The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-20
"BEN-HUR."
Gen. Lew Wallace Tells How He Came to
Write His Wonderful biblical Story.

Zen. Lew wallace Tells How He Game to
Write His Wonderful Biblical Story.
Cleveland Leader.
Judge Hutchins occupied a seat beside Gen.
Lew Wallace at the banquet of the Loyal Legion
in Cincinnati, and during the general converse.
ton he asked the General how he came to write
the remarkable book, Ben Hur." General
Wallace replied: II was going down the Mississ-
my state-room when the door, which was slightly
ajar, was opened, and Col. Robert G. Ingersoll
entered and said:
"'General Wallace, want to talk with you
'''Let me set the textand I'll talk, / answered.
'iAl right replied Ingersoll, what is your
textg
sis there Godp asked of the great unbe-
lever, by way Of a text
- i don't know. Do youY
sis there heavenp
" don't know. Do your
''Is Christ the Son of God and the Redeemer
of mankindp
az don't know Do your
" rs there devilp
don't know. Do your
g is there a hellr
IT don't know. Do your
"After few more desultory remarks. Inger-
soil broke forth into such conglomeration of
blasphemy, irony. sarcasm and pathos as / have
never heard. He appeared to be almost inspired,
and beautifully rounded sentences fell from his
lips in quick succession l saw at once the pow
er of this mans eloquence and opinion, and / be-
gan to think that was not thoroughly convers-
ant with the questions had propounded to the
greet infdel. l began to study the Bible and
kindred works thoroughly, and the result was
'Ben-Hur.' This is how / came to write the
hook"
"Ben- Hur, a Story of the Christ, is one of the
most interesting, instructive an original novels
ever written by an American. For breadth of
plan, directness and ingenuity in unfolding the
plot, and vigor of style, it is surpassed by bub
few works Of fiction. It is the ''od. old story"
of Christ the Savior, told without deviation from
the line of narrative pursued for eighteen cen
turtles, and yet told with so much freshness that
it has all the charm and interest Of an entirely
new theme The writer keeps up continuous
thread of romance. while remaining all the
time within a stones throw of the well beaten
path of the theologian. It is Of the strictest
orthodoxy, ascribing miracles to supernatural
power, and not attempting to explain them
through natural causes. The writer of Ben
Hur' sends the reader back to the days of the
Savior The habits of the people of that day,
the scenes in and about Rome, Jerusalem
and Antioch, tho acts of the brutal Roman SOL
diery the bloody struggles for power, the pill
grimage of the three wise men from the East to-
gether with the BIRTH trials and crucifxion of the
Prince of Peace, are all presented with a mas
ter's hand and leave an unfading impression up
on the mind of the reader From perusal of
"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 deep sentiment of devotion. 1t is
passing strange that such work should have
sprung from conversation with a man whose
ability has been chiefly directed to ridiculing and
tearing down all religious belief. There can be
no doubt that "Ben-H ur' will exert an infinitely
greater influence in favor of Christianity than
Mr.. Ingersolls sneers will ever have against it.
No one can read the book without thanking the
author for having written it.