The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-15
THE ANCIENT LANDMARKS"

The Subject OF an Interesting Talk by
Col. Robert White Last Evcning-ltc
Answers Some Of the Arguments ofIn-
ger,oll-synopsis oftho Address.
The opening meeting of Bates lodge
No. 80, A. F. & A. NJ, at Masonic hall
last evening was very largely attended
by Masons and citizens generally who
sprinkling OF the fair sex. The feature
OF the meeting was the address by Col
onel Robert White, past grand master
of the West Virginia grand lodge. en-
titled, "The Ancient Landmarks: Shall
their radiance be dimmed? An an
swer to Jn1del Bob" After the
opening and welcome by Worshiptul
Master George 3. Peabody, and the
singing of hymn, the speaker OF the
evening began his address.
In yonder hall, said Colonel White,
filled from pit TO dome at one dollar a
head, the apostle OF the Religion OF
Reason asserted that our God Is an
impossible monster, and men laughed.
and some laughed and scofted. He said
that the Old Testament was mass OF
plumbers and fnlschoods that are cruel
and absurd. hut which had been crush
ed by the wheels OF modern science.
Are we deceived? inquired Colonel
White. Have our ancient landmarks
crumbled? / stand not Us preacher OF
the Gospel. am simple Blue Lodge
Mason, but, like young David, hope to
pick up the pebbles from the brooklet OF
truth and SHAY this Giant Goliath OF In
fidelity. To answer each attack Is not
to be expected. propose to take up
separately all attacks made on the Old
Testament, the foundation OF the faith
OF Jew and Gentle.
This intldel starts with the assertion
that geology has shown that the author
OF the book OF Genesis was mistaken rs
to the age OF the world. This was de-
MED by the speaker. who said that the
modern geologist may reclte the book
OF Genesis rs his creed of the origin OF
the world without fear OF successful
contradiction. II Is a significant fact,
said the speaker, that the master minds
In the arena OF science are amonge the
mightiest advocates OF the Bible.
The infidel SCOTS at the assertion that
Adam was the first man. and attempts
to bring in evidence OF the existence OF
certain mammals In Britain before the
earth was recovered from darkness
when God created II as n habltable
place for humanity and created Adam
as the first man, in His own image.
Ingersoll also attempts TO break down
our position by references to Egyptian
discoveries II must be remembered
that the most learned men do not agree
on the date OF discoveries in the ruins
OF Egypt, differing in their estimates
from 1000 to 5000 years.
Ingersoll says the historical state
mentS OF the Bible are unreliable. The
Bible says that seventy souls went
down to slavery in Egypt and In $50
years multiplied to 100000. 1nger-
soil claims that there could not have
been more than S5,S40 people at the
end OF $50 years. And this statement
said the speaker. shows what an infa-
nous old fraud this infidel is. He actu-
ally allows those noble old Jewish
mothers only two children In twenty
five wears II Ingersoll were present
he would say to him:
bob, you're n consummate old liar
and decelver."
In those days. said the speaker. the
women didn't wear corsets and did not
think It a disgrace to bear children.
Ten children in twenty-five years he
did not think was more than reaSona-
BILE. II this Ia reasonable the seventy
would multiply ilve-fold in each quar-
ter century. as follows: In twenty-five
years, l75: in fifty years, S75: in seven
ty-iive years, 1875; In 100 years, 2l,SI5;
in $50 years, 10000. and in $50 years,
without counting the dead. as Inger-
soil has done. the number OF couples
would be 3il,769.S75. and doubling that
there would tic 6Io,S59,150 people, and
mot counting the dead 'mamnies' and
'dnddies.'"
Who Is II that has deceived us? said
the speaker. Was It Moses or 1nger-
soil? He did not profess to be u great
man, but he possessed more sense
than TO believe what InEersoll tells the
people to-day. Al the rate Of ten chill
dren every twenty-five years and
throwing In the mammles and dad
dies" MS Ingcrsoll has done, there would
be 4.l3O. $40 800 people; or Mt the rate Of
eight children, not counting the dend,
there would be 13, 100000.
Ingersoll has scoffcd mt the Biblical
statement that there were 100000 men
In the Israelite army. II lie wauld read
the ancient Jewish historian, Jose
plus. he would find this confirmed.
The speaker next referred to the
amount OF money boarded by David
for the building OF the temple. lnger-
Eoll had said that. according TO the
Bible, more money was gotten together
thar there Ia In the world to-day. He
tore this argument TO pieces by ex-
planning that the talent Of the prophet
Ezra was OF but one-tenth the value OF
the Mosaic talcnt on which Ingersoli
bases his assertion, which cuts the
amount down greatly and makes It not
Unreasonable In Its size.
Proceeding. Colonel White spoke OF
some object lessons in history which
HFOVn thu RIhln'H unNbnptINItV r.hioh
lngersoIl dOcA no. mention, notably
among which Is the record In the royal
library OF Babylon made 1000 years be-
fore Christ. telling the story OF Noah
and the flood just as II IL given In the
Bible, except at more length. But In
gcrsOll evadeH such historical facts; his
business is to tear down for mere petty
gain. not to build up the bulwarka OF
cur faith.