The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-21

BY DR F. C. MvoY, PASTOR OF THE HIGHLANDS METHODIST cHURCH)
 2 "A BIOGRAPHICAL AFRICA TION,'' by Herman E. <ittredge. The Dresden Publishing Co.,, New York.
 This book shows considerable research, ls well written and attractive in. its me ehanical make.
 It is a book, however, that but few :. will read or care to read. because the man about whom it is written was but shooting star in the Armament Of the worlds thought and action. and soon will be hardly even a memory.
 No father can point to his example as worthy of emulation; no mother can speak his name with reverence.
 Forgotten may well be carved upon his tomb.
 The authors extravagant praise of h. gefsol is amusing, to say the least
 That he was a man of rare gifts ana superior attainments is doubtless trne' but to say that he was greater than Shakespeare and one of the greatest men that ever lived is ridiculous That he was an orator of wonderful magnetism cannot be denied, but to call him the prince of orators is preposterous.
 However. as we think of the brilliance, the genius of this man, comes the thought: What pity he did not make better use of his talents, He might have done vast good in the world-as it was, he murdered hope, and sileneed joy in uany human heart
 The son of a Presbyterian minister, the world had a right to expect better things of him.
 He may have taken pride in the re- mark some of his fathers parishioners made to him:
 Your father gave us religion and now you have taken it away"
 But if his conscience was not wholly dead, that remark must have pierced 1t like arrow.
 The author calls attention to lnger- soils political career and says, had he kept ssnt about his attitude toward Christianity, he would have been gover- nor of Illinois, and perhaps President of the United States. ' But we say-All honor to the nation that refuses to give office to man who holds such views.
 However, the declaration that Ingersoll vas greater than any President has been or will be is strange exaggeration.
 Who remembers Presidents?' asks the author. They are forgotten while hgersolrs memory is imperishabe."
 We smile and pass on.
 Better be forgotten if the only thing that preserves a mans name is that he hated the Christian religion
 The author speaks of Ingersolls beau- tiful home life, his reverence for woman, love and marriage It seems not to oc- cur to him that Christianity has made the home what it is-but for Christian ly, woman, love and marriage would hardly have respect or consideration. Attention is called to the fact that h. gersoll boasted that Shakespeare was his B1ble. and Burns his hymn book. The world will always have great admira- ton for Shakespeare. He was indeed a marvellous man, but 1t is a sad reflection on mans mentality to declare that aul | moor fE | 1. Bible.
 Rather does the world agree with Charles Dickens when he says:
 i'rhe New Testament is the best book that ever was or ever will be known in ss the world, because it teaches the best f lessons by which any human creature who tries to be truthful and faithful to duty can possibly be guided"
 Burns was a man of great genius a poet of great merit. but he lived the life of a profligate. Rather strange 1t would seem that as pure a rnan as the author declares Ingersoll to have been, should choose Burns as his hymn book.
 In one of his lectures Ingersoll tells of lis habit of putting spending money in drawer at his home with the under standing that his wife and children could help themselves whenever they desired and advises every parent to do the same. That may not have spoiled his family, tnt it would be the ruin of nine tenths ct the families of this country if such a habit prevailed
 He had very strange ideas about bring ing up children. His doctrine was never to punish child for wrong doing, but to give him taffy and special betting reward for his misdeeds That may work with a chosen few, but it would play havoc with the great majority of children.
 Ingersolls attitude toward Christianity is well known. He denounced 1t with terrible bitterness, but he frequently mistook a false interpretation of Christi ianity for Christianity itself. In his ig- Eurance anl weakness many Christian has misrepresented Christianity.
 1ngersoll held up to ridicule the called contradictions of the Bible, and yet he was strangely inconsistent and contradictory in many of his statements. He ridiculed what he called the mis- takes of Moses. but the world now rid ieuies the mistakes of Ingersoll.
 He sald Nothing has been or can be created There never has been nor can be d creator. It is impossible to a..ink of personal God The human mind cannot imagine beginningIess be- ilig.
 But submit that it is far more req scnable 70 imagine beginningless cra- ator than to imagine beginningess ers- ation.
 He said: Christ was not a man. hui
  . myth-not a life, but legend There Is not in all the contenlporaneous liter ature of the world a single word about Christ his apostles
 Yet he declared at another time: q cannot believe in the miraculous origin of Jesus Christ. believe that he was tEe son of Joseph and Mary. I believe he was an honest man. For the man Christ I have infinite respect" How can we reconcile this with the statement that Christ was a myth and never ex- isted?
 fngersoil taught that suicide was not sin, and he is indirectly responsible for the tragic end of many human life, and the countless heart aches that sui eide has brought to the living.
 lE concluding his book, the author asks some questions Did he tear down without building up?H The declaration IS made that Ingersoll sought to destroy Christianity which he regarded as su- perstiton, but in it's place he gave thel world the gospel of love, justice, mercy,