Chuck Colson once said:
“In the last century there was a great Methodist church planter who traveled around the country planting churches. While in Oregon one day, he read a newspaper report of a speech given to the Free Thinker’s Society by noted lawyer and orator Robert Ingersoll. In the report Ingersoll, an theist, was quoted as saying that the church was dying. C.C. McKay got off the train, went to the telegraph office, and cabled the following message to Robert Ingersoll:
Dear Bob; In the Methodist church we are starting one new church a day. And new because of what you have said, we propose to make it two.
-C. C. McKay
P.S. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”
The telegram prompted a series of debates between McKay and Ingersoll – most of them won by McKay – as well as a wonderful folk hymn, sung in Methodist Churches all across the land.
The most wonderful footnote of the story didn’t happen until years later. In 1941, Ingersoll’s grandson, Robert Ingersoll III, walked into a church in Chicago, heard the Gospel, believed, was baptized, and became a member of the congregation. A few days later Robert Ingersoll IV did the same. All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.”‘
