The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-09
Fl WILLIS HOME.

tains all that is most precious IN modern
civilization. there is scarcely a human un.
derstandins SO benighted but 1t holds. con-
the book of books.
In poetry. sons and oratory: In maya
zines. newspapers and books: In court ar
guments. in jury addresses and stump
Speeches; In history. biography and fiction;
In conversations in the most splendid par
iors: in the wretched gatherings Of coll.
hunger and squalor-anywhere, everywhere,
even in the most unexpected places, one
hears the Language Of inspiration.
1T is safe to say that were every Bible
now printed in all the languages spoken by
the children Of men suddenly burned by the
public hangman. it might be completely re-
produced from the literature and memory
OF the world.
Il would rather send my children INTO
the world ignorant OF the alphabet or the
multiplication table.
RELIGION.
without being n preacher or the son Of
a preacher. discarding even the f~aintest
claims to saintliness, I may. nevertheless,
as an American layman. express my opin-
ion upon the loftiest theme that ever en-
gagged the human mind. and it is this: Re
fgion Is as much a necessity OF the soul az
bread IS of the body. Wisdom. revelation,
reason and hope conspire to teach this. All
experience proves IL. 1 answer the prepos-
ferrous and heartsickening dictum Of tie
French materialists-"Death Is an eternal
the triumphant declaration OF
Job: I know that my Redeemer liveth. and
that he shall stand at the latter day upon
the earth
vOLTAIRE.
Even Voltaire. the greatest man that
ever bore the name Of Atheist. after eighty
years spent in ridicuiing religion through
seventy octave volumes and numberless
pasquinades; after being by turns the adj
the friend. fattercr. companion, en-
envy and defender of Frederick the Great, |
the mightiest monarch that ever welded n
German scepter: after being crowned as n
god by an idolatrous people In a Partisan /
theater; after furnishing the raw materials !
out Of which a hundred ~pinchbcck inndels l
have built regulations dazzling as the Au- |
rora Borealis. baieful as a comet and |
ephemeral as the rainhow's glory-even he, |
old. shriveled and decrepit. In that awful |
hour when his soul was required Of him. /
manifested SO little faith In his own per-
nicious teachings that. in bitter agony. he |
exclaimed: o God. il there be a God, have |
on my soul. IL l have a SOUL
BROOKS.
What a contrast to his dismal wall from |
the brink Of eternity was the last scene in |
the life Of Phillips Brooks. Bishop of the |
Diocese Of Massachusetts,! When that H. l
I~ustrious ambassador of God was called to /
final reward. with his dying breath and /
with unfaltering trust he murmured: L am
going home And a nation incurred by an
open grave.
NEWMAN.
Across the sea, not long since. Cardinal
John Henry Newman. after a long life de-
roted to the service of his Maker and for
he betterment of his fellow-creatures, was
aid to rest in historic ground. HIS death
vas the occasion for an outburst Of that
generosity which is one Of the browning
Of English-speaking people. No re-
statesman. no invincible warrior.
10 conquering hero. no amous man Of let
ers. ever received srch tender and innu-
nerable tributes of praise. His name was
ipon every Lip and his image in every
cart. Protestant ministers We'd with Cath
Ito prelates in doing honor to his menu
~. The secular press Of two continents-
Wig and Tory. Democrat and Republican
from their obstinate disputes long
nough to lay a wreath Of immortelleo up.
the grave Of that eminent and benis-
ant friend Of the human rsoa
He had written no great poem. but he
psnnea one inexprssslbay -paxhsue soogl