VOE. 21, NO. 4
8
The Commoner
IV
I
oplrltual to be 'higher' than the moral, what
ever our theory of rollglon may bo. It is what
wo understand by man's moral, and still more
his spiritual, qualities that go to constitute
character. And it is astonishing how in all
walks of lifo it is character that tolls in the long
run."
On page 150 he answered Huxley's attack on
faith: Ho says, "Huxley, in Lay Sermons, says
that faith has boon proved a 'cardinal sin' by
science. Now this is truo enough of crodulity,
superstition, etc., and science has done no end
of good in developing our ideas of method,
evidence, etc. But this is all on the sido of in
tellect, 'Faith' is not touched by such facts or
cons derations. And what a terrible hell science
would have made of the world, if she had abol
ished the 'spirit of faith,' even in human rela
tions." In the days of his apostasy he "took it for
granted," he says on page 164, "that Christian
ity was played out." When once his eyes were
reopened he vied with Paul himself in
recognizing tho superior quality of love. On
page 1G3 ho quoted the eloquent lines of Bour
dillon: Tho night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet tholight of a whole world dies
With tho setting sun.
Tho mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.'
Having quoted this noble sentiment he adds:
"Love is known to be all this. How great then,
is Christianity, as being the religion of love,
and causing men to believe both in the cause of
love's supremacy and the infinity of God's love to
man."
But Romanes still clung to Evolution and, so
far as his book discloses, his mind would never
, allow his heart to commune with Darwin's far-a-way
God, whoso creative power Romanes could
not doubt but whoso daily presence he could noi
admit without abandoning his theory.
His is a typical case, but many of the wan
derers novor return to the fold; they are lost
sheep. If tho doctrine were demonstrated to
bo true, its acceptance would, of course, be
obligatory, but how can one bring himself to as
sent to a series of assumptions when such a
course is accompanied by such a tremendous
risk of spiritual loss.
If, as it does in so many instances, it causes
the student to choose Darwinism, with its in
tellectual delusions, and reject the Bible, with
the incalculable blessings that its heart-culture
brings, what minister of the Gospel or Christian
professor can justify himself before the bar of
conscience if, by impairing confidence in the
Word of God, he wrecks human souls? All the
intellectual satisfaction that Darwinism ever
brought to thoso who have accepted it will not
' offset the sorrow that falls to a single life from
which the brute theory of descent has shut out
the sunshine of God's presence and the com
panionship of Christ. Here, too, we have the
testimony of the distinguished scientist from
whom I have been quoting. In his first book
tho attack on Theism he says (page 29
Thoughts on Religion), "I ftm not ashamed to
confess that with this virtual negation of God
the universe to mo has lost its soul of loveliness
and, .although- from henceforth tho precent te
"Work while it is day" will doubtless gafn an in-
n Jh6 fr0" Se terribly intensified
moaning of the words that "tho night cometh
when no man can work," yet when at times I
hink, as think at times I must, of the appall
ing contrast between the hallowed glory of that
creed which once was mine, and the lone
mystery of existence as now I find it at q,,-h
times I shall over feel it impassible to avoKLthe
sharpest pang of which my nature is susceptible "
? w?8' du??? his college days' came under
.the influence of those who worship the reason
and this worship led him out into a starless
night. Have we not a right to rleLm i I
HYoTHESEin158818' S S
HYPOTHESES before we exchange tho "ijni
owed glory" of the Christian cried for "the
lonely mystery of existence" as Roman f?
it? Shall we at the behest of those who r,n?U,Sd
intellect above the heart endorse an Ut th?
doctrine of descent and share responsiSnFtvT11
the wreckage of all that is BpirSrinhl7uiv
of our young people? I refuse Si -Ives
in such responsibility. Voi nJariv ZL7 Part
I have gone from tohe&tML?M77r5
to students. Wherever I coul,? ?,? e?nduialked
priety I have niVSXSJSt
ence of Darwinism. I have received thanks
from many students who were perplexed by tho
materialistic teachings of their instructors and I
have been encouraged by the approval of par
ents who were distressed by the visible effects of
these teachings on their children. Even while I
am putting on paper this part of the address, a
letter comes from a High School Senior in a
small town in Illinois who says, "During my
sophomore and junior years I became very
sceptical in my religious belief, but thanks to
I have nearly overcome it. Others
in the class are still agnostic."
