The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-18

Wakefield a n0te1n opera COmbAuy IN
.sTra. BY Jury and "cssaasfa Hasu-
CATECnlsIkG PCDLiC MEN.
The Christian Herald sent out 70 .
large number Of leading men Of the
un1Gea States. including naval and mill
tary officers, statesmen and educators.
. request that they would answer three
questions: Are you friend Of Chris
tianityf Do you believe that Chris
siauity u the friend of mankind? Does
your belief extend to the recognition
Of . supreme being. to the divinity Of
Christ. to the surpassins potency OF
Christianity ~ . civiiising infiGsnce?"
The Chris.ian Herald publishes many
answers, and from them dednces the
conclusion that they present wonder
ful tributs to ths stil dominant power
Of the man OF Nazareth.
In order to determine the value Of
these answers. the aucstions shout be
otherwise subdivided. II will be Oh
served that the first and second ques-
lions are very general and might be
made one, while the third question In
velves three Distinct and vaxtiy different
pGcpositjone. II the questions had BEEN
Dut In theis form BY any other than
religious Newspaper. Il would almost
seem a. II IN effort had been made to
secure Endorsement Of very definite
and vital proposition by sandwieh'ng 1t
In between two others as TO which there
could be no question.
OF course. The answers are favorable.
Uvery man must be q friend Of Chris
tianity and he must believe THAI Chris
t!anity IL the friend Of mankind An
suering either OF these questions In the
Affirmative. he would be almost COM
pslIsd to admit that II was because he
believed In the SURPRISING potency Of
Christianity an a civiiixing influence
Further. there are exceedingly few men
whose belief does not extend TO the
recognition % n supreme being the
only difference being In the conception
Of the supreme being.
IL win be observed that almost all the
answers could bc made by any man
without being In fact Christian Rear
Admiral Sampson writes: II claim 10
Be friend Of Christianity was thus
he, NJ o,kA "a
have never had occasion 10 change
my belief and conyictions'an this point
Even Fighting Hob Evans says he IL
friend Of Christianity. and that 4, il the
greatest OF all eivilixing influences, Gen.
Henry makes an exceedingly good an
swer. He says that the foundation stone
Of nations prosperity. as history
shows. 10 moral education. and any man
who follows the Christian eoae will rot
fall by the wayaide.
But the crucial test Of the presen, age
l. In the question: Dos your belief cx-
tend L. the divinity ~ Christi
This question IL viii be observed. l.
not only not specifically replied 20 by
mos, ~ those who answer. bat IL
even apparently avoided az csurss.
men like Marshall Field. the merchant
az Chicago. and like Gen. riagler, whc
II eomnnnicant in an organised
church. declare their eeiief In ali saa:
constitutes the orthodox creed Every
member ef a eaurch hAsei upca the ai.
yinisy ~ Chris, viii maintain it's sound
Ices Or essnfess Ai@ssesf uafss far Mem
es-esse
Nut Tire great majority ~ those who
tspsy cautiously seaui themselves. as
Senator Thomas c ri&st 3la Ills an.
swer IS &n exeellga; example az ssuss
He ssld I believe that ths qualities II
Divine goodness were uaarveleasiy i,ias.
ira .sd and aetaasisea In she Character
es Jesus Christ. ara thAs ftls TIE 3 a
remarkable revelation ~ the inherent
possibilities IN human masars~
This IS ;he eeliss II na>st rnan wha
e1nircNsv*s. II there - aay. Is aot oxsr
ihc sat shst Jesus Christ ssa. or The
SiN!1sing iafeenos - Christianity. bat
whether iessss Christ =as no: what sen
sto~ rla:' desesascs aim. instead q b.