The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-01-18

when the galleries again burst forth,
and So at every possible opportunity.
The lecture Of Wednesday evening
was better than anything he has ever
done. Better in that its ideals IRE
higher, it's lessons noblcr, its sentl-
ments broader, its motives truer. For
once Ingersoll is not tho iconoclast,
but the builder; not seeking to tear
down, but to upbuild. 1t is lacking
in the incisiye sarcasm, the trench
ant criticism, the free-lance thrusts
that pierce aud overthrow, which SO
distinguished his mistakes OF Mos
es." "Voltair," and kindred lectures.
It is superior to his lecture on
shakespeare" and other critical
lectures from every standpoint unless
| it be a purely literary one.
The lecture upon Lincoln is some.
what devoid of what Mr.. lngersoll
calls his philosophy and replete
with what he should be pleased to
term Dir. Ingersoll's 'truths. Il is
not necessary disagree with his theo-
ries in order to be conscious of the
fact that in many of his differences
he sacrifices truth for effect, logic
for oratory, and philosophy for pct
urcsque painting, in his last he does
none of these. The tender, loving,
candid, honorable, quantity humor-
Gus, resourcerul, brainy, tarseeing,
masterful hero Of the great war is
theme upon which the orators
power rise to their greatest heights.
lie sketches his environments, tells
OF the charactcr-moulding influences,
recounts the history Of his early lie,
synopsizes in clear and striking
manner the historical conditions ri
his day, analyses the motives actua-
ting the politicians, statesmen, and
tile masses of that period, and draws
with the hand that has no peer the
story of the first and greatest real
American.
In an audience composed largely
OF soutIlorners, he scathinGly de-
nounced slavery and shareholders.
You know that he has the courage
of lis convictions, and why lie has
battlcd against the greatest force ON
earth, Christianity, the years, when
you sec the impressive, unapo!ogctlc
serenity with which he did it. He
called secessionists, "traitors' and
worse, and mixed in a few of his ia
nous homc-thrusts on his old friend,
tho democratic party. He dwell par
ticularly upon the humor Of Lincoln.
Any attempt to give other than
the bricfest excerpts from lis two
hour-and- -tcn-minute speech is use
less. Following, however, are few
Of his thoughts:
Lincoln was candid, and with cam
dor often deceived tho dece.tful.
Humor is the pilot Of reason; hui
! nor goes with good nature, and good
nature is the climate of reason.
Solemnity is the masl, put on by
ignorance of hypocrisy-gencraIly
by both.
If you wish to be an orator be
natural; too much polish suggests
incincerty.
Between the lips Of a great orator
words bud and blossom.
The best book is man.
Politicians work and scheme day
and night to see what people will DO
for them. Statesmen consider what
they can do for the people.
The average man is afraid Of gen :
JUS.
He feels as docs the ordinary man
before sleight-of hand porfcrlner;he
leara but respects him.
The central idea of secession is the
essence of monarchy.
I'd rather belong to a nation, no
matter how small, and be free than
to belong to a nation that rules en-
pircs and has its lash on the back Of
upaid la bor-JJ0shinGt0n Post.