Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-21
d" BEN-H ER."
Gcrtral Lew Wallace Tells How lie Came
80 Trie Hls Wonderful Biblical story.
cleveland Leader.

80 write Ills Wonderful Biblical siorS.
cleveland LEADER
Judge IIutchins occupied n seat be-
side General Lew Wallace at the ban
quet of the Loyal Legion in Cincinnati,
and during the general conversation he
asked the General how he came to write
he remarkable book, " n-Hur."
General Wallace replied: II was
gong down the Mississippi river on a
boat, and was enjoying myself in my
state-room, when the door, which was
slightly aiar, was opened, and Colonel
Robert &. lngersOll entered and said
General Wallace, want to talk
with YOU
- Let me set the text and III talk, ,
answered.
"All right replied Ingersoll,
what is your text?'
is there a God?' ! asked of the
Great unbeliever, by way of a text.
"'I don't know. Do you:'
"Is there a heaven?'
uOil l huOWs DO 1Ou
Is Christ the Son of God and tn,
Redeemer Of mankind?'
"'I don't know. Do you?'
- Is there a devil:'
81 don't know. Do you?'
:" Is there a help
"'I don't know. Do you:'
after a few more desultory re-
marks, lngersoll broke forth into such
a conglomeration Of blasphemy, irony,
sarcasm, and pathos as | have never
heard. lie appeared to be almost in
spired, and beautifully rounded SEN
fences fell from his lips in quick sue
ceSsion. | saw at once the power Of
this mans eloquence and opinion, and
| began to think that | was not
thoroughly conversant with the ques-
tons l had propounded to the great
infdel. l began to study the Bible
and kindred works thoroughly, and
the result was 'Ben.llur.' This is
how | came to write the book"
Ben-Hur, a Story Of the Christ" is
one Of the most interesting, instructive,
and original novels ever written by an
american. For breadth Of plan, di-
Iectness and ingenuity in unfolding the
plot, and vigor Of style, it is unsur-
passed by but few works Of fiction. 1t
Is the old, old story" Of Christ the
Saviour told without deviation from
the line of narrative pursued for
eighteen centuries, and yet told with
so much freshness that it has all the
charm and interest Of an entirely new
theme. The writer keeps up a con-
tinuous thread of romance, while re-
naming all the time within stones
throw OF the well-beaten path Of the
theologian. 1t is Of the strictest ortho-
doxy, ascribing miracles to the super
natural power, and not attempting to
explain them through natural causes.
The writer q Ben-Hur" sends
the reader back to the days of
the Saviour. The habits Of the
people of that day, the scenes
in and about Rome, Jerusalem,
and Antioch, the acts of the brutal
Roman soldiery, the bloody struggles
for power, the pilgrimage Of the three
wise men from the East, together with
the birth, trials and cruciixion Of the
Prince Of Peace, are all presented with
a masters hand, and leave an unfading
impression upon the mind of the reader.
From a perusal Of I" Ben-Hur" one
would be convinced that its author was
man Of the most devout Christian senti-
ments. Its effect must be to revive and
enkindle in the reader a deep senti-
ment of devotion. 1t is passing strange
that such a work should have sprung
from a conversation with a man whose
ability has been chiefly directed to ridi-
culing and tearing down all religious
belief. There can be no doubt that
Ben-Hur" will exert an infinitely
greater influence in favor of Christianity
than Mr.. Ingersoll's sneers will ever
have against it. No one can read the
book without thanking the author for
having written IL