As many believers in Darwinism are led to
reject the Bible, let me, by way of recapitula
tion, contrast that doctrine with the Bible:
Darwinism deals with nothing but life; tho
Bible deals with the entire universe with its
masses of inanimate matter and with its myriads
of living tilings, all obedient to the will of the
great Law Giver.
Darwin concerns himself with only that part
of man's existence which is spent on earth a
small arc of an infinite circle while the Bible's
teachings cover all of life both' here and here
after. Darwin begins by assuming life upon the
earth; the Bible reveals tho source of life and
chronicles its creation.
Darwin devotes nearly all his time to man's
body and to the points at which the human
frame approaches in structure though vastly
different from the brute; the Bible emphasizes
man's god-like qualities and the virtues which
reflect the goodness of the Heavenly Father.
Darwinism ends in self-destruction. As here
tofore shown, its progress is suspended, and even
defeated, by the very genius wfiich it is sup
posed to develop; the Bible invites us to enter
fields of inexhaustible opportunity wherein each
achievement can be made a stepping stone to
greater achievements still.
Darwin's doctrine is so brutal that it shocks
the moral sense the heart recoils from it ana
refuses to apply the "hard reason" upon which
it rests; the Bible points us to the path that is
like the shining light which shineth more and
more unto the perfect day.
Darwin's doctrine leads logically to war and
to the worship of Neitzsche's "Superman;" the
Bible tells us of the Prince of Peace and heralds
the coming of the glad day when swords shall
be beaten into ploughshares and when nations
shall learn war no more.
Darwin's teachings drag industry down to the
brute level and excite a savage struggle for self
ish advantage'; the Bible presents the claims of
an universal brotherhood in which men will
unite their efforts in the spirit of friendship.
As hope deferred maketh the heart sick, so
the doctrine of Darwin benumbs altruistic ef
fort by prolonging indefinitely the time needed
for reforms; the Bible assures us of the triumph
J ,y.ry riSkteous. cause, reveals to tho eye
of faith the invisible hosts that fight on the side
of Jehovah and proclaims the swift fulfillment
of God's decrees.
Darwinism puts God far away; the Bible
brings God near and establishes the prayer-line
SndtoTidVr between tho Heaveniy Father
Darwinism enthrones selfishness; the Bible
crowns oye as the greatest force in the world
Darwinism offers no reason for existence and
presents no philosophy of life; the Bible explains
why man is here and gives us a code of morals
that fits into every human need. morais
The great need of the world today is to cet
Port' l? GodT,back to a real belief in a Hving
T"1? a ,SelIef ln God as Creator, Preserve?
and loving Heavenly Father. When one believes
in a personal God and considers himself a pan
of God's plan he will be anxious to know God's
will and to do it, seeking direction through
prayer and made obedient through faith
Man was made 'in tho Father's image- h
enters upon tho stage, the climax oJehovah'l
plan He is superior to the beas,ts of the field
greater than any other created thingbut a lit'
tie lower than the angels. God made him for ."
purpose, placed before him infinite bmti
and revealed to him responsibilities comment
rate with the possibilities. God beckons ffia "
ward and the Bible points the wayfman can
f travel toward perfection by the path
that Christ revealed, or man can disobey and fall
to a level lower,,in some respects, than that f
the brutes about him. Lookinc wt 5
man can find inspiration lihif Sea inf Pd
about him he is impelled to klndn w look,nS
of kinship which binds him m5h hLenS0
Mighty problems demand8 h?s attention; JSriffi
destiny is to be determined by him. Wh5 time
has he to waste in hunting for "missing links"
or in searching for resemblances between his
forefathers and the ape? In His Image in this
sign we conquer.
