St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-18
COL. ROBERT G. IAGERS0LL.
Varying Opinions as te his Abil-
ity and Sincerity.
SKETCH OF the MAN IN HIS EVERY DAY LIFE
What the Rev. T. De Witt Taimase, DIR.
leonard, the Rev. William Carey
and others Have to Say rs to
Colonel InSersoIi's Rel-iark.
able Teachings.

In getting some interviews with Colonel
Ingersoll, no easy matter, by the way, for
though the most accessible, he is the busiest
of men, I have had excellent opportunities to
study his peculiarities, his intensely strong
individuality and those physical manifesto
tons of character by which all men are inn
pressed. AS preliminary to the interviews
in question, I have tried to learn how the
clergy and laity regard the Colonel's polemic
efforts and the effect his teachings are having
on the rising generation.
sob, don't care to talk about the man."
said DR.. Talmage, as ne dry-washed his
hands, as if to be rid of a disagreeable SUBJ
ieet. ga few years ago 1 delivered series
of sermons and lectures ON Ingersollism.
Read them and you will learn just what
think"
81 recall the sermons doctor, but have
forgotten everything but the fact that you de-
nounced his teachings as Injurious
Perhaps 'denounce' is too strong word.
tried to show that the man was threshing
old straw, that the attempt TO overthrow the
Christian religion had been undertaken by far
ADLER men, and at a time, like the French Revo-
luton, when the public mind was unhinged
and ready for any new issue. Yet Christianity
has advanced in marvellous way, and the
names of the opponents are known by reason
of their failures. The harm such men as
Ingerson do, is not in influencing the reason
of men. If he set men thinking all would be
well, but there is large class of men eager to
in IN ,Jo hot
find an excuse or ease the conscience as to
their own misdeeds. Then there are the
young, with minds susceptible and eager for
novelty, who are won over for the time by the
specious arguments and attractive rhetoric
of men like Colonel Ingersoll. If you care
fully study his addresses, the effort won't tax
your brain, you will see that he is a
rhetorician rather than d logcian.''
"Then you think the Colonel has done
nothing to disturb the faith of the people?"
"No; he may have changed or rather con-
firmed men who were already of his way of
thinking, but have yet to hear OF Christian
man, who has renowned his allegiance to
Christ by reason of anything that Colonel
IngerSoll has said or done. If it were not for
blasphemy of such speakers the church might
well welcome them as allies. Let the agita-
ton go on. All men have to do is to seek and
they will surely find; to ask and it shall be
given; to knock at the door of inspired truth
and it shall be opened unto them''
The Reverend DR.. Leman is not SO sure
that Colonel Ingerson is a weak copy of
Voltaire, Paine, Rousseau and Hume as is Mr..
Talmage
'Of course, deplore Colonel Ingersolps
hn cold who
subject, '.just as we deplored the course of
the many trained and able army officers who
felt it to be their duty to go with their states
at the beginning Of our civil war. think
Colonel Ingersoll is radically wrong in his
eSachings, and that he is fostering religious
discomfort and working harm. But unlike
many who oppose him in the press and pull
pit, firmly believe in the honesty of his pur-
pose, the purity of his private life, and his
marked ability; indeed, as an orator regard
him as a genius. If such a man were to de-
vote himself to the cause of religion he would
do infinite good, as it is he takes away from
the heavy OF heart their only hope and sup
port, and he gives them instead--nothing
'Conceding Colonel Ingersolls honesty.
doctor, would it not be better for the pulpit
to make public his addresses and to answer
them logically, than to denounce the man"
81 do not believe in denunciation. As to
giving publicity to Colonel Ingersous adj
dresses that is another matter It is easier
to SOW the seeds OF a malignant disease than
to cure it, and it is far easier to ask questions
than to answer them. The trouble with all
discussions on abstract questions is difficulty
of coming to an understanding as to the def
milton Of terms After all the universally of
religion shows that the impulse to worship is
Anate. The Christian creed is not q system
81 dogma, but is based ON u few self-evident
truths that even Colonel Ingersoll himself
would approve"
"Would you advise those seeking religious
truth to read Colonel Ingersoll's books, or to
hear his lectures"
To that say no, most emphatically. If
anxious for the health of my children, I
should not care to subject them to the risk of
contagious disease. Yoltaire, and men of that
class would hardly be considered appropriate
authors for students of theology to study"
The Rev. William Carey believes that Colonel
Ingersoll, like every other power is raised I'D
for g Divine purpose s:The Colonel is an
iconoclast, and in his campaign he would
destroy the admirable with the objection.
able. He has, however, aimed most of his
blows at Calvinism, and can but think that