Blue-grass blade., 1899-02-19
A CAMpBElLITE
challenges" IngersoIl to a Re.
Iigious Debate With Him.

the Decatur (Tlls) Review" giving
an account Of how theological ca
further described as REV. George
f. Hall, pastor OF the Tabernacle
Christian church" has challenged
"Infidel Bob Ingersoll." p"
The said "Christian church" is the
same that is commonly known as
the "Campbellite church. :"
A diagram Of Hall that accompanies
the account shows him dressed in the
large moustachc and flash wardrobe
that we are accustomed TO see In the
professional footballist.
This Is explained in IN editorial
comment, intended to compliment
him, in which il is said that at
Drake University some Campbell
ite preacher factory some where In
the west-"he spent four years
somewhat irregularly" aud that as
a student he was uneven. " But II
is said He was fond OF athletic
sports, and always was among the
first when there was any fun on
hand.
There is no intimation that he ever
graduated. He applied for posi-
tion as school teacher and was re.
jected, and "for several years
Georges inclinations were toward
journalism" but he finally gave up
the pen." In offering himself as the
champion of Christianity, he says
old Bob will not dare to stand up
= y In fair and square debate with
man worthy OF bis metal"
In kind comment upon Halls
breeding and ancestry the editor
seems unable to discover anything
worthy Of mention except that Halls
parents lived long enough TO cele-
brate their golden wedding.
Hall accents his Importance by
stating that "The Tabernacle" OF
which he has charge has member
ship of 700., In slave times Negro
preacher named Ferrill had, on East
Short Street, Continued, inLexing.
ton, KY, a membership Of 1000.
This / have known from my boyhood
and it was very recently printed 10
q Lexington paper. Rev. Jasper Of
,Xir4iaia The Neara rho YreacAad
the sermon on de Sun do move"
has been heard Of more than any
forty preachers now living, In the
Campbellite church. Lexington,
KY, the center OF the vicinity in
which my grand. father, Barton W.
Stone, started the Christian"
church which was called the Camp.
bellite" church, when Alexander
Campbell came to this country three
years after and joined II, and switch.
ed the whole business off into bap-
tism as the chief end Of man, is the
place to which every Cam mpbellite
preacher more desires to 20, and in
which he more desires to live, than
in heaven. Consequently all the
most famous Campbellite preachers
live in Lexington, and though the |
Rev. Peter Vinegar, the Niger
preacher OF Lexington, is compare
lively late arrival there, it is pos
sible, from his newspaper notoriety,
that be is better known than any
other preacher in Lexington.
His most popular sermons are
Watch dat snake" and "Hell a
half er mile from Lexington"
suppose it Is not an exagger.
alton to say that l am known to, and
nonored by, as many women and
men as any 30 Campbelllte preach.
BIS now living.
received the degree Of A. B. in
he College OF which Alexander
Campbell was president, aud paid
him $2l.00 for the mere Latin 10.
'cribed Nsheepskins" OF the diplo.
ma on which, over his "sIgn msu-
,al" and seal he pronounced me
WREN probum ct doctum," and
hen | was, by him, specially educs-
ed, and by him ordained to the min
stry, and | have enjoyed more In.
innate and familiar associate with
Alexander Campbell aud every men,
YER OF his family than any living
nan who is not kin TO him; and l am
low, uuder the rules Of his college
ntitled to the degree OF A. M. but
would not be bestowed upon me,
because l am an Iufdel.
Rev. President John Augustus
Williams, the most cultivated theo.
ogian in the ministry OF the Camp.
ellite church address, Hsrrodsburg
ly., wrote OF my book "The Ration |