The 1887 Blasphemy Trial of Charles B. Reynolds

In 1664, the colony of New Jersey enacted a law against blasphemy.  This law remain unenforced for over two centuries.  The French and Indian War passed.  The Revolutionary War passed.  The Constitution and Bill of Rights were written.  The Civil War passed, until finally in 1886 an atheist Charles B. Reynolds became the first person to be charged under this outdated law.  Republican, veteran of the Civil War, and Agnostic, Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll came to represent his defense.  Ingersoll rightfully argued that the law was unconstitutional under contemporary New Jersey law that had risen in the two centuries.  Also a blasphemy law is representative of a less civilized heritage that the State of New Jersey had matured beyond.

Ultimately Reynolds would be not only the first charged, but also the first convicted.  He was fined twenty-five dollars and costs, which combined totaled seventy-five dollars.  Ingersoll paid the fine.

Also posted: The 1887 Article from The Times and Ingersoll's two hour address to the jury divided into two sections, Part One and Part Two