s, and before we fully believe in ourselves this some One
must believe in us. Eva Parker believed in Robert Ingersoll, and it was
her love and faith that made him believe in himself and caused him to
fling reasons into the face of hypocrisy and shower with sarcasm and
ridicule the savage and senseless superstitions that paraded themselves
as divine.

Wendell Phillips believed in himself because Ann never doubted him.
Without Ann he would not have had the courage to face that twenty years'
course of mobs. If it had ever occurred to him that the mob was right he
would have gone down in darkness and defeat; but with Ann such a
suspicion was not possible. He pitted Ann's faith against the prejudice
of centuries--two with God are a majority.

It was Eva's faith that sustained Robert. In those first years of
lecturing she always accompanied him, and at his lectures sat on the
stage in the wings and gloried in his success. He did not need her to
protect him from the mob, but he needed her to protect him from himself.
It is only perfect love that casteth out fear.

* * * * *

There is a little book called, "Ingersoll as He Is," which is being
circulated by some earnest advocates of truth.

The volume is a vindication, a refutation and an apology. It takes up a
goodly list of zealous calumniators and cheerful prevaricators and tacks
their pelts on the barn-door of obliquity.

That Ingersoll won the distinction of being more grossly misrepresented
than any other man of his time, there is no doubt. This was to his
advantage--he was advertised by his rabid enemies no less than by his
loving friends. But his good friends who are putting out this
vindication should cultivate faith, and know that there is a God, or
Something, who looks after the lies and the liars--we needn't.

A big man should never be cheapened by a defense. Life is its own excuse
for being, and every life is its own apology. Silence is better than
wordy refutation. People who want to believe the falsehoods told of this
man, or any other, will continue to believe them until the crack o'
doom.

Most accusations contain a certain basis of truth, but they may be no
less libels on that account. One zealous advocate, intent on loving his
supposed enemy, printed a thrilling story about Ingersoll being taken
prisoner during the war, while taking refuge in a pig-pen. To this some
of Bob's friends interposed a fierce rejoinder declarin