The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-06-07
INGALLS, AND INGERSoLL-INIQ-
UITY AND INFIDELITY.

O11 AAN
-
Two very prominent leaders of Re-
publican thought in the United States
furnish opinions on politics and theol-
oCy in the current issue Of the North
American Review. ingalls, occupies
the highest position of any Republican
in the country, that Of President pro
tenn of the Senate and acting Vice Pres
ident. Ingersoll is the most brilliant
rhetorician and orator otthe great party
of progress and moral ideas.
In a Republic like ours our public
leaders in high official life should be our
teachers, not only in political economy
and the science of government, but in
the great realm of social and moral
ethics. A leading magazine like the
North American Review is supposed
to reflect the best thought and opinion
on all the leading topics OF the hour.
Col. Ingersoll's essay is a reply to the
Hon. VIM. E. Gladstone, and Senator
ingalls, is a virulent personal attack
upon President Cleveland. Ingersolrs
topic is the Christian religion and the
Christian Church. Ingersoil attacks the
deyine~ inspiration Of the Bible, the i'm
mortality Of the soul, the theory
of salvation through Jesus Christ and
the whole plan Of u civilization
through Christianity. Of the Bible,
among other harsh utterances, he says:
"The most igaorant part of Christen-
dom is the most orthodox. The truth
is, what you call unbelief is only a.
higher and holier faith. Millions of
men reject Christianity because Of its
cruelty. The Bible was never rejected
by the cruel. 1t has been upheld by
countless tyrants-by the dealers in
human iesh-by the destroy ers Of
nations-by the enemies of intelligence
by the stealers of babies and the
whippers Of women. My objections to
the scheme of redemption are, first,
that there is not the slightest evidence
that it is divine: second, 1t is notin any
sense a scheme, human or divine, that
can possibly result i'll the re-
demption of a human being,
Christ offered areward, not only in this
world, but in another, to any husband
who would desert his wife. And do you
know that this hideous offer caused
millions to desert their wives and child,
rem. Would it not have been better If
| Christ had told his disciples that they
must not prosecute; that they must not
destroy their fellow man; that they
must not invent or use instruments OF
| torture. Would it not have been far
better had he said: 81 come not to
bring a sword, but peace"
Ilgersolrs article c~riticising the
Almighty, abusing Jesus Christ and
attempting to wipe out church worship
and the Christians creed occupies forty
three pages and tits impossible to sum
Marie it. We quote the above as
specimens of its style and tone.
And let us quote a brief extract from
Senator Ingalls, attack on President
Cleveland. Here it is:
"The alleged election of Grover
Cleveland to the Presidency in 1884 was
the most astounding phenomenon III
American politics, and it is doubtful
whether its parallel can be found i'll
the history of any nation. Obscure
men, ignorant men, degraded men have
been elevated to power, but it has never
before occurred that a man possessing
every acknowledged disqualification
has been selected because OF them, anu
selected from the lowest to the highest
estate without ever having expressed a
recorded opinion upon any public ques'
ton, 4 4 4 Il 4 1t remains uncer.
tain to this hour whether his predelic
lions in the war for the Union were
with the North or the South, and ex
cept that he furnished Z
whom he subsequently permitted
to die in the poor house, it is certain hi
sustained no personal relation either IL
sentiment or deed to the most momen
tous controversy in modern times.
y y His enjoyments were those which
are found in the unrestrained indul
gence Of the appetites and passions an
his chosen associates were the compan
ions of his orgies"
AS Col. Ingersoll and Senator Ingall
are two great leading lights in tn
party of so-called moral ideas, We can
not refrain from instituting a compari
son of their views: Ingersoll assume
to criticise the Almighty, and to de
nounce His only begotten Son as crue
monster, largely responsible for most o
the ills that for 1900 years have Athletes
mankind. ingalls,, also an unbelieve
and a scoffer, attacks the President o
the United States in the most bruta
language he can command, but he evi
IDENTIFY runs out Of invectivt
as he is only able to sustai
himself through five and
, half pages of the Review. Th
President can congratulate himsel
therefore, that while the brilliant apo
, tie of unbelief is able to fill forty-thrt
/. pages of well sustained criticism on tn
D acts and words of the Almighty, I'll
D champion of invective and hate, WI
presides over the Senate of the Unite
e States is only able to string out five an
s a half pages Of his spleen on Grow
8 Cleveland.
!. We opine the Christian churches
this bounteous and bounding land
t ours will continue to grow and prospt
Notwithstanding Bob. Ingersoll's ah
# and exhaustive review of the mistak
of the Creator in his plan for the !
demption of man; and we have al
an abiding faith that Grover CleN