The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-03-09

content by flowers OF speeeh--I am
stranger to the pleasing, but ephemer-
al, devices OF the orator; l simply want
to talk 10 you as man 20 man, as Trend
10 friend, brother TO brother; my only
art will be the simplicity and courage
Of conviction; my only argument,
statement OF facts; and after all, how
resstless is the potency Of faetl The
sole purpose OF inquiry in every court
OF Justice in Christendomsis and ever
has been, 70 invoke facts the world IS
weary OF theories, it longs for facts; il
is surieited with dogmas, arguments,
and platitudes, and cries out for facts.
BELIEFS OF OUR FATHERS.
The great difficulty in presenting any
new phase OF religion 20 the world IS
the peoples inherited religious beliefs,
the opinions OF their fathers. No one
thinks il strange that we should dis
card orr fathers thought respecting
dress, habitation. or form OF govern
ment: yet the idea seems 20 be almost
universal that hlial duty demands that
the child shall think relgiously, think
OF God, only as his fathers thought.
And yet we know indeed that our Ia
thers questioned the beliefs OF their
fathers and made us happier by IL; that
their fathers questioned the belief OF
their own fathers and made the world
brighter by it.
No one can know better than how
very dificuh 1t is for one to forsake the
traditions OF his fathers; ] speak from
experience. for my ancestors were
Scotch-lrish Calvinists, with much OF
the assertye impetuosity OF the Irish;
with some OF the solemn piety, and all
the logged dubbornness OF the Scotch;
in that faith | was born and educated,
and have yet the profounded respect
for the learning. high character, sub
lime faith, and sincere, though awiully
solemn. piety OF the great Presbyterian
Church; in infancy | received its bap-
tisn; ior more than a quarter OF a cent
ury ! was in its communion, and so
tenaciously do the teachings OF youth
abide with the man that il was years
after ! had been rescued from the cold
clutch OF death, by Christian Science,
before | could give up the early lessons
learned OF God, life, death, hell and
heaven. My mothers sublime, and
beautiful faith in the measurcless good
ness OF God | have not surrendered,
nor shall. lis simple memory is an
abiding bcnedction, jeweled with Joy
aud luminous with love My own ex-
perience awakens the proioundest SYM
pathy Tor the man or woman who
struggles with a sense OF present duty
IN conflict with adhesion TO long-cher-
ished ancestral opinion. However, re-
Election satisfied me, and doubtless will
satisfy you, that every advance in re-
ligion, as in liberty and morality, for
centuries. is the result OF the children
battling the beliefs OF their ancestors.
II John Calvin had not questioned the
beliefs OF his fathers. there would have
been no Presbyterian Church; Il Mar
tin Luther had not raised his mighty
voice against the beliefs and practices
OF his fathers, the world would never
have rejoieed in the hight and glory OF
the ReiormationI II the Weyleys had
not forsaken the tenets OF their Ia
theirs the sublime devotion and heroic
sacrifice OF the Methodist circuit rider
would never have gladdened, purified,
and sanctihed the humble homes oi
England and America. God be praised,
say |, for the moral courage, the intel
lectual integrity, that places duty be
lore sentiment The history OF the
Christian Era IS replete with demon
straiion that rebellion against the re-
llgious beliefs OF the fathers, not less
chan the blood OF the martyrs" is
the seed OF the church"
! do not undcnalue the effect OF our
ancestors thought upon the civilza-
tlon and ChristianizaiiOn OF the world;
but clearly is worth rests in the patent
TACT OF the indeStrucnbility and resist
less progression OF good, and the fur
ther TACT OF the good in the experience
and knowledge OF each generation fur
nishing vantage ground TO us success
OF tor something better We are stu
pid indeed II We are not wiser than our
fathers; We have the accumulated
knowledge OF years thar they did not
have Ot all the countless dead al the
beginning OF this century, not one. Il
he should revisit the scenes of earth
could understand even the simplest
nomenclature OF the great discoveries
m the pracucahy OF eleetricity and
steam that have girdled the earth with
hgnL brought the distant places near,
aud make a conversational convoca.
uon OF the nanons as speedy and prac-
teal as was the assemhlage OF A pres.
bNery or diocesan conversion in Their
day
God be praised for the moral eour-
age the intellectual integrity. that ena-
hles men and women To discharge the
dulics oi today IN the hight oi TODAY
rather than by the mere pride OF an
ees'F1 opinion; lOr the important
question IS not what was our lathers
'eoecpt OF she mission OF Jesus, but
What IN last, was that mission. and
what duty does a impose upon US.
HOW TO UNDERSTAND CHRIS.
rlAN SCIENCE.
| cannot explain Christian Science
70 you IN an evenings interview, OF in
many times the limit Oi a lecture; and
my opinion OF the legitimate length al
a lecture Is quite in keeping with the
great DR., Robert J. Brecknndge's
Who when asked in class by a theolos.
zeal student how long he Thought a ser.
mon should be. promptly replied,
ihry minutes, with leaning 10 the
side 0i mercy
In The limited time 40 my oom.
mand can, al best. IN the Smplest
lorm oi expression, tell you bu, a M.
Tic part OF what this wonderful reyel..
uon OF Truth has done. ana Is capab'e
ol doing, Tor sin-hufdencd Worid.
s,Ne you some suggestion oi the infinite
Frnciplos oi Lie upon which CHRIS.
uan Science depends, with the hoos
ma, yoa may be induced 10 make
s,Sh investigations as will enable non
10 dciermlne Tor yourselves. amer esre-
lal and iaiihial TSse1rch OF AL the ave.
noes 81 Truth, whether Christian Sci
ense hnngs 10 you Dead Sea fruits
INA, turn b. ashes with a touch" or
sa,oer a beautiful and ablhng hope.