The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-24
THE WORK oF INGERsoLL.
Comments Of the Secular Press Upor
What ne Len Behind.

Comments Of the Secular Press Upon
What ne len Behind.
New York Times; It was Just and
conclusive comment upon the life
work. Of Bob IngersolI that was made
by the southwestern woman reported
by Julian Ralph. "Well. Il I didn't be-
lieve there was any God / wouldn't
stump the country on that platform"
II we believe, what every sane adult
must believe, that religion Is upon the
whole help to good behavior, then 1t
must be owned that whoever sets out
to deprive the people Of their religion
without pretending to offer them any
thing In its stead Is a public malefac-
tor. Not that Bob Ingersoll took any
thing like so serious a view Of himself
as that. He went about denying and
ridlcullng for the Joy It gave him TO ag-
itato dIgnltarles and bigwigs. The eff
feet upon the public, could not be other
wise than bad. The effect upon him
self. by stroke Of the irony. by a
stroke Of the Justice, OF fate, was that
the lack OF respect In which he exalted
was his bane, that by reason OF II and
OF his free exhibition OF It he never
took that place In the social, the pro-
fessional, or the public life Of his coun
try to which by his talents he would
otherwise have been eminently entitled.
Baltimore American: Robert G. In
gersoll is dead. This news win not
prompt the mourning that might have
been had his life-work been other than
1t was. Had his talents been employ
ed in harmony with public sentiment
the nation would mourn his passing,
but. as It is, grief will be limited. He
attacked a principle that has fostered
the growth. development, civilization.
and enlightenment Of the world. He
sought Its destruction and offered moth
ing in Its place. lie assailed the deep
seated religious tendency of the world
with rldicule and invective, and offered
no compensation for the idols he sought
to shatter.
He wrought INCREASINGLY before tre-
mendous audiences, but his power over
the public relaxed gradually, he re-
canted somewhat. and In his later
years he did not 80 violently assault
popular sentiment When he had ceas-
ed to be II fad he equivocated. Now
thHt he has passed away he will live
as Voltaire and pqine live, remembered
for certain beautiful thoughts and sem
timents, but TO: for his principles.
They crI'mbled to dust with his body,
and II is doubtful II another win arise
TO keep alive public interest In them.
New York Press: 1t Is pretty GER
tain that Ingersoll took little thought of
the number Of imperfectly educated
young men for whom his clever mock
cry OF things which they had revered
made excuses for evil courses. 1t was
this influence OF his undoubtedly which
caused the religious societies to COM
bat him so vigorously and to labor so
hard for his conversion. These good
people were undoubtedly much worried
by his life. They may calm themselves
ut his death. He leaves no legacy .of
disbelief like Voltaire, or Renan, or
Strauss, or even Tom Paine. With the
last echo of his mellow voice sllenced
and the last twinkle OF his bright wit
quenched his influence is exhausted.
Baltimore Sun: II Col. Ingersoll had
offered to the people something to take
the place of the faith Of which he
sought to deprive them It would have
been different. But in tearing down
the structure of belief which rested up
on the Bible he left ruin. His criti-
cisms Of the Bible were Of superficial
character and had been answered
thousand times. But his manner Of
speech was so attractive. his wit so
keen, that thousands and tens of thou
sands gathered to hear him. and his
atheIstIc or agnostic Views were sown
broadcast through the land Never
theless the foundation of God standeth
sure" He has now gone to his own
place and no LONGER sees through a
glass. darkly. The mystery with him
is solved. He has left a name linked
with u thousand virtues and one great
He could well have afforded
to let the conscience Of others alone.
Philadelphia Inquirer: Ingersoll was
not bad man, az the term is common
ly understood. On the contrary, there
was much In his character and life
worthy of praise and emulation. II is
not reported OF him that he had any
vices. His family relations have al
ways been described as exceptionally
happy and his civic conduct Is under
stood to have been exemplary. Yet 1t
may be doubted whether any man since
has done as much MS he to rob
men and women Of their peace Of mind |
to promote loose thinking and immoral
living and to undermine the fOunda-
lions of that Christian civilization up
on whose preservation and development
the progress and welfare of humanity
depend.
Washington Post: And It is by no
means certain that Colonel Ingersoll's
life was not a blessing to mankind.
Judged either from the standpoint Of
the infidel or that OF the most devout
Christian. Those who accept his Views
must feel that the world was fOrtu-
nate In having them presented with !
his wondrOus eloquence. The gree:
majority OF Americans, to whom Ing
soil was but blasphemous assailant OF |
things divine. must admit that religion |
flourlshed abundantly under his at
tacks. The Post has heretofore eN-
pressed its belief that opposition to |
even such virlle opposition |
as IngersOll's. was more helpful to Its |
growth than Indifference. There has |
been q vast progress in religious work |
in the United States contemporaneous- |
ly with Colonel Ingersoll's self-appoint |
ed and self-sacrihcing mission. Is It |
unreasonable to attribute something OF |
1t to him?
New York Sun: Robert G. Ingersoll, |
who died yesterday, won his chief pop |
ular distinction as an enemy Of relIg- |
Ious faith. yet his nature was essen
TALLY OF the poetic and religious cast.
He was man Of humane impulses, and |
his bitterness OF humor was In his
words only. Moreover, he was by
heavens gift an orator. an artist in elo-
quence, and consequently was able TO
hold sway over the feelings Of audi |
ences whose convictions he did not
change.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette: It is