The herald., 1895-02-25
THE LAW COULDN'T STOP HIM
Attempts Made to Prevent
lngersoll's Speaking
OLD STATUE IN NEW JERSEY
Nobody Shall Discuss the Bible Except
on One Side
The Eloquent UnbeIlever Just Went on Talking
and Had Considerable to Say
About Clergymcn

New York Feb. 24.-The attempts made
to prevent Colonel r. G.. Ingersoll from de-
livering his lecture on the Holy Bible at
the Hoboken Theater tonight proved a
failure.
AS the result of protest issued by the
pastors of three of the most prominent
churches in that place, Mayor Pagan yes
terday issued orders that the theater be
closed today, thereby practically debarr-
ing Col. Ingersoll from appearing. The
Mayors decree occasioned a great deal of
comment last night with the result that
the matter was reconsdered today.
Before noon Corporation Attorney Min
turn and Mayor Pagan called upon the
Rev. H. T. Beatty, the minister who is
at the head Of the reform movement in
Hoboken, and stated that it was the
opinion of the Corporation Attorney that
no steps could be taken by the authorities
to stop the lecture. Shortly after noon
consultation was held in Chief of Police
Donovan office at which, in addition
to the Chief, Mayor and Mr.. Clark, man.
ager for Col Ingersoll, and Mr.. Davis,
the manager of the theater, were present.
The two managers were informed Of the
decision of the Corporation Attorney and
they departed with the assurance that the
lecture might take place. To prevent any
disturbance on the part of the audience
and also to stop any blasphemous utter
ances on the part of the lecturer several
detectives were sent to the theater. Be-
yond frequent bursts of applause the au-
dience was most orderly and the speaker
confined himself almost entirely to his
text, wi tn an occasional comical allusion
to the clergymen of Hoboken and the
statute of New Jersey laws to which the
reformers had been referring.
He began his well-known lecture with
out reference to the attempt to stop him
until he had reached a point in the dis
course for which evidently he had been
waiting-where he aludes to the ignor-
ance and savagery in the Bible. He broke
away from his text long enough to say:
There was enacted statute in the
State of New Jersey hundred or so years
ago, when most of it's inhabitants were
savages, which says that nobody shall
ever discuss the Bible except on one side.
Since then the inhabitants have grown
more civilized. They have grown TO
have knowledge OF fair play, they have
been civilized to a degree where they
can realize the absurdity, and to realize
the statute sleeps in the dimness of the
past 1t has been invoked by number
of narrow. minded persons who should
have lived 100 years ago. L don't blame
them their heads are that shape, and
they are not to blame"
He said his audience could make up
their minds sin secret about what he
had to say for he believed there was no
statute against that" That the Bible
was inspired he had some doubt, but"
he added, "if the Legislature OF New Jer-
sey says the Bible is inspired it is and
that settles it. "
Colonel Ingersoll grew more bitter as the
lecture progressed, and declared there
never was any kindness in the heart of a
priest, and he believed that there were
persons in Hoboken today who would be
glad to bring fagots and build a fire around
one of their enemies. He said that no
criminal LAWYER in the state of New JeI-
sey would allow a minister on the jury
that was to try a client of his. 1t was |
he said, further on, how much
these parsons knew OF God and how little
they knew of human nature.