The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-12-19
INGERSOLL AND PRAYERS.

EnueaVDrer Ill cleveland, u, to the num-
Der of 1000, should offer up prayer for
the conversion of the enemy of the Chris
| tan religion. 1t seems doubtful, how
ever, whether it is a very wise plan TO an
nounce beforehand that at a certain hour
a myriad voices shall ascend in petition
, for the salvation of a particular soul. The
colonel was forewarned and this is fore
armed, and doubtless prepared himself for
| the battle with the Spirit Let Mr.. Inger-
soil alone. He will come around all right
i'll me.-EXchange
Now that the Christian Endeavorers
and the Salvation Army have set to work
| to pray for Bob Ingersoll's conversion,
there is hope for that famous pagan. 1t
used to be Il common practice with the
old-fashioned revivalists to pick out what
seemed to be the most hopeless subject
in the community and carry him up, day
after day, and night after night, to Il
| throne of grace. The effect of these pc
| titions was usually efficacious. The OBJ
ject of all this Christian solicitude would
naturally become impressed with the idea
that he was the chief of sinners and a
wretch undone," and the arrow of con-
victiOn having found its way to his hard
ened heart, his acceptance of the over
| quence and the transgressor was snatched
us brand from the burning. The day
for the achievements of faith and for an
sWer to prayer has not yet passed. The
world need not be surprised to see Colonel
! Bob" turn up as an evangelist or a min
lister of the gospel in some orthodox
church.-Kansas City Star
The 5000 Christian Endeavorers in
Cleveland, who by previous, agreement,
sent up 5000 petitions at noon Thanks
giving day for the conversion of Colonel
Ingersoll meant well, but would their
prayers have been less eflicacious had they
been less ostentatious? If answered, the
effect would be the same, and if unan-
swered, unbelievers like the colonel would
have the less occasion to scott. The in
| junction to pray behind closed doors rath-
er than publicly on street corners has not
only worldly prudence but Scriptural
sanction to commend it. The object be-
ing. deemed n worthy one, it is, of course
hitting not only for that hour and society
but for every Christian every day in the
year. To make an attempted exhibition
of the efficacy of prayer to be reported at
length in the newspapers is less in the
meek spirit of the founder of Christianity
than in the defiant spirit of Professor
TyndalPs proposed 'prayer-gauge" in the
hospitals of London. This much may be
said without rejecting on the motives OF
the petitioners or countenancing in any
way the teachings of Colonel Ingersoll.
Organized prayer for the conversion OF
lngers0ll, who makes money by deriding
Christianity from the rostrum, shows the
truth of one parable of scripture Much
ado is made about the sheen that has gone
astray, but the ninety and nine who are
sober-sided and well.behaved are taken
no account Of
The plan of prayer for Ingersoll was
sensational and is apt to recoil upon the
heads of the projectors. Because some
eight or ten thousand persons openly OIL
secretly express their desire that Inger
soils mental organization shall be SC
changed so that he will become believer
that their plea will be attended by re
suits. Mr.. Ingersoll will enjoy the noto
riety. 1t will give him further claim al
the box Office. He will pocket the prof
its and he will not fail to seize the wea
pom the Christian Endeavorers have
placed in his hands with which to beat out
their brains. They prayed for his con
version, and he will present himself will
renewed vigor as the old-time skeptical
mercenary Ingersoll n practical refuta
ton, he will be inclined to assert, of the
plea that prayer is effective.
The burden of the prayer of the Chris
tian Endeavorers ought to have been thai
the good Lord who neglected at theil
birth to provide them with a. fair share
of common sense would in their later
years make up for the deficiency.-Chica
go Chronicle