The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-05-31
BOB INoERsoLL EvANGELIzrNc
Topeka Lance ,


 Speaking of lnsersoll, reminds the
 Des Moines nail Lounger,u of an in
 cident Tn connection with one Of tha
 inaceis lectures in small town ir
 Illinois, in which the |" Lounger was so- Journing at the time The keeper of 2 newsstand al that place, having fund of a litie over two hundred dollars which he desired to invest in something outside oi his regular line of business, concluded to risk il on the great Dorsey defender and, as as flrst step in the matter of arrangements, called on several promi- nent citizens to sound them on the ad- visibility of his scheme. He met with nothing but Encouragement from all of them-among the dissenters being the editor of the only daily newspaper print ed in the town, said editor being noted for the venom and invec.ive he could turn loose when occasion called, which was often, as he occupied positions both as minister and editor In the face of ali this Encouragement the newsdealer though, he'd risk his money anyhow. and arranged to have the noted lecturer. whose fame had long before preceded him, to appear on a certain evening The lecturers portraits were placed in the windows of few of the business houses the majority refusing-,he daily paper denounced the speaker and discouraged the meeting. And while all this was going on, a couple of the leading churches were 4uareling over the heights of the:r respective steeples. which were just being built, and SO far had the quarrel progressed over this trival matter that several disgraceful street orawls had occurred. The news-agent informed lngersoll of this, and a, the same time guaranteed him his money. When the eveniag for the lecture came. the hall, which had capacity for 500 people, was opened. and two officers were required to keep the crowd in check al the door. and the audience consisted of the bes, people of the place. inolzding the hery. untamed man ofthe quill and aj- most all of them who had advIsed agaips, lngersoli's coming. The house. the stage, Tn fact every conceivable nook and corner that could be made available for the seating of people, were utilized. The train on which the lecturer was to arrive was half hour late, which fact was an. nounced from the stage The audi enee voted to wait. Finally lngersoll came panting into the hall after a hurried walk from the depot. He made no ex- cuse or apology, but simply announced that he would proceed to do up Mosesn in the frst hour and devote the second hour to the text, Brethren should dwell together in unity His prize-ring arpo, in regard to Moses created misses and sneers, and that ID regard to brethren dwelling together in unity caused the people to look at each other and smile Ills lecture entire met with cheers and cries of go on," and the last os his ser mon, wherein he referred to the steeple hght. met with the most deafeninp ap- plause, and after the lecture was over the hotel at which the speaker stopped was a scene of perfect jam participated in by almost all of those who had consti- .uted his audience-includins the editor. They went there 10 congratulate him. ne morning paper, which all had ex- oected 10 jump on to Mir lngersoll in its . most magnificent style. contained an article of about half column of laud- l ation of the lecture, winding up with the | -emark that !" if Mir. Ingersoll visits this place again and speaks in the fair . grounds, for m hall will be adequate, the ence will be crushed down by the crowd hat goes to hear him. The next Sum lay all the ministers of the place ad- | 'ised the squashing of the trouble in re- gard to the height of the church spires, md since that whenever any petty, little | bitterness sticks itself between church | people in that town, some good member | ,ries out. Where's lngersoll '" and ,eace always follows.