don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

This is the second part of an essay about Robert G. Ingersoll's summary to the jury in the blasphemy trial of C. B. Reynolds on May 19 and 20, 1887. The summary by Ingersoll lasted two hours and twenty minutes.

.. Now, gentlemen, I am going to try to show you, first, that this statute under which Mr. Reynolds is being tried is unconstitutional - that it is not in harmony with the constitution of New Jersey; and I am going to try to show you in addition to that, that it was passed hundreds of years ago, by men who believed it was right to burn heretics...

What is blasphemy? Of course nobody knows what it is, unless he takes into consideration where he is. What is blasphemy in one country would be a religious exhortation in another. It is owing to where you are and who is in authority... what we want is intellectual hospitality. Let the world talk. And see how foolish this trial is. I have no doubt that the prosecuting attorney agrees with me today, that whether this law is good or bad, this trial should not have taken place...

As long as the church has the power to close the lips of men, so long and no longer will superstition rule this world.

Blasphemy is the word that the majority hisses into the ear of the few. After every argument of the church has been answered, has been refuted, then the church cries, "blasphemy!"

Blasphemy is what an old mistake says of a newly discovered truth.

Blasphemy is what a withered last year's leaf says to this year's bud.

Blasphemy is the bulwark of religious prejudice.

Blasphemy is the breastplate of the heartless.

And let me say now, that the crime of blasphemy, as set out in this statute, is impossible. No man can blaspheme a book. No man can commit blasphemy by telling his honest thought. No man can blaspheme a God, or a Holy Ghost, or a Son of God. The Infinite cannot be blasphemed...

Why should we fear our fellow men? Why should not each human being have the right, so far as thought and its expression are concerned, of all the world? What harm can come from an honest interchange of thought?

No; I believe in intellectual hospitality. I love men that have a little horizon to their minds -- a little sky, a little scope. I hate anything that is narrow and pinched and withered and mean and crawling, and that is willing to live on dust. I believe in creating such an atmosphere that things will burst into blossom. I believe in good will, good health, good fellowship, good feeling -- and if there is any God on the earth, or in heaven, let us hope that he will be generous and grand. Do you not see what the effect will be? I am not cursing you because you are a Methodist, and not damning you because you are a Catholic, or because you are an Infidel -- a good man is more than all of these.

.. For the sake of your State, acquit this man. For the sake of something of far more value to this world than New Jersey -- for the sake of something of more importance to mankind than this continent -- for the sake of Human Liberty, for the sake of Free Speech, acquit this man.

What light is to the eyes, what love is to the heart, Liberty is to the soul of man. Without it, there come suffocation, degradation and death.

In the name of Liberty, I implore -- and not only so, but I insist -- that you shall find a verdict in favor of this defendant. Do not do the slightest thing to stay the march of human progress. Do not carry us back, even for a moment, to the darkness of that cruel night that good men hoped had passed away ...

That was Ingersoll. 

If "Royal Bob," as his friends called him, were around, he would advise strong opposition to this attempt by totalitarian nations to inhibit free expression in democratic societies, just as they do in their own countries. A blasphemy policy would compromise civil liberties and exacerbate religious conflicts, which already constitute a pox on the earth. The grotesque initiative at the UN warrants contempt and opposition; perhaps civic clubs and local government groups should spend less time reciting rote and meaningless pledges of allegiance with god talk and more on letters and other attempts to combat real threats to liberties we profess to treasure.

I'll end this with one last excerpt—Ingersoll's final words to the jury: "I sincerely hope that it will never be necessary again, under the flag of the United States -- that flag for which has been shed the bravest and best blood of the world -- under that flag maintained by Washington, by Jefferson, by Franklin and by Lincoln -- under that flag in defense of which New Jersey poured out her best and bravest blood -- I hope it will never be necessary again for a man to stand before a jury and plead for the Liberty of Speech."

Believe it or not, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty. The judge imposed a fine of 25 dollars and costs, totaling 75 dollars, which Colonel Ingersoll paid. He also donated all his time to the cause. The New York Times carried the story of this trial. The following was written in the newspaper account: "As Ingersoll left the room, a throng pressed after him to offer congratulations. One old man said: 'Colonel Ingersoll I am a Presbyterian pastor, but I must say that was the noblest speech in defense of liberty I ever heard! Your hand, sir; your hand.'"

The hand of Ingersoll and the rest of him are all long gone, but the record of his presence on this earth and his remarkable contributions to society live on. It is likely that Ingersoll's words, in this summation and so many other performances, always will, provided liberty itself is maintained by those who come soon and long after we have had our time. Look on the bright side, love and protect liberty and long live Ingersoll.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MEANING DOMAIN under the skill area of applied wellness. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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