The Saint Paul globe., 1899-08-20
BURNS INFIDEL BOOKS
NJ. c. WAGGONER, OF TOLEDO,
MAKES A CHANGE IN HIS
BELIEF
THE STORY OF HIS NEW LIFE

II
Returns to Christianity After Many
Years of AgnOsticism-COnver
to His Grandmother's Faith When
Past SiXty-Deternines to Rid the
brRry.
TOLEDO, O., Aug. 1S.-After living
thFee-score years and ten as an infidel,
Lawyer NJ. o. Waggoner, of this city, has
become converted to the Christian faith.
This in itself is of minor moment, for 1t
is not the only case of late conversion.
But Mr. Waggoner has gone farther; he
has determined to destroy his valuable
: library of works which tend to over
throw Christianity. Everything agnos-
tic or infidel in his collection will be
cremated. 1t was his purpose to have a
public ceremonial, but, the fact having
been published, he shrinks from the no
toriety and will manage the affair in
private, only a few friends being pres
eCS4
The change from infideHty to faith and
so far as he might of works which might
underEaine faith have been sufficient to
attrASA deal Of attention to Mr.. Wag-
gOEv& In order that he might express
hipeyelf a reporter called on him. and
asked f0z the story of his new life and
The melting causes for his deterrnina-
tien. In reply he said:
IL was born at Norwalk, O., Oct s,
1885, and have been since the years Of
reason an unequivocal materialistic In
fdel, but never was an agnostic, as
stated by some reporters from this city
who had not the fear of the Lord before
them when they pursued the ungentle-
manly and unmanly course of prostitu-
ton of the noble position that a man
should consider himself as occupying
when acting as a journalist. During my
lifetime I have been a great reader of
all sides that pertain to the future. My
earliest impressions were attempted by
a dear old maternal grandmother, all
of which were seemingly, when casually
viewed, futile attempts, but an impress
sion was indehbly made upon my heart
of hearts by her whose earnest efforts
in my behalf were untold and UNRELIABLE
She was one of the family of Bige-
lows whose genealogy is published in a
very large volume in New England,
leaving me in the direct genealogical line
from that great divine, RosselI Bige-
low
WHEN THE CHANGE CAME.
"On the night of Nov. 10 last, in the
lonely vigil of the night from $50 to
In the morning, in communion with my
Saviour, the old bible given me by that
dear old grandmother and the wonderful
Instrument, known as the gramaphone,
which 1 believe to be a God-given and
God-controlled instrument, were my only
associates in that, to me, never-to-be-
forgotten night. From that time have
been an unqualified believer in the un-
qualified religion of the Protestant
Christian religion, and, although in my
seventy-third year, I have labored unre-
mittingly from four to seven days and
nights a week for that principle in over
ninety churches in this city and ada
cent surrounding towns Each day that
passed my mind became more fully i'm
pressed with the knowledge that I am
now right.
4 have concluded deliberately to Gre
mate what few literary-if they may be
so called-works 1 am the possessor of
at this time, that encourage infdelity in
any form, or agnosticism, theological
knOw-nOthingism. 1 have not so many
books as some Of the aforesaid reporters
have stated, but have from 100 to 125
loaned out, which, under the existing cir
cumStances, l cannot reasonably expect
ever to see again. But what l have will
be consigned to the flames within a very
brief period. The idea of burning them
on the 18th I have abandoned for the
er very large and to a considerable ex-
tent undesirable crowd of people. There
fore the burning will be private, wit
messed only by the members of the church
to which 1 recently became united-the
Memorial United Brethren church, cor
ner of Hicks street and Lawrence ave-
nue., this city.
NO SECULAR INFLUENCE.
1T will be seen that the secularists in
general, such as Huxley ct al, had moth
ing to do with or did not in any way
influence my conversion 1 have always
been an Independent thinker. I have
been for many years correspondent and
writer for all the leading infdeI papers,
beginning with the Boston Investigator
have supported all the beliefs of what
might be termed scientific, materialistic
Infidelity, but never have been favorably
or otherwise impressed with anything in
theosOphy, Swedenborgianism or anything
In the line of occultism. 1 have for for
ty years past been totally free from the
use of tobacco or liquors of an intoxi-
eating character, or tea or coffee"
How could you be a Freemason, hold
Ing such beliefs as you did?'
II was a hard worker in Masonry and
was perfectly honest in my position I
would not even permit a man, when I
was master of lodge, who was not a
devout, God-fearing man to carry the
: Bible in funeral professions. Masons will
understand my position when l say that
l subscribed to the obligations of Ma
sonry in all sincerity. 1 used the bible
for its moral precepts In the work
have held numerous responsible positions
in Masonic bodies, such as master and
high priest and others. l claimed I had
q right to my own belief as to what
constituted Deity. I was then laboring
under the same mistakes that thousands
are laboring under today, believing, as
I claimed, that honesty, strict integrity
and fair dealing were all that was neces-
sary in life"
what was the real cause of your con-
veIsion?'
CAUSES OF THE CHANGE.
That's question of great magnitude
and a peculiar one to answer. 1 have al
ways somehow felt an inner conscious
ness OF a power near me and, to GER
tain extent, controlling me, which I am
now satisfied was through all my infidel
life Of seventy-two and a half years the
arm of my Savior, that has ever been
with me and supported me and finally,
without the interference of any areA-
ment or evangelistic work of any char
acter by man, brought me out of that
darkness into the light that is lighted by
the countenance OF my Savior In the