The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-08-07
saying that she believed he was in practice
q much better Christian than she.

saying that she believed he was in practice
q much better Christian than she.
One of the strongest and best things that
| have Witnessed in the coloneps career
occurred at supper given by an uptown
club in New York several years ago.
Around the table there were gathered ac-
tors, authors, newspaper men, dramatic
writer's and club men. Colonel lngersoll
was one of the honored guests of the club.
1t was the habit of this club at the dinners
thus given to have a special subject for
discussion. This night the subject was
us Marriage Failures" The tone of the
talk was commonplace, vulgar, inane, al
most idiotic. One quasi after another made
some commonplace attempt to be witty at
the expense of the institution of marriage.
In the midst of this talk the colonePs turn
came, and have never seen more trl-
umphant display of the influence of serious
and dignified treatment of what is the
most serious and dignitied thing in life. 1t
was like cool wind displacing an atnos-
phere of malaria. The colonel with brush
of his hand waved aside the idle talk of the
that marriage Is failure has never stood
with his hand locked in the loyal grasp of
wife and mother at the side of child's
grave. The tribute which followed
to marriage, to love and its duties
was so eloquent, so convincing aud
so touching that there was hardly dry
eye in the room when he finished. His
speech put an end to the discussion. The
colonel is by nature q loyal enthusiast. He
is firm friend, ard does not understand
friendship clouded by personal interest.
His devotion to his family is one of the
most marked traits OF his nature.
As he comes to be better understood
there is less misrepresentation of his atti-
tude before the world People have come
to believe that he Is sincere in his disbelief
and are not disposed to quarrel with him
about it. asked him if he did not find q
good deal of change in public sentiment in
the last few years upon the subject, in the
direction of greater tolerance of the views
of free thinkers. To this he gave the most
decided affirmative People have greatly
changed in the last fifty years, he thought.
'If they had not" said he, II could not
live"
He finds, however, that the clergymen
are as unrelenting as ever, and from them
he receives nc concessions. In speaking of
this he said, There is such vein OF
snobbery that runs all through the
existing systems of religion" No one, in
his judgment, was so snobbish as q
servant in standing Up for the importance
of his master. The more important
the master the greater the snobbishness.
So what must be the feeling of the serv-
ant toward free thinker who has criti-
cised the master which he regards as in
tinites
A recent caller upon Colonel Ingerson
said: ''You are too critical. Why. be-
neve you would even criticise the Lords
Prayer"
ut is a subject for criticism, - said the
colonel.
''In what way!" was asked.
I'm the PHRASE. Lead US not into terptn-
ton +" was the reply. sit is an insult to
the power to whom it is addressed to sup
pose that he should want to lead anyone
into temptation. Would it not be more
respectful to say Lead US from tempta-
tong"
But do not wish to devote much space
to the colonels particular religious views,
as they are too well known. In some
ways, however, he has been recently mis-
represented. In the libel suit recently
brought by him against DR.. Dixon, the lat
ter has charged that Colonel Ingersoll was
the attorney of the people who were seek
ing to pollute the minds of the youth of the
country by the circulation through
the mails of obscene litera-
ture. | was in Washington at the
time that Colonel Ingersoll made an
argument against the law in question. 1t
was a special law framed for the purpose
of giving the postmaster-gene extraor-
binary powers to inspect and examine
mail matter. Colonel lngersoll's objection
and argument againss the law was view
which afterward prevailed, while the OBJ
iect sought to be arrived atwas good. The
powers given to the postmaSter-general
were such that the public would not ap-
prove It gave the postmaster-general
nearly as much authority of censorship
over the mails as IS now had in Russia. 1t
was the greater object of protecting the
inyiolability of the mails to which the
colonel addressed his argument. His libel
case against DR.. Dixon will only be prose
cuted TO the point of making a complete
record of his real position and the proving
that the doctor is in error. Possibly no
other point of attack would have so stirred
him up to action. There are few men
whose private lives are 80 clear and clean
and who could afford less to be put in the
light of the opposite.
The colonel is a profound student of
Shakespeare. A bust of Shakespeare
always occupies most prominent place in
his household. A copy Of one of the first
editions of Shakespeare occupies as promi-
nent position in his house as does the
Bible in most houses. he is q beautiful
reader and MS home readings of the great
poet have been so admired by critics that
the colonel has been repeatedly invited to
give series of dramatic readings. 1t is
possible that some OF his future lectures
win be upon Shakespearean subjects.
The colonel is great believer in mans
having sincere convictions. Some time
ago would be lecturer called upon him for
advice as to how he should succeed in the
lecture field. The colonel asked him if he
had any special subject in hand. The Wis
itor replied no; he mad come to the colone
for subject The latter replied that the
only advice he had to give any man before
going into any field OF literature or the like
would be, first, to have something to say
second, to believe what he said sincerely
and, third, TO say it in as simple manner
as possible.
The colonel has made, perhaps the great
est number, Of admirers and the tewes
enemies in his lectures upon 1.-THE Fam
! ily" His lecture on ''Ihe Liberty of Man
Woman and Child,' has had, perhaps, tn,
widest circulation of any of his writings
A friend of the colonel related an inciden
which is suggested by the topic of his lee
ture. He said that he and the colonel wer
once walking through The Union railwa,
station at Plttshurg TO change train, Oh
their way through the station they met
man and his family coming in the OPPOSITE
direction. The man had his hands in hi
pockets and was smoking a comfortabl
cigar very much at his ease. Behind hin
came his wife carrying a baby, weiqhe,
down with bundles, and with a second chill,