sure that n there
is no hell for such bigoted slanderers
aud malignant liars as you there ought
70 be.
With great respect, your obedient
servant, JoHS j. INGALLS,
To which the Editor of the BaP-
tisf Weekly publishes the following
tart and pungent reply:
OFFICE or THE BAPTIST WEEKLY"
NEW YORK, February -, 1888
Hon John J ingalls,. United states Senate:
SIR: had occasion recently To ex-
press the opinion that ungentlemanli-
ness was not a Characteristic OF all un-
believers. and remarked that "while in
p fidelity degraded the ignorant, there
tian education and association served to
keep them ON a higher moral plane than
their principles recognized" A most
conspicuous exception 10 this position,
however, H. furnished In the spiteful
and revengeful tone Of your letter, just
received.
Having given you full credit for your
doubts on the subject Of a future life, /
simply characterized your remarks in
the commemorative services of the late
BENJAMIN III. Hill as "Heathen Talk in :
Congress" and, in proof Of the position, /
quoted literally from your speech. T,
While frankly cOnceding you right 10
express such sentiments on ordinary Oc-
casions. 1 said ''thaf TO do so in cOnnec-
ton with the solemn commemorative
services Of "A Christian Senator was a
piece Of pure imperiinence;" aud charg
ed you with presuming 10 ventilste your
unbelief under circumstances utterly
inconsistent with sincere respect for the
Christian character Of the dead Senator.
But n"w YOU attempt q make the i'm
d essiOn that you suggested the argu-
menE 10 immortality, based upon the
i.nperfection and incOmpleteness of all
earthly careers" and, in regard 10 the
dead Senator, YOU claim TO have said:
Though his sun went down AZ noon, il
sank amid the splendors OF an eternal .
dawn" just what you mean by an 7
sseternal dawn" l. beyond my compre- E
henslon. But this You mos emphati- 4
cally declared that the problem Of NOR 4
tai life and human destiny was "un-
3 lived aud uns0luhle, aud of Mr.. Hill f.
you said: Whether his apathetic and 4
unconscious ashes still sleep in cold OBJ
structiou NJ insensible oblivion-we do /
not know" That such utterances are 4
"heathenish" is too manifest TO require
proof. They create the impression rhat /
you had been assisted In the prepara-
lion Of your speech by a fresh perusal
Of one uf your old text books, where II
Cicero, speaking Of the two ideas of i'm
mortality and nOn-existence, says:
(Which OF these Is true God only /
knows; Rnd which Is most probable
very great question When l read the
writings OF Socrates and Plato | assent i
% inmartsiity, but when I have laid
down tire book all that assent vanishes."
In exact agreement with these con-
flictlng cDnjectures and this lamentabie
hesitation and doubt were your remarks,
and consider the TEN "heatheniSh"
Oniv a fitting one 10 characterize your
sentiments.
As 10 your concluding personal and 1
ungfaciaus illusions. il which you cl -
me with 'bigoled slandcners aud ma
nEnant liars, have nothing 70 say, 1
except that they are such terms as a /
true gentleman would not use, especial
ly iu addressing one To whom he con-
descends to subscribe himself "wiih i
great respect, your Obedicnt servant"
And AZ your only alternative is 20 be a
.'heatheo and an lntdeP' rather than a
Christian, because | am. in your esteem,
an unworthy representative of the uame,
most sincerely depiOre the forfeiture
u your great respect"
10 return Tor your cruel wish that
may be doomed 10 eternal punish
ment, permit me 70 express the hope
that you may attain repentance unto
life. and putting away all malice. evil
speaking, bribery and corrupt practices,
finally Dc welcomed tO the glorious re-
are4n r.F the AZ Al