Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-03-06


ness. Longevity! Why, an elephant
can beat you at that, for it lives $50 or
200 years Gray hairs are the blossoms
CT the tree of life If found in the way of
righteousness, but the frosts of the Sec
ond death if found in the way of sin.
One of our able New York journals
last spring printed question and sent
1t to many people, among others to my
| sell: 'Can the editor of secular jour
nal be Christian?" Some of the news
papers answered no. 1 answered yes.
and lest you may not understand me / say
yes again. Summer before last, riding
with Mr.. Grady from a religious meet
ing in Georgia on Sunday night, he said
TO me some things which l now reveal
for the first time because it is appropri-
ate now that l reveal them. He ex-
pressed his complete faith in the Gospel
and expressed his establishment and his
grief that in our day so many young
men were rejecting Christianity. From
the earnestness and the tenderness and
the confidence with which he spoke on
these things l concluded that when
Henry w. Grady made public profession
OF his faith in Christ and took his place
at the holy communion in the Meth
odist Church he was honest and truly
Christian.
Yes, Mr.. Grady not only demonstrated
that an editor may be Christian, but
that a very great intellect may be
gospelized. His mental capacity was so
wonderful that it was almost startling.
have been with him in actual CONVEX
sation while at the same time he was
debating to a stenographer editorials
for the Atlanta Constitution. But that
intellect was not ashamed to bow to
Christ. Among his last dying utterances
was the request for the prayers of the
churches in his behalf.
There was that particular quality in
him that you do not find in more than
one person out of hundreds of thou
sands, namely, personal magnetism.
People have tried to define that quality
and always failed, yet we have all felt
its power. There are some persons
who have only to enter a room or
step upon platform or into a pulpit
and you are thrilled by their presence
and when they speak your nature re-
spends and you can not help it. What
is the peculiar influence with which
such magnetic person takes hold of
social groups and audiences? Without
attempting to define this, which is in
defnable, will say it seems to CORE
spond to the waves of air set in motion
by the voice or the movements of the
body. Just like that atmospheric vibra-
ton is the moral or spiritual vibration
which rolls out from the soul of what
we call magnetic person. As there
may be cord or rope binding bodies to-
gether, there may be an invisible cord
binding souls. A magnetic man throws
it over others as hunter throws lasso.
Mr.. Grady was surcharged with this in
fuence and it was employed for patriot
ism and Christianity and elevated pur-
poses.
You may not know why, in the con-
versation which l had with Mr.. Glad
stone few weeks ago, he uttered these
memorable words about Christianity,
some of which were cabled to America.
He was speaking in reply to this re-
mark, / said: ''Mr. Gladstone, we are
told in America by some people that
Christianity does well for weak-minded
men and children in the infant class but
is not fit for stronger minded men; but
when we mention you, of such large in
tellectuality, as being a pronounced
friend Of religion, we silence their
batteries" Then Mr.. Gladstone stopped
on the hillside where we were exercising
and said: The older l grow the more
confirmed am in my faith in religion"
Sir said he with flashing eyes and
uplifted hand, talk about the questions
of the day, there is but one question
and that is the Gospel. That can and
will correct every thing. Do you have
any of that dreadful agnosticism in
American" Having told him we had, he
went on to say. 81 am profoundly
thankful that none of my children or
kindred have been blasted by it. l am
glad to say that about all the men at
the top in Great Britain are Christians
Why, SIR" he said, 81 have been in pub
lie position fifty-eight years, and forty
seven years in the Cabinet of the British
Government, and during those forty
seven years have been associated with
sixty of the master minds of the CEN
fury and all but five of the sixty were
Christians"
In answer to the question put last
spring: Can a secular journalist be
Christian?" l not only answer in the af-
drmatiVe, but l assert that so great are
the responsibilities of that profession, so
infinite and eternal the consequences of
their obedience or disobedience of the !
words of my text Take thee a great !
roll, and write in it with a mans pen,"
and so many are the surrounding temp |
tations that the men of no other profess |
sion more deeply need the defenses and |
the re-enforcements of the grace of God. |
And then look at the opportunities of
journalism. 1 praise the pulpit and
my Office, but 1 state a fact |
which you all know when 1 say that |
where the pulpit touches one person
he press touches 500. The vast major
ty of people do not 60 to church, but all
Intelligent people read the newspapers.
While, therefore, the responsibility of
he ministers is great, the responsibility
If editors and reporters is greater.
come, brother journalists, and get your
not by the laying on of hu-
nan hands, but by the laying on of the
lands of the Almighty. To you is COM
nitted the precious reputation of men
nd the more precious reputation of
women. Spread before our children an
levated literature. Make sin appear
and virtue admirable. Be
ieve good rather than evil. While you
how up the hypocrisies of the Church
how up the stupendous hypocrisies out