The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-05-08
JUSTICE LAMAR'S FAITH.
An Interesting talk to the Members Of the
Y. N. G. A.

Justice Lamar, of the United
States Supreme Court, recently ad-
dressed the Young Mems Chris.
tan Association at Washington, ID.
G. He said nothing is more inter
esling 10 hlm than strong youth,
where The sonl was the home Of
virtue and The mind imbued with
Justice. The world had no spec
tarle more deeply touching lhan
body of young men whose infinite
possibilities stirred every pulse.
When he thought of the thousands
of young men banded together as
his hearers were for God and the
right, helping to mold every opin-
ion thai absorbed The public atlen-
ton, he could not 5ut realize what
a noble power for good this organ
ization was. While. endeav0ring
to prepare his thoughts for the
present occasion his mind reverted
10 two or three occasions in his
early lite that still shone through
the forty years that had elapsed.
The first was lecture to body
of young men, many Of whom
have since illustrated, i'll remark
able degree the great worth of
principles of uprightness and in
tegIity. The speaker described
wildly he effect produced on the
unsophisticated and imaginative
mind of youth by the able ser
mon on the character of st. Paul.
He recalled the picture the elo-
quent speaker had drawn Of the
great apostle as he spoke 10 the
Athenlans, and of the character OF
true gentleman of the highest
courtesy and good breeding that
81. Paul possessed. 70 the train
ing of he ancient athletes for the
Olympian games, when they tied
weights to their limbs 10 harden
their muscles, the speaker had an
alogized The Christian, life of self
denial, and the athletes glorious
victory of a Cody life. The differ
ence was that IN the Christian race
all could be victor.
The second address was one
made by man as Godllke in form
and feature as Phidias' perfect
statue, who had since become a
distinguished bishop of a Chris
lian church, and whose name was
now a household word all over the
Southern country The address
was delivered in 1915 at tie meet
ing OF literary society, yet, the
Justice said, he could recall SEN
tence after sentence OF the silvery
words. The young orator was
speaking in behalf of the discus
sion of religious subjects III the
society, and the impressions his
burning words had made had new
er faded. The third address was
sermon by Bishop Joshua Scold.
The bishop had delivered a SER
mon 10 a congreg alton of young
men, the purpose of which was to
show them that the Christian re-
ligiou was not unDhiloscphical and
not irrational. lie spoke to re-
lieve The young mems minds OF The
belief that unbeleif was wisdom
and skepticism a mark of culture.
The clergyman gave il succient
outline of The branches of learning
man would have 10 master be-
fore he would be competent to sit
in judgment on the bible, more
studies than one man could mas |
ter in lifetime. And the bible |
was not a field tor study, but a mes !
sage OF peace and joy TO all, high |
aud low, intelligent and uncultur- !
ed. Bishop Scold had given
sketches of doctrines of atheism,
and said that they all crumbled be-
fore the one test OF personal expe.
rience. No skepilc would dare 10
say that he had tired to find God,
and then avow his belief that there
was no God. Myriads, however,
bore testimony 10 Gods existence.
In conclusion Justice Lamar said
that some of his hearers would
perhaps be disappointed at his not
having said more OF his personal
life and experiences. He feared
that he had rather been left be-
hind IN the march OF modern de-
velupments of Christian doctrines
but through all the viclSsitudes OF
his life, in all its victories and de-
fpats, in all his contact with men,
and the leaders of men, with
Judges and generals and states
men, he had never yet gathered
richer treasures than those he had
received from those three men.
When his mind had been oppress.
ed and perplexed, these thoughts
would come to him and make him
strong again.
He wished, though, 10 show his
colors, and would simply say,
without any figures of rhetoric,
that he believed there was God,
who was infinitely great and mer-
ciful, and he believed in His holi-
ness, justice and goodness.