The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-24
nee LATR B. 6. INGERsoLL.
Why he Took hts stand-The InilH'
ence That Caused TIA Quotation
49,, /. T,,,,.- he Jyrota.


Why he Took hts stand-The Inns
ence That Caused TIA Quotation
from q Letter he Wrote.
TO the Editor OF the Intslligeheer.
sIR:-Aii human beings are aetuhteo
by motives. Many have queried con-
corning the departed Robert G. Inger-
soil a. to why he took the stand he did
against the Christian religion, some Pc
lieYing he was not sincere. and would
recant; others aHirmlng 1t was the in-
auenee OF his father. who was minis
ter Of very liberal views.
The following incidents. coming from
The confines of his hearthstone. Will
show that the colonel was indeed iniu-
enced by his father. but not as a result
Of liberalism. / quote from an adj
dress delivered by Benjamin Fay Mills
In Boston, on April i6, 1888:
Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, Of san Fran.
cisco, who died recently. was = devoted
Christian OF broad faith and consecra-
ton, giving her life to a good work.
Sine was q cousin OF Col Robert @. ln-
Rersoll, and me wrote me letter In
which occurs the following passage that
VIII be OF Interest 10 you. She says, IN
speaking OF Col. fngersoll: IT was the
terrible doctrine OF eternal puni1hment
that drove him where he stands. Hls
tender-hearted. loving father "a minis.
teri, whom Cousin Robert lnGersoll
worshipped, almost died in tears be-
cauee az his sorrow for those who were
without hope In the world. The colo
mel used TO walk the floor with him.
trying to soothe and comfort him, ana
he said, in telling me OF this: Sarah. l
svore over the dear. dead form OF my
sanity father that would spend the
rest OF my life In doing all that ! could
to stamp out the fires OF hell, In trying
TO pluck from tender, loving hearts the
aend OF fear While do not agree
with Colonel Ingersoll in all OF his opin-
Ions, believe that this is Infinitely no.
bier than 10 believe in hell and smile.
or 70 believe In hell and not give one 8
self to a long life Of cruclhIion, or any
thing that might keep those around US
from sinking into the eternal fires.
The writer Of this article has In his
possession a letter from R. G. niger
soil. dated May Z, 1883, which may be OF
Interest to your readers Just at TINS
time. in which the colonel defines his
QtLlLuQe lOWaEu lle saw Al VI ALeaii>A'i -
and the letter explains Itself 1t reads
os follows:
letter Of the 9Th instant, and glad to
know that you appreciate the tribute
that paid to the memory OF Abraham
Lincoln. do not know how you came
10 think that had said anything de-
rogRtory TO the character Of Jesus
Christ. deny the supernatural origin
Of Christ, deny that an Infinite God was
His Father, or that he was in fact q
God.
ar such a man existed he was a hur
man being "a jewish peasant = and
Judging him by my Btandard-that 10 to
say, accounting for many things In the
New Testament as interpretations and
mlstakes-he was a great and tender
soul, and believe that have said the
best things Of Him that / am able. 1
do not agree with His philosophy as eX-
pressed IN the New Testament; but be-
hind all the mistakes and interpretations,
/ see n great character, and to that
character have paid on many occa-
sIons, the tribute OF my respect and ad-
miration."
Ingersoll was more than OF ordinary
Character, but one OF little faith" and
he stands out on the canvas OF human
events In strong contrast to Josh Bill
ings, a wise as well as witty man, who
said: at believe in the Bible. and those
things I do not understand ! believe
IN the most" w. n. X.
Wheeling, July %.