The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-25
Hoboken Clergymen Defeated
by the Famous Agnostic.
TRY TO PREVENT A LECTURE,
But Fail Utterly. and the Crater Tells
What He Thinks of Them.
No Kindness I'm Priests Heart. He
says. and the Clergy would Gladly
Burn Their Enemies Archbishop
Corrigan Enforcing the Anti-Ma-
sonic Decree.

New York. Feb. .4-The attempts
made TO prevent Col. Robert G. Inger-
soil from delivering his lecture on The
Holy Bible" at the fIosSoken theater to-
night proved a failure As a result Of
protest issued by the pastors of three
of the most prominent churches in that
place. Mayor Fagaa yesterday issued
orders that the theater be closed today,
thereby practically debarring Col. In
gersan from appearing. The mayors
decree occassoned a great deal OF CON-
ment last night. with the result that
the matter was reeonsidered today. Be-
fore noon Corporation Attorney Min
turn and Mayor Faga called upon Rev
III. II. Beatty. the minister who is at the
head OF the reform movement in Hotao-
ken. and stated that 1t was the opinion
OF the corporation attorney that no
steps could be taken by the authorities
70 stop the lecture. Shortly after noon
a consultation was held in Chief OF Po-
lice ponovan's Office. at which, in addl-
tion TO the chief. the mayor Mr.. Clark,
manager for Col. Ingersoll. and Mr..
Davis the manager of the tl1eater. were
present. The two managers Were In
formed OF the decision OF the corpora
ton attorney. and they deaprted 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 utterances on the part
OF the lecturer. several detectives were
sent TO the theater. Beyond frequent
bursts of applause. the audience was
most orderly. and the speaker confined
himself almost entirely to his text, 18th
clergymen OF Hoboken and the statute
of New Jersey law to which the re-
formers had been clingsng.
He began his weli-known lecture
without reference TO the attempt 10
stop him. until he had reached point
in the discourse for which evidently ne
had been waiting-where he allndes 10
the ignorance and sayager OF the Bible
He broke away from his text long
enough to say: There was enacted a
statute in that state OF New Jersey a
hundred or SO years ago. when most of
its inhabitants were savages. which
says that nobody shall ever discuss the
Bible except on one side. Since then
the inhabitants have grown more civil
ICED. They have grown to have a
knowledge OF fair play. they have been
civilized to a degree where they can
realize the absurdity. and to realize that
the statute sleeps In the dimness of the
past 1t has been invoked by a number
of narrow-minded persons who's should
have a'Ved one hundred years ago.
don't blame them; their heads are of
that shape, and they are not to blame"
He 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. "if the legislature of New
Jersey says the Bible is inspired. II is,
and that settles it,
Cod. 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 Ifoboke today who
would gladly bring fagots and build a
fire around one OF their enemies. He
said that no criminal lawyer in the
Esate Of New Jersey would allow a min
lister on the jury that was 70 try n
client of his. 1t was surprising, he said.
further on. how much these parsons
knew OF God, and how little they knew
of human nature.