Blue-grass blade. [volume] (Lexington, Ky.) 188?-19??, 1908-08-09

him copy of Votaire which the preacher
read and commended not knowing the
authors name at the time but later dis
covered II and fed, increasing the circu-
lation of the report of Ingersclls inideity.
Hypocrisy and political policy now formed
a partnership in order to defeat Ingersoll
for the nomination. Ingersoll was re-
quested by many well meaning friends and
admirers to renounce in some public way
his infidel views. He was also asked to
become candidate for Attorney Genera.,
instead. His reply is given as follows:
When | say | am a candidate for a par
ticular office, | mean it; and when / say
| am not a candidate for particular
office, | mean that, too. When / became
q candidate for Governor | renowned my
candidacy for Attorney-General, and other
candidates were invited into the field. |
would despise myself forever were / now to
become a candidate against any of these
men,"
His biographer states that while Inger-
soil was ambitious and desired the Gov
ernorship, yet he refused to recant his
views and forfeit his sef-respect. Inger-
soil could not be both Governor and hypo-
critic. Others could and did.
Ingersoll turned to his law practice and
his books. He read and studied the master
minds of The world. Christianity had won
a signal triumph in defeating him for the
church power in America. BY his public
lectures and his published writings, niger
soil has done more to undermine the
church influence in America and expose
the weakness of that form of religious
faith, than any other known man in the
history of the republic OF this portion
of his life's great work we need not speak
here. Others have done that and it is
known so widely and well that such is
hardly necessary. We have aimed to give
some of the most important facts in con-
necton with his life not generally known.
After lecturing throughout the country,
emancipating the intellect of the American
people, preaching the gospel of human
liberty, liberty for Man. Woman and
Child" he selected Dobbs Ferry, New
York as his home and opened large and
important law Offices in the city of New
York. He had also a New York residence.
This was on Fifth Avenue Two daughters
were born to him, Misses Maud II. and Eva
lngersoll. He had no son, although the
church industrously circulated a story 10
the effect that Ingersoll had told his son
to take his mothers religion, instead of
his fathers TO live and die by He died
at Dobb's Ferry, July q, 1899. We can
say of Ingersol as Ingersoll said of Henry
Ward Beecher
'The memory of this ample man is now
part of Natures wealth"
The church had preached man into hell
but Ingersoll put hell out of man. His
bright genius shone in almost isolated
grandeur. In him the Republic of America
may see its brightest intellectual star upon
the dawn of a boundless day. Priests
dreaded this intellectual Titan nor dared
they venture upon the mountain heights
of thought to which he had successfully
climbed. His every word was a mental
picture, delicious and rare, light and sweet
as some goasamer film upon a summer
sea. In his desire to improve earth he
gave up hope of heaven, and in his earn.
estness for man ne abandoned a belief i'm