The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-03-06

felt its power. There are some person
who have only to enter room or ste
upon platform or into pulpit ant
you are thrilled by their presence, ant
when they speak your nature respond
and you cannot help it. What is tn
peculiar influence with which such
magnetic person takes hold of socia
groups and audiences? Without at
tempting to define this, which is inde
Unable, will say it seems to CORE
spond to the waves of air set in motor
by the voice or the movements of the
body. Just like that atmospheric vi
bration is the moral or spiritual vibra
ton which rolls out from the soul o.
what we call magnetic person. As
there may be a cord or rope binding
bodies together, there may be an in
visible cord binding souls. A mag
netic man throws it over others as a
hunter throws a lasso. Mr.. Grady
was surcharged with this influence,
and it was employed for patriotism
and Christianity and elevated purposes.
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 Amer
ica. He was speaking in reply to this
remark: I said, q" Mr.. Gladstone, we
are told in America by some people
that Christianity does very we'll for
weak minded men and children in the
infant class, but it is not fit for strong
er minded men but when we mention
you, of such large intellectually, as
being pronounced friend of religion,
we silence their batteries Then Mr.
Gladstone stopped on the hillside
where we were exercising and said ::
"The older grow, the more confirmed
l am in my faith in religion" "Sir,' -
said he, with flashing eye and uplifted
hand, s:talk about the questions of the
day, there is but one question, and
that is the Gospel. That can and will
correct everything. Do you have any
of that dreadful agnosticism in Amer
ica7' 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 Chris
tians. Why, SIR" he said, 81 have
been in public position fifty. eight
years, and forty-seven years in the
cabinet of the British government, and
during those forty-seven years l have
been associated with sixty of the mas
ter minds of the century, land all but five
of the sixty were Christians
THE GREATEST MINDS ARE CHRISTIAN.
He then named the four leading
physicians and surgeons of his country,
calling them by name and remarking
upon the high qualities of each of
them and added: :sThey are all thor
oughly Christian. My friends, l
think it will be quite respectable for
little longer to be the friends Of relig
ion. William E. Gladstone, a Chris
tian; Henry w. Grady, a Christian.
What the greatest of Englishmen 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 sanctities of religion, the most en-
inent of the lawyers, the most eminent
OF doctors, 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
acquaintanceship, I am sorry that you
have fallen into bad company. In an
swer to the question put last spring,
"Can a secular journalist be a Chris
tian?" 1 not only aswer in the afirma-
tive. but assert that so great are the
responsibilities of that profession,s SO
infinite and eternal the consequences
of their obedience or disobedience of
the words of my text, "Take thee a
great roll, End write in it with mans
pen," and SO many are the surround
ing temptations, that the men of no
other profession more deeply need the
delenses and re-enforcements of the
grace of God.
And then look at the opportunities
OF journalism. l praise the pulpit and
magnify my Office, but l state fact
which you all know when l say that
where the pulpit touches one person
the press touches five hundred. The
vast majority of people do not go to
church, but all intelligent people. read
the newspapers. While, therefore, the
responsibility of the ministers is great,
the responsibility of editors and re-
porters is greater. Come, brother
journalists, and get your ordination,
not by the laying on of human hands,
but by the laying on Of the hands of
the Almighty. To you is committed
the precious reputation of men and the
more precious reputation of women.
Spread before our children an elevated
literature. Make sin appear disgust
ing and virtue admirable. Believe
good rather than evil. While you
show up the hydocricies of the church,
show up the. stupendous hypocricies
outside the church. Be not, as some
Of you are, the mere echoes of puplic
opinion make public opinion. Let
the great roll on which you write with
a mans pen be message of light and
liberty and kindness and an awaking
OF moral power. But who is sufficient