Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-11-18
QUESTION
MAKES HIT WITH
NEWSPAPERS
CAN A CHRISTIAN
EARN AN HONEST LIVlNG2'
Rather Remarkable Query OF
Albuquerque Man at PreSby-
terrain Gathering Featured in
Cincinnati Prints,

The rather startling question pro
pounded to the meeting of the PreshN~
terrain Brotherhood in Cincinnati the
other day by r. W. u. Bryan, % tins
city, seems to have made a sensation
not only among the members OF tie
convention but in the newspapers as.
well. The Cincinnati Post thus de-
scribes the incident:
How can an honest man be a
Christian and earn "A living ??
This was the question shouted to
the members of the Presbyterian
brotherhood of America at the Music
hall convention.
r.. w. ID. Bryan, delegate from Al
buquerque. n. NJ. asked the question
not timidly. but in a bold, ringing
voice.
1t was during the two-mlnute
speeches of the morning session Thurs
day. Bryan faced the l,SO0 delegates
and said. 81 am opposed to gag rule
| cant say what | want. nor can YOU.
II YOU have anything to say. If ! had
way ia gag some Of these doctors
of divinity who are preaching long
sermons. | didn't come here to listen
TO sermons. | came to learn things.
/ want to know things. | want to know
this: How can an honest man be a
Christian and earn a living ?'
There was absolute silence as Bryan
flung this question over the heads of
the delegates. Their he continued:
Need Food.
"It's all right to talk about conse-
Grafton. The minister will tell us that
conservation will solve the problem.
but | want to arm a living for my
family.
How can We follow Christ when
we are in the employ of a corporation
that makes us rob and steal
Bryan asked his last question and
retired amid a scattering applause.
convention appeared TO be
shocked into silence. for there was no
answer to Bryan's questions. The
speeches on Bible classes were re-
Tumed when Bryan sat down. Later
Bryan said to The Posi-:
"In order that Christianity may have
full swing in America our entire sNs-
tenn must be changed. Christ brought
us personal freedom. Luther brought
us mental freedom. Who snail be the
To bring about the industrial free
what is the meaning Of all these
northumberland. religious, So
,ial and the rest? II mean that men
are getting together to find out where
the dickens they're at. What kind Of
4 spectacle do we see when Christians
get on the witness stand? We see
them periure themselves like Chris
tiaus and. gentleman, by dadi'
Polar Explorer.
Bryan was astronomer on the
expedition TO the North Pole in
1S7t-1S73, which was underline direc-
ton OF G. +. Hall. OF Cincinnati. Hall
died IN Smiths Sound, in the Arctic
regions.
The Cincinnati Times-Star says:
Two remarkable incidents marked
The conference. The first occurred
r. W. u. Bryan. Of Albuquer-
luo. n. NJ, gained the platform and
sxplosively said Il object 10 the gag
rule Of two-minute speeches which
been in effect here. { did not
here Ia listen to sermons from
Of divinity. but to 6nd out. If
can. how a man may be "A Christian
lnd at the same time earn a living
There was moro than a ripple Of
istonishment and interest throughout
han at the remark.
MI. Bryan continued: ~ do not see
low a man can be "A Christian and
,arn his living consistently working
'or great corporations. which practi-
ally force him 10 steal ana lie"
The debate was cut down Temporal
lily by the operation of the two-min-
ate rule, but it is likely 20 come up
again when the question Of Mr.. Bryan
$ answered. He is an attorney In
he New Mexican city and is district
ieputy grand exalted ruler Of the
clks. He was the astronomer Of the
ll-fatcd Polaris expedition which set
lut in 1871 to find the Northwest
passage. 10 viii be recalled by Cincin-
that this expedition was d.
'ected by Capt. G. +. Hall, who had a
bookstore in Cincinnati throughout the