Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-18
MR MARKHAM.s ADDRESS.
Pleased a Large Audience at the
 Jacques Yesterday.


 The meeting for men only in the Jacques opera house Sunday afternoon was quite unique in character and ln- tensely interesting to an audience ol 600 men, who listened to Americas noted author and poet, Edwin Mark ham of Brooklyn. The doors of the opera house were closed during the ad- dress. and quite a number of men who came very late were unable to gain admission.
 The Rev Dr Joseph Anderson, who entertained MT Markham, presided at the meeting, and with appropriate re- marks introduced the speaker Of the day.
 After the usual orchestra prelude sacred solo was rendered by Leo Race and heartily applauded. Prayer was offered by the Rev c. c. Smith. pastor of the Second Baptist church, after which the congregation rose and joined in singing "America."
 Mir Markham said in part: T come simply as q fellow student and thinker to talk over with you to-day sofne of the problems raised by the teachings of Jesus. In the beginning let Us not be afraid of new thought and new in- sights, because an vital life is contlnu- ally evolving and growing, therefore
 
 religious thought as the ages go on. new and higher conceptions Of God and of tba purposes of God in the world. The fence rail dies by the roadside because it has no evolving life in it. but the tree from year 10 year sends forth new leaves and branches because it is in the circuit Of the evolu- ticn. So should man get new thought and for that reason thought has been made endless. truth has been made endless. The final measure of the world is perhaps beyond tho reach of every man so that life will forever have interest to Ills hoth hcre and here after For in certain quarters and in certain ages of the world the truth that Jesus taught was thought to hn arbitrary. that # was something that he imposed upon man. laid upon him. But the light of modern thought shows Us tliat his teachings arc all founded in the nature of thin0s, that no word of his is arbitrary. that to reject his teachings is to reject the deeper truths of our nature. So to he@in with let me Sav that the teachings of Jesus ara absolutely reasonable. I will illus 1rata with q fow of his savings. among others the saving ''TO him that hath shall be given and from him that hath shall be taken even that which he | hath Perhaps the word hath in this saving might be trlnslat ted possesses ! rightly, holds rightly. Now this say ing is founded in the nature of life itself. We seq tho activity of this law on every plane of life. mental spiritual and physical. Take it for q moment on the physical ground: if q man uses his body moderately and properly it will increase in str2ngIh. if he miS- uses il. if ho fails to take exercise | his physical mowers are taken away from him. The blaclSsmith's arm crows strong because he uses ii. to him that hath shall be given but the i thnughtlPsS student taking no exercise gets q fahhy arm. from him that hath not shall be taken away that which he hath This law aDnlies also in the | animal kin"Gom. it is at the basis of all thesa changes that scientists tell us about. Whatever powers have been given to us by tho E'Aihor of Life are either growing or diminishing. dennnd- ing on our uSn and non use of them. If we hava noble feelings and i'm l pulses m0VincS of conscience within l our breast. whiSpnrings of generosity l aid llrntherlv kindness, and We fail to 1 act. then these voices will gradually | br taken from US until We lose this 1 higher nobility. The right step for l | est intimations within our breast and 1 to force ourselves to act according to | our better nature until finally the bet | ter nature will become supreme. and | the good act will become spontaneous. | Then We shall have laid q foundation in character that shall ber permanent | for this world and all the worlds.
 Take another statement of Jesus. where in passing judgment upon hu- l man conduct he says. Two shall be
 working in q field one shall be taken and the other left Let us see what this doubtless means: these two men | are working in tue field building a | wall: one man says in his sheart. I | will put ill my time here but l don care whether this is good wall or a
 bad one: the main thing is to keep at
 work until pay dav.' That decides his | fate. in fact he decides his own fate. | In the other case the man who is
 building the wall by good. solid and l faithful work fits the stones carefully. 1 He saws in his heart. I want to build
 q solid wall here. something that will l stand something that will represent
 me. because when I leave this will be
 au expression of my own charact
 He is not thinking of the wages he is
 to get, but of the performance of his
 work. Now when the Divine Artisan
 comes that way he takes that man be
 cause that man can be depended upon
 he is trustworthy; God can lean upon
 him. Christs appeal to all of us is
 invariably an appeal to the manhood
 of men. to stand erect. to be faithful
 to he trustworthy. to be square men,"
 AIr Markham said many other things
 about tho teachings of Jesus whicE
 were much appreciated by his hearers
 An opportunity to ask questions was
 given at the close and q large number
 of men remained for this additional
 privilege.
 VICTORIA'S NAME KISSED.