We are not progeny of the brute; we have
not been forced upward by a blind pushing,
power; neither have we tuw bled upward by
chance. We are the handiwork of the Almighty
and are bound to him by the power of love
a power which finds is highest expression in
Christ who promised: I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto Me.
MR. BRYAN AND HIS BIBLE CLASS
The devotional exercises held Sunday morn
ings by Mr. Bryan in the park have become one
of the institutions of Miami, being attended by
thousands of attentive and appreciative men and
women at every session.
At last Sunday's meeting, Mr. Bryan stated
that the gathering was larger than at any previ
ous meeting; and said that this, indicated either
that the, visitors were delaying their departure
for the north, or else there Avas a growing inter
est in the Bible class. It might be that both
these causes contributed to the enlarged attend
ance; but if we look a little further, we will
discover a deeper reason than either; an aroused
interest in religion throughout the civilized
world since the war.
In making this statement, we dp not dispar
age the work of Mr. Bryan in the slightest; we
merely wish to state that the masses are hungry
for spiritual food, and when it is presented to
them in the glorious manner of Mr. Bryan, they
flock to receive it.
It is a treat to listen to the eloquence of this
gifted' orator at any time, but it is doubly so
when he lends his great oratorical ability to
ward carrying of the word of God unto men. His
almost faultless enunciation, beauty of diction,
flow of language and general charm of delivery
make a sermon from him most delightful. The
words flow from his lips in beautiful simplicity,
each sound being given its due proportion but
no exaggeration anywhere.' Mr. Bryan's artic
ulation is so clear, every sound falling from his
lips like new coins from a mold, each one clearly
and firmly Stamped, that his voice carries to the
furthest row of listeners and. every word is
clearly distinguished. Mr. Bryan is doing a great
work through his Bible class; and his fellow
.citizens of Miami are proud of his high attain
ments and grateful to him for sharing them with
the people and visitors of the city which he has
selected as his winter home.
In all sections of the United States there seems
to be a new religious awakening; a struggle by
man to obtain communion with God If we could
have more men like Mr. Bryan to interpret the
Scriptures and preach the words of the Lowly
Nazarene men who stripped their discourse of
all creed affd dogma God's kingdom on earth
would be made more apparent to those who now
thnst and hunger for it..
tt TfJ8 a miShty work to be done in the
united States not to speak of the world in gen
eralin turning the eyes of the multitudes of
people who are seeking the way to religious be
lief unto the right path. Now, while the minds of
men are open to the reception oi religious teach
ings, they must be properly directed, or else they
win go in search of strange gods. Herein lies a
grav enace to the nation; and it is such work
as William Jennings Bryan is doing right here
L TeTTtnat ?hould e done uniformly through
out tne United States, as such work would prove
l???e G factor now at hand for the .de
struction of the menace of unbelief which is
now threatening us as a people. The Miami
MR. BRYAN IN MIAMI
i S?Z one admires W. J. Bryan or not, he
thJ ftST "mited in vision who fails to see what
p 6 t,oFi mmoner has Deen to and for Miami.
JTf J?oi n, man is consulted more on questions
SiSt inal Government, especially those things
it i L525?i an UI,liing tendency. Therefore
tea wSSSnBn;iitd be ignoreJ1 tnat Mr. Bryan
of hpwdent f Miami' and aciUzen by virtue
woriri tircn W1l?r of Property. Naturally tho
ISSh?68 n.tice that tnis ery Prominent
late ft?S w be f0und in Mlami during the
nlthnln?0r,aild early SDrinS months. Fac
SEw n? &J18 f,men and women from all por
"uwin?q?n0Pldvevfry Sunday corning, dis
BigwidK Bch001 leS80n6 in nis way, Mr.
nalmS a W, Up here a Bible class under the
thftSv w i the open' whicn is tne wonder of
ine rhw.S2 40n.e citizen wno Sieves in build
nou anr J.US ?S ne favors building belter
nouses.-i-Miaitti Metropolis. -
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