Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-01
HOW THE SENATORS WE'RE PUz-
FLED.
by Quotations From the Bible

by Quotations From the bible.
IS. NJ In the Philadelphia Star.
A few days ago 1t became necessary to file
the will of the late Senator Gibson OF Louis
lana for probate In New York. Its publica-
ton has caused a great deal of comment
here. because Of its simplicity and its high
moral tone. The item of publication reads
as follows:
The will Of the late Senator Gibson has
been placed on file in the court of probate
In New York. as we'll as in Louisiana.
After making several requests to relatives
and friends. he gives the residue Of his es-
tates to his three sons, Montgomery, Tobias
and Preston. He advises them that the only
thing that is more difficult to build up than
independent fortune is character, which is
more easily lost, and the only safeguards of
character. he continues. are the Ten Com
mandments and the Sermon on the Mount"
1t is curious how few among our people
In nigh official life can be found who have
anything more than a thin and very SUPER
hcial idea of what Christ said in the Ser
mon on the Mount. The great majority
have not read it since their Sunday school
days We have had acclaimed at stated
intervals in both houses of Congress the
Declaration of Independence Washington's
farewell address, Patrick Henry's famous
speech in behalf of liberty, excerpts from
and Lincoln at Gettysburg. but never the
Sermon on the Mount. Mr.. Gibsons will
has Set us to thinking and reading.
1t Is not often. 1 am sorry to say,
that men In politics and the newspaper
business give such a matter thought or
concern. l Will relate what may be called
curious coincidence that is apropos. A
year or two before Senator Gibson died he
was addressing the Senate on the subject
of the disturbed condition of the south
brought about by having the colored man in
politics. He quoted extensively from the
Sermon on the Mount in defense of the
south. Jones of Arkansas, the same who
has become so well known as the chairman
of the subcommittee of the finance COM
mittee that was charged with the task Of
constructing the tariff bill that is now
waiting the signature of President Cleye-
land. was temporarily presiding.
l was one of group who were in close
proximity to him. Leaning over toward us
he said: Where does Gibson find those
quotations he is using?' He gets them
from the Bible" was the spontaneous
answer that came from several of us. oh
l know that said Jones. but from what
particular section of the Bible?" None of
us could answer positively. 1 walked over
to Senator Hoar, the book authority of the
body. and put the query to him. He gave
me the correct information. Jones said 1t
annoyed him that he could not remember
the fact. He then asked for a COPY of the
Bible. When 1t was brought none of MS
could say where in the book the sermon
n
me that / had in my desk a COPY of the
sermon printed In tract form.
1t was the habit of a kind-faced and ell
DERBY woman tc drop in on us at intervals
and distribute tracts and religious reading
printed in other forms, with the admonition
that we might become better men il we
would drop politics and newspaper work
orce In while and give the tracts cursory
perusal. 1t was my habit to throw those
given to me into a drawer with the inten-
tion OF taking the old lady's advice when 1
had leisure. But 1 never found myself with
leisure. That is. leisure for that kind of
reading. / never wanted for time to read
newspapers and the latest novels. but N
was different when the tracts caught nv
eye.
But that is not material in finishing out
the story. I found in my desk among the
old lady's offerings several copies Of the
Sermon on the Mount. These / took to the
Senate chamber and distributed. Senator
Jones read the copy I gave to him and then
cal efully placed 1t in a side pocket. have
wondered since whether In making up the
new tariff and allowing the sugar trust such
full swing. 1t ever occurred to the Senator
to refer to the sermon and reflect.