September 15, 1913 - Ingersoll - Liberator of Men

From what I can deduce from this correspondence, Joe sent Helen a short lecture that Elbert Hubbard gave about Robert Ingersoll. He then followed with a short note. It seems that Joe gave the introduction for Hubbard that evening.

 "BOB" INGERSOLL – LIBERATOR OF MEN.
It is said that the difference between man and the lower animals is that man has ability, to laugh. (Remember Jerry in Peg O’ my heart?)
When you laugh, you relax, and when you relax you give freedom to muscles, nerves and brain-cells.  Man seldom has use of his reason when his brain is tense.  The sense of humor makes a condition where reason can act.
Ingersoll knew that he must take his appeal to man's brain. Paine knew this, too, and so did Voltaire and Rousseau. But it is a winding way to' reach the reason of most people.  The unenlightened mind is in serious, solemn darkness.
Ingersoll let the light of human sympathy penetrate first, and from the good-nature which followed, he added good-humor, then sent shafts of wit.
He caused men and women to use the same reasoning faculties when contemplating the character of a god as of a man, of history in one book as in another, he knew their conclusions would then be sensible and bring a degree of peace and happiness unknown before to the world.
Ingersoll taught that what was wrong for men ought to be wrong for gods and saints; that what was considered not good, sin, for man on earth, should not be considered as fit for reward in heaven; that there was no justice in eternal punishment for temporal or temporary sins.
He asked consideration for criminals, those who had actually done wrong to their fellow-men. He pleaded for Christians and infidels alike to follow the Golden Rule, and do unto others as they would have these others do unto them.
Robert Ingersoll preferred to every political and social honor the privilege of freeing humanity from the shackles of bondage and fear. He knew no holier thing than truth.  He preferred using his own reason to receiving popular applause or approbation. His keen wit, clear brain and merciless sarcasm uncrowned the king of Superstition and made him a puppet in the court of reason.
Says Max O'Rell: "Ingersoll was not only America's greatest orator, He was a great writer and a great thinker; an infusion, as it were, of Johnson, Voltaire and Milton.  He possessed the logic of the first; the
persiflage of the second; and some of the sublimity of the third.  His arguments are constructed like propositions of Euclid; his style is vigorous, as clear as it is graceful, as poetic as it is humorous, and as verve as inexhaustible."
Elbert Hubbard.

Exhibit A
September 15,1913
Dear Helen,
I didn't know but what you might be interested in how I "made out" yesterday afternoon, and so am interrupting you again. I started something after this fashion.
"How mysterious are the ways of God! This morning I was planning to be out on a stroll along the Hudson admiring the glorious sunset. And behold, it is changed I find the sun rise - to address you. I had anticipated the pleasure of being in the company of good Jews at this hour; and now I find myself in the midst of good Christians. To paraphrase Shakespeare, I can sincerely say that Extemporaneous religious speeches to Broadway Baptists is not the meat on which Caesar feed. And so as a young and budding lecturer in this particular sphere of life, I will need your aid and succor. And I promise you that if you will furnish the aid, I will supply the sucker."

 Roycroft Press under the direction of Elbert Hubbard published many writings by Robert Ingersoll.

The next letter will be on September 18.