The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-16
qaENRY DRUMMOND AND Ian
MAOLARNN.

| hundred dollars to any one who couie
| roas "Ronnie Briar Bush" without tear
II is quite doubtful if snch an Offer
| would have much impoverished Mr.. Gar
neeie. for as Dickens. tells, us IT'S
| uorh fu,, of hearts and serious world
| with all it's folly"
There is no use in touching
further upon these little stories'
except N so far as 'he'
bear upon their author DIR. John wat
son Ian Maclaren.) 1t is doubtful, then,
if one can get a better view Of this mar
even in his stories, than in sketch by
him of the late Henry Drummond in the
May North American. One does not
often find the author more than equally
sharing with the subject Of his sketch.
And vet in this instance it is strangely
true.
Choosing the last words of Maclaren
tribute to. or more accurately, frank
ANALYSIS Of his school-mate and lifelong
friend, one lays aside the paper with
calm sense that two pure and noble splr-
its have been commuring.
without PRIDE" says the writer,
without envy, without selfshness, with
out vanity, moved only by goodwill and
spiritual ambitions, responsive ever to
the touch Of God and every noble inn
pulse, faithful, fearless, magnanimous,
Henry Drummond was the most perfect
Christian l have known or expect to see
this side Of the grave"
But these two men have each had to
face the charge Of heresy. In this regard
we do not feel like emitting here the
extract from DR.. Watson's paper as fol-
lows:
This land, and for that matter the Uni
ted States, has hardly town where men
are not doing good work for God and man
to-day who have owed their lives to the
Evanxel and influence Of Henry Drum
mond. When one saw the priceless work
which he did, it was inexplicable and
very provoking that the religious world
should have cast this man, Of all Others,
out, and have lifted its voice against him.
Had religion so many men of beautiful
and winning life, SO many thinkers OF
wide range and genuine culture, so many
speakers who can move young men by
hundreds towards the kingdom OF God,
that she could afford or have the heart
to withdraw her confidence from Drum
mond? Was there ever such madness and
hofa
ing up their testimony and writing arti-
cles against this most gracious disciple OF
the Master, because they did not agree
with him about certain things he said.
or some theory he did not teach, while
the world lay round them in unbellef
and selfshness and sorrow and pain ?
What can be DONE an eminent evangel-
list once did me the honor to ask, to
heal the breach between the religious
world and Drummond 2 And / dared to
reply that in my poor judgment the first
step ought to be for the religious world
to repent of it's sins, and make amends
to Drummond for its bitterness. The
evangelist indicated that, so far as ne
knew his world, it was very unlikely to
do any such becoming deed, and / did not
myself remember any instance of repen-
lance on the part of the Pharisees. Then,
growing bold, l yentured to ask why the
good man had not summoned Drummond
to his side as he was working in a
university town, and knew better than
any other person that he could not find
anywhere an assistant so acceptable or
skilful. He agreed in that, but declared
at once that if Drummond came his pre-
sent staff would leave, and that two men
could not do all the work, which seemed
reasonable, and besides every man knows
his own business best, and that evangelist
knew his remarkably well. Nothing more
renamed to be said, and | rose to leave.
At the far end of the room some of the
staff were talking together. I gave them
straight talk at the mems meeting last
night, and then we had such sweet lit
tie sing and thirty souls dropped in.
A young man of the better class was
speaking and / looked at the weak, self
satisfied face, but it is not necessary to
write down my reflections as left the
place. Never did my friend say one I'M
kind word Of the world which con-
demned him, but it may be allowed to
| another to say that if anyone wishes to
| indict the professional religionists Of our
| time for bigotry and stupidity, painful
| and unanswerable proof is ready to his
hand in the fact that the finest evangelist
Of the day was treated as Samaritan.
1t is hard to leave off quoting these
words which seem to fall like white bios
SONS upon the grave of his comrade; fol
it seems almost like sitting before il
be spent, a deep sigh of one that is strick
en- to take apart a message that comes
| as a whole, with somewhat of that holy
sadness and hushed sombre sweetness
which sweeps through deeply shaded Gem
| eteries ON summer afternoons.
| These two men having had the power te
know one another, and that is much, had
| also, it seems, the same kind Of over-lovt
| in their natures which caused them some
how to fall short Of the Justice" Of thu
doctrines"
We do not in all this passing Sa bbatt