The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-30
Comment Suggested by the Clos
ing of the Career of Ingersoll.
FINE SIDES OF HIS LIFE
One More Timely Story That Had Its
Scene at North Dakota's Capital
and Had to Do With
Blaine.

Many of the comments of the clergy are
urtorgivng, uncharitahle. There are a few
exceptions, and 1t is with pleasure that l
have read the words of Mgr. Martinelli
who said:
Il have just heard of the death of our
great agnostic. l sincerely hope that he
is saved" And of the Rev. D. j. Stafford
of st. Patricks church, Washington.
whose Christian charity found expression
in the words: Poor Bob Ingersoll, /
hope he was honest If he was honest
there is a chance for him."
These distinguished representa- tives of
Christianity do not forget the teachings of
| Christ while discussing an enemy of the
| faith.
| That Robert G. Ingerson did much to
| merit severe criticism from the pulpit is
| true. His attacks upon orthodoxy were
| sometimes bitter. always tantalizng new
| er comforting. He did much to shake the
| falth OF the young, and for this he was
| most justly criticised. Y ct who could have
| met and conversed with Colonel Ingersou
| without admiring his generous nature his
radiating intelligence, the charm of his
| words and the effulgence of his thoughts?
1t is not surprising that this nature
| should have been loved by these who
came within the circle of it's glow. 1t is
| not strange that Henry Ward Beecher adj
| mired lngersoll, nor that Ingersoll should
| have delivered a most eloquent tribute to
| Beecher's memory.
| Let us turn from Ingersoll the agnostic
| to lngersoll the citizen, the poet the ora
| tor, and there find the man who can be
| praised without explanation, applauded
| without apology. We recall the departed
as we knew him in life. Above all, we re-
| call our first impressions. l cannot forget
| the kindness with which the great contro-
versialist received me when, in 1854, as the
representative of the Bismarck Tribune,
| l called upon him at the Sheridan house
| to obtain an interview on the Blaine
| Cleveland campaign. He had refused to
discuss politics in the large cities through
| which he had passed on his way westward
! and l felt that i was on a hopeless mis-
| sion. However, / mustered courage for
| the attempt. 1t was the morning after
| his lecture on Orthodoxy" and but an
| hour before the arrival of the train upon
| which he was to go to Montana. Instead
| of encountering unapproachable greatness.
l found a warm, hospitable, democratic
| combination of sympathy and sunshine.
| Whether through compassion for the re-
| porter or a desire to take a hand in the
| campaign, he promptly consented to an in
terview.
4 Write out your questions and I will
|
| command. The questions were presented.
| CHANGING over the paper, he said:
| VERY WELL return in half an hour and
you will receive your interview" Less
| than three-quarters of an hour remained
| for him in Bismarck. As the train whistled
| l entered the hotel lobby to find the colo
| mel handing a large envelope to the Clerk.
1t was the interview, which was the fea-
| ture of the paper on the following day. 1t
| fbnrOnph1V n ami
| grammatc and forcible. OF course, he
| was for Blaine, reports of a growing
GOODNESS between his ''plumed knight and
| himself to the contrary Notwithstanding.
| 1t was a comparison between Blaine and
| Cleveland and an appeal to the young
mer of the country. He painted Blaine as
| an ideal patriot, saying of him, the
Fourth of July courses through his
veins" a remark which, had it been
| printed in New York paper instead of
in Dakota would have become a vote
| winning catch-phrase throughout the ma
| ton.
This is but one of hundreds of instances
that could be related by newspaper men
| throughout the country. who, no matter
what their creed, loved the true humanity
| of the man. No struggling reporter ever
| visited him without departing with a
| lighter heart and better opinion of man
| kind.
|
The orthodox Christian can gain moth
| ing by abusing Ingersoll now. Even the
| unbeIiever speaks we'll of the dead and
| surely a kindly and forgivng spirit be-
| comes the followers of Him who said
while suffering the agonies of the cross,
Forgive them, Father; they know not
| what they do
| In his genius and temperament Robert
| G. Ingersol was the most fortunate of
| men. His brain was as active as the rest
| les; elements of nature; his sanguine
temperament attracted the sunlight and
| banished the clouds. For him there was
hope in every phase of life beauty in ev-
| ery landscape; grandeur in every storm.
| For him each barren hill along life's rug
| ged road contained some precious gem
| and winter blast was but the swelling of
the strain which found its softer notes in
| sweet-yoiced May.
"sad sea waves no dirge of partlngs or
| of death, no wailings from the deep.
| While others gaZed, disconsolate, upon
the melancholy sea, he heard the mingled
laughter of a thousand brooks and saw
| returning sailors clasp their sweethears on
| the shore.
He was the master word-painter of his
| time. From out the garden of his mind
speech came in garlands fair His brain
| was filled with summer thoughts which
| biossomed on his lips. He clothed his ar
| guments in floral garb and made them
| welcome to unwilling ears. A thrust was
| hidden in a vocal rose. and in his gentler
| mood he led his hearers where the violets
| grew.
He was an orator supreme, a poet of
| SURPRISING gifts, but best of all, he was
| the prince of lovers. With him love never
grew cold. The divine flame burned with
| Increasing warmth through all the years
| of his career. Fortunate in the winning of
| bride. he made his home the temple of
| his devotion, and when death came it
| found him with his sweetheart true, a
| lovers simle upon his face.
| Has Christianity suffered because Inger-
| soil hved? I say no. Specifically. there
| may have been loss. The waywardness
| of youth may have found in the agnostic's
| doctrine an inviting retreat. A few WHO
| wavered may have been converted to his
| way of thinking, but the real conversions
| fau