The Washington times., 1894-07-24
It Caters to Cliques and Classes, and
Not the Common People.
CONGRESSMAN BRYAN'S VIEWS
Nebraska's Brilliant Young Representative
Makes an Interesting Address to the Mem
bers Of the Brotherhood Of Phillip and
Andrew-gound Advice to Young Men.

An unusual feature OF the meeting OF TN
Brotherhood OF Phillip and Andrew at thu
Eastern Presbyterian Church was the presence
last night Of Representative ". J. Bryan, o
Nebraska. Tho speakers generally at thu
weekly gatherings are members Of the associ
alton, so that the announcement OF a stranger
distinguished as economist and philosopher
attracted very large crowd.
Among those present were President W. H
Dobson, W. E. knight, ]. N. Baker, George
P. Thayer, Le Roy Heron, J. Whit Heron
F. NJ. Buckingham, c. R. Mcbride, R. E. Zim'
norman, Frank Hamilton. c. G. Morgan, c. s.
lockwood, Charles Squire, s. J. Vaughn. T.
G. sugster, J. G. McNight, G. K. Bergman,
and James Austin, jr.
j. N. Baker in few appropriate words in
troduced Mr.. Bryan, to whom hearty wei
como WAS extended.
Mr.. Bryan began by saying he understood
when he accepted the invitation to be present
that it was merely an informal gathering oi
young men, and that he was surprised to see
present so many persons Of both sexes. He
hoped. he said, to be able to suggest some
good thought that would be mutually bene-
ficial. He laid down the well known princi-
pie that the most important thing young
CHURCH CATERING TO cLIQUEs.
He was becoming more and more impressed
with the thought, he said, that the Church
falls short OF its duty, and that instead OF
concentrating in its corporate capacity the
high ideals OF its divine founder, it catered to
cliques and classes, which ofttimes robbed it
OF the opportunity OF doing lasting good. He
thought that not only did churches fall below
the standard, but individual mon in the Chris
tian churches were equally at fault.
Representative Bryan then quoted his text:
"The common people heard him gladly" He
thought that passage OF Holy Scripture one
OF the most significant and impressive in the
series Of wonderful aphorisms spoken by
Christ. ''In fact" he said, "Christ's love for
the common people leads me to believe that
it is one proof OF His divine nature" Quot
ing Lincoln's words, "that the Lord must
have loved the common people, because He
made so many Of them," seemed to deeply
move the assemblage.
The speaker then quoted q number of pas
sages OF the sacred book to show the intense
interest that Christ had in the vast multitudes
(which compose the bulwark of society"
THREE GUIDE POSTS.
He then laid down three propositions for
the guidance of the young men. First: "Be
careful as individuals not to allow N oney to
dwarf your better nature" In connection
with this POINT he said: "A love for money
often makes man money-making machine" !"
Christ never said now much money a man
was to possess, but He warned men to be-
aware Of the relative strength of the desire OF
wealth and of robler things.
Money becomes dangerous to a man when
his Pile grows SO high that he cannot look
over the top, or that it swells his vanity to
such an extent that it crushes out sympathy
for the rest of humanity"
The second point was: "The church is no
respecter Of persons" He urged them to dis
countenance the prevailing sentiment that the
church was a comfortable place for the few
and very uncomfortable place for the many.
He advocated the Scriptural dogma that all
men stand equal and that the Gospel is the
common heritage of humanity. At this point,
he said. the Presbyterian churches were some
what faulty, inasmuch as the congregations
were frequently cold and the churches dreary
to those not blessed with this worlds wealth.
Mr.. Bryan thought that there was fault in
q society which gave wealth an immunity
from the consequence OF vice, and at the same
time ostracised and pitilessly abused the poor
for committing the same deeds.
TRUTHS AND DUTIES DON'T CONFLICT.
The third point made was: "Truths and
duties never conflict" He averred that it
was an irrefutable truism that man could be
at the same time a good citizen. a good
father, and good Christian. He urged his
hearers to be above all things good citizens,
because the great founder Of Christianity
had taught the principles which underlie the
structure of the American government
Every man." he declared. should
see to it that he understands the
laws of his country" He deprecated that gov
eminent which existed for the advancement of
the few, and said that the young men should
take such lively interest in politics that it
would tend to the eradication OF bad and un-
just laws and the enactment OF fair, honor
able, and equitable statutes