St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-25
COL. INGERSOLL TALKS.
Speaks Ironically of Jersey Stat
utes.

NEW YORK, Feb. 24-The attempt
made to prevent Col. Robert IngersOll
from delivering his lectures on 1.-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 yesterday
issued orders that the theater be closed
today, thereby practically de5arring
Col. Ingersoll from appearing. The
mayors decree occasioned a great deal
Of comment last night, with the result
that the matter was reconsidered to-
day. Before noon Corporation Attor-
ney Minturn and Mayor Pagan called
upon Rev. H. T. Beatty-the minister
who is at the head of the reform move
ment in Hoboken-and stated that it
was the opinion of the corporation at
torney that no steps could be taken by
the authorities to stop the lecture.
Shortly after noon a consultation was
held in Chief of Police Donovans office,
at which, in addition to the chief, tne
mayor and Mr.. Clark, manager for Col.
Ingersoll, and Mr.. Davis, the manager
Of the theater, were present. The two
managers were informed OF the de-
cision 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 utterances on the
part of the lecturer, Detectives Nelson
and Gallagher were sent to the theater
from police headquarters. Beyond
frequent bursts of applause, the au-
dience was most orderly, and the
speaker confined himself almost en-
tirely to his text, with an occasional
ironical allusion to the clergymen OF
Hoboken and the statute of New
Jersey law to which the reformers
had been clinging. He began his we'll
known lecture without any reference
to the attempt TO stop him until he
had reached a point in the discourse
for which evidently he had been wait
ing. Where he alluded to the ignor-
ance and savagery Of the Bible, he
broke away from his text long enough
to say: There was enacted a statute
in the state of New Jersey hundred
odd years ago, when most of its inhab-
itants We're savages, which says that
nobody shall ever discuss the Bible
except on one side. Since then the in
habitants have grown more civilized.
They have grown to have knowledge
Of fair play; they have been civilized
to degree where they can realize it's
absurdity, and to realize that the stat
ute sleeps in the dinlness of the past
1t has been invoked by q Gumber of
narrow-minded persons who should
have lived 300 years ago. 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 ne
had to say, for he had 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, |
it is and that settles it.
Col. Ingersoil grew more bitter as |
the lecture progressed, and declared |
there never was any kindness in the |
heart OF priest, and he believed that |
there were persons in Hohoken today |
who would gladly bring fagots and |
build q fire aruud 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, ne |
said further, how much these parsons |
knew OF God. and how little they knew |
of human nature.