The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-02-25
INGEK>OLL LECTuRES.
In Spite of Protests by Leading Divines
of Hobokeu, New Jersey.

In Spite of Protests by Leading Divines
of Hoboken, New Jersey.
New York, Feb. 24.-The attempts
| made to prevent Colonel Robert Inger-
soil from delivering his lecture on the
Holy Bible'' at the Hoboken Theater
tonight proved failure. As the result
of q protest issued by the pastors of three
OF the most prominent churches in that
place, Mayor Pagan yesterday issued
orders that the theater be closed to-day,
thereby practically debarring Colonel
lngersoll from appearing. The Mayors
decree occasioned great deal of COM
ment last night. with the result that the
matter was reconsidered to-day.
Before noon Corporation Attorney
Mlnturn and Mayor Pagan called upon
the Rev. Ii. L. 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 authori-
ties to stop the lecture. Shortly after
noon q consultation was held in Chief OF
OF Police DonOyau's Office at which, in
addition to the Chief, Mayor and Mr..
Clark, manager for Colonel Ingersoll,
and Mr.. Davis, the managers of the
| theater were present. The two mana
gers were Informed of the decision of the
| Corporation Attorney, and they departed
with tue assurance that the lecture might
Ike place.
To prevent any disturbance on the part
OF the audience, and also to stop anv
DlasphemOus utterauces on the part OF
the lecturer, several detectives were sent
to the thealer. Beyond frequent bursts
| OF applause, the audience was, most or
derly, and the speaker confined hiusslf
almost entirely to his text with an occa-
slonal comic aIIusIOn to the clergymen of
Roboken and the statute Of New Jersey
law to which the relormers had been
clinging. He began his welI-kuown lee
ture with reference to the attempt TO stop
him, until he had reached point in the
discourse for which he had evidently
been walting-Where he aIludes to the
ignorance and sayagery of the Bible. He
proke away from his text long enough to
say:
There was enacted a statute in the
State OF New Jersey a hundred or SO
years ago, when most of its inhabitants
were saVages, which says that nobody
shall er discuss the Bible except on one
side. Sl1ce then the inhabitants have
grown more civilized. They have grown
To a knowledge OF fair play; they have
been civilized 10 a degree where they can
realize the absurdity, and to realize that
that statute sleeps in the dimness Of the
past 1t has been invoked by mum Der
OF narrow minded persons who should
have lived one hundred years ago. l do
not blame them; their heads are that
shape and they are not to blame"
lie said his audience could make up
their minds ''in 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, iii the Legislature OF New Jersey
says the Bible is inspired, it is, and that
settles It.'
Colonel Jngersoll grew more bitter as
the lecture progressed, and declared that
there never was any kindness in the
heart Of priest. and he believed that
there were persons i'll Boboken to-day
who would gladly briug fagots and build
hre around one OF their enemies. He
SAID that no criminal lawyer in the State
OF New Jersey would allow minister
on the jury that was to try client of his.
1t was surprising, he said further on, how
much these parsons knew about God and
now little they knew OF human nature.