Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-24


| and expressed his establishment and hi
grief that in our day so many young mer
were rejecting Christianity. From the
earnestness and the tenderness and the
confidence with which he spoke on these
things concluded that when Henry w
Grady made public profession Of hi:
faith in Christ and took his place a.
the holy communion in the Methodist church
he was honest and truly Christian. Thai
conversation that Sunday night, first in the
carriage and then resumed in the hotel, I'M
pressed me in such a way that when simply
heard OF his departure, without any OF the
particulars, concluded that he was ready
to 60. 1 warrant there was no fright in the
last exigency, but that he found what is
commonly called ''the last enemy" good
friend, and from his home on earth he went
to home in heaven. Yes, Mr.. Grady not
only demonstrated that an editor may be 8
Christian, but that a very great intellect
may be gospeliZed. Among his last diving
utterances was a 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 housands-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 room or
step upon a platform or into pulpit and
you are thrilled by their presence. and when
they speak your nature responds and you
cannot help it. What is the peculiar in
fuence with which such magnetic person
takes hold of social groups and audiences?
Without attempting to define this, which is
indefnable. Twill say it seems to correspond
80 Ahor 1f NJ in
voice or the movements of the body. Just
like that atmospheric vibration 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 together, there may be an invisible
cord binding souls. A magnetic man
throws it over others as q hunter throws a
lasso. Mr.. Grady was surcharged with
this influence, and it was employed for
patriotism and Christianity and elevated
purposes.
GLADSTONE AND THE GOSPEL.
You may not not know why, in the con-
versation which had with Mr.. Gladstone a
few weeks ago. he uttered these memorable
words about Christianity, some of which
were cabled to America. He was speaking
in reply to this remark: / said, "Mr. Glad
stone, we are told in America by some peo-
pie that Christianity does very well for
weak-minded men and children in the infant
class, but it is not fit for stronger-minded
men; but when we mention you, of such
large intellectually, as being pronounced
friend OF religion, we silence their batteries. I"
Then Mr.. Gladstone stopped on the hillside
where we were exercising, and said: 1.-THE
older grow, the more confirmed am in my
faith in religion" "Sir," said he, with
flashing eye and uplifted hand, talk about
the questions of the day, there is but one
question, and that is the gos-
pei. That can and will correct everything.
Do you have any of that dreadful agnosti-
cism in American" Having told him we
had, he went on to say: 'I am profoundly
thankful that none of my children or kin
dred have been blasted by il. I am glad to
say that about all the men at the top in
Great Britain are Christians. Why, sir,
he said, "I have been in public position 5S
years, and AZ years in the cabinet of the
British Government, and during these AZ
years have been associated with 60 of the
master minds of the century, and all but
of the 60 were Christians. He then named
the four leading physicians and surgeons of
his country, calling them by name and re-
marking upon the high qualities of each of
them and added: "They are all thoroughly
Christian" MY friends, think 1t will be
quite respectable for little longer to be
the friends of religion. William E. Glad
stone, a Christian; Henry W. Grady,
Christian. What the greatest of English
men said of England is true of America and
of all Christendom. The men at the top are
the friends of God and believers in the sane
titles of religion, the most eminent of the
IL. r. j..
the most eminent of the merchants, and
there are no better men in all our land than
some of those who sit in editorial chairs.
And if that does not correspond with your
1 am sorry that you have
fallen into bad company. In answer to the
question put last spring, "Can a secular
Journalist be Christian" not only an
swer in the affirmative, but assert that so
great are the responsibilities of that profess
sion, SO infinite and eternal the consequences
of their obedience or disobedience of the
words of my text, ''Take thee great roll,
and write in it with mans pen," and so
many are the surrounding temptations that
the men of no other profession more deeply
need the defenses and the reinforcements
of the grace of God.
THE PRESS A POWER.
And then look at the opportunities of
journalism. Iprsise the pulpit and magnify
my Office, but / state a fact which you all
know when l say that where the pulpit
touches one person the press touches 800.
The vast majority of people do, not go to
church, but all intelligent people read the
While. therefore, the RESPONSE
bility of the ministers is great, the RESPONSE
bility of editors aud reporters is greater.
Some one might say to me: "How can you
talk thus of the newspaper press, when you
yourself have sometimes been unfairly treat
ed and misrepresentation / answer that in
the opportunity the newspaper press of this
country and other countries have given me
week by week to preach the gospel to the
nations, 7 am put under SO much obligation
that l defy all editors and reporters, the
world over, to write anything that shall call
forth from me one word of bitter retort from
now till the day of my death. NV opinion
is that all reformers and religious teachers,
instead of spending so much time and ener-
gy in denouncing the press had better spend
more time in thanking them for what they
have done for the worlds intelligence and
declaring their magnificent opportunity and
urging their employment of it all for benef-
cent and righteous purposes.
Again, 1 remark that Henry W. Grady
stood for Christian patriotism irrespective of
political spoils. He declined all official re-
ward. He remained plain Mr.. Grady.
Nearly all the other orators of the political
arena, as soon as the elections are over, go to
Washington, or Albany, or Harrisburg. or
Atlanta, to geti city or State or national Office
reward for their services, and not getting
What they want spend the rest of the time Of
hat administration in pouting about the
of public affairs or cursing
Harrison or Cleveland. When the great
political campaigns were over Mr.. Grady
vent home to his newspaper. He demon
itrated that it is possible to toll for prin-
,iples which he thought to be right, simply
because they were right. Christian patriot
sm is too rare a commodity in this country.