The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-18
AN AGN0STICSW WORK

Consigned to the Flames BY his Chill
drtn-A Man who Alu Posed. e
a Christian.
New York Press: Aft voting all
,be snare moments Of lbs lifetime to
yrltIdg 4 book on qgnostlcis the study
and lab6rs OF Henry N. ,TaI q. the mill
,Ionasre. who died at his home, No. e
West Twelfth street, In February, 1898,
have been in vain. an tH6blates and
eoples Of the book already printed have
been bought up by membe f4f his fam
uv and are to be destroyedil
To all outward appearances. Mr.. Ia
Der was a Christian. Hel president
and treasurer of the boar Of trustees
OF the Old First Presbyterian church, at
Fitth avenue and Eleventh street, and
attended the services redlaarly up to
ne day OF his death. He was a warm
friend OF the Rev. DR.. Howard DuHield
the pastor, and had marrtfaIa daughter
Of the Rev. DR., William GP. Phillips,
who had been pastor OF the same
church for twenty years
But at heart, Mr.. Taber was not a
believer in the Divine Being. He was a
warm friend OF Colonel Robert G. In
cersoll. and had been converted to Ag-
Mysticism by the great " believer, who
died only few weeks B..
All this was secret WI Mr.. Taber
kept locked up within h reast, and
moi until after his deathN d even the
members OF his family kt h OF It. It
them was found that he.ha spent much
OF his time and money attacking
Christianity. and in pref lilpg a large
volume on AgnosticisIi, which was
placed In the hands Of the, publishers
only.a short time before his death.
This book was entitled Faith or
Fact?" and for II Colonel Ingersoll
wrote the Introduction. The book was
to have been published by Carl D. Eek
Ter, who has published most Of Colonel
IngerBolrB writings.
After Mr.. Taber had ten volumes
printed at his own eXpeDPS he sold a
half Interest to Clinton P farrell, Col
onel IngeTsoll's son-in-hk, and the
publisher also took an interest in the
work, -
daughter, learned about ~ fathers
book on Agnosticism, she about at
once 70 obtain possession the plates
andisll the copies that ha been print
ed Through her lawyers. Ne managed
to get the books and PLACES by paying
a hlSh price FOR them, qft'lpugh those
who owned an interest M the work
were loath to part with them. The
books and plates now are in the pos
session OF Miss Taber, ard-ii they have
not found their way t9.the furnace
already. they will soon.
The Agnostlcs who were interested In
Mr.. Taber's book feel verS badly about
the loss of the work. although they
were reluctant to conte4e the matter
with Mr.. Taber's family. They say
that as he left a fortune OF several
millions to his children.s they should
have respected his life wdJk, which was
the only thing he wished to be left for
future generations to remember him by.
They also say that It was DR.. DUFF
field, the pastor OF the First Presbyter-
Ian church, who was chiefly instru-
mental in urging Miss ,Ta1aE TO get the
plates OF the book and have them de-
stroyed.
Inlhls book Mr.. Taber gave the result
Of his study OF ChrIstiaplIS for a life
time. having kept track u the utter
ances Of clergymen the ,sforld over.
He disseCted and Analysed their SER
mons. and devoted many pages to
pointing out the flaws in the Christian
belief rs they appeared to'him.
In the authors Introduction Of he
book Mr.. Taber says: ~
II have been asked the question,
Would the world be better. on with
without and IL Is made advisedly."
An extract from Colonel Ingersoll's
introduction reads:
Henry NJ. Taber. the author, has for
many years taken great interest In re-
lIglous questions. He was raised in an
orthodox atmosphere, was acquainted
with eminent clerRynlen, from whom he
endeavored to, find out what Christian
ity Is, and the facts and evidence relied
on TO establish the truth 0f-the creeds.
For half q century he has watched
the ebb and flow Of public opinion, the
growth of science, the crumbllng Of
creeds, the decay Of the theological
spirit. the waning influence OF the or
thodOx pulpit, the loss Of confidence In
special Providence and the efficacy OF
prayer.
During these years Of change, Of
decay and growth, the author Of this
book looked and listened, BECAME ia
HllAlhI WIN AAAt AlAA59hAhAAh AeAl9NNt wv
arguments offered and the results OBJ
tanned. For this work no better man
could be found. He has no prejudices,
no hatred. He is BY nature candid,
conservative and Just. ,gs
II agree with 8ir. Taber that all re-
ligions are founded on mistakes, mis-
conceptions and falsehoods. and that
superstition is the warp f5nd wool Of
every creed. This book will do great
good. II Will furnish arguments against
the supernatural and absurd. It will
drive phantoms from tho sbrain, fear
from the heart. and those who read
these pages will be emancipated, en-
iightened and ennobied."
But in spite Of It all, 9tlGof Mr.. Ia
ber's work was In vain. Neither his
daughter nor his son. whqlis now prac-
tlclng law In Chicago share their faith.
er's belief ms set forth iHihls book. and
they are determined that It shall not 20
forth to the world to chose doubt in
Christianity or possibly TO convert 9TH
ers TO agnosticlsm. up
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