The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-10-23
SPIRITUAL SIDE
Of William Jennings Bryan as Seen
by Men.
SPEAKS ON MISSIONS

Observations In the East-Com-
pares Christianity With Other Re-
Iigion, Showing the Strength of
Our Faith.
The Charlotte News says a strange
sight was the marching into the au-
ditorium of the Second Presbyterian
church Tuesday night of 800 or 900
men at the hour of II o'clock.
It was in order to hear Mr.. Bryan
speak on Missions" following his
brilliant address at the auditorium.
It was almost II when Mr.. Bryan
concluded at the auditorium. having
spoken for about two hours there,
and yet these 900 men, many OF them
from out of town, filed in, unwear-
led and still anxious to hear the great
commoner from the religious side.
The address was under the auspices
Of the laymen's missionary move
ment.
His address was different from
anything ever heard from him be-
fore. 1t gave a glimpse into the spir-
itual side of this eminent citizen of
the republic, and revealed him as a
follower of the Christ who redeem
ed the world. After a warm tribute
to his friend. DR.. Hardin, whose ia
Their and whose wife's father were
his great friends, he began.
'"The older l grow" he said in the
course of his address, the more |
am convinced of the need of men of
the realization of the conscious pres
ence of personal God to whom we are
personally responsible for all we do"
This was a sentiment which re-
minded his hearers of the testimony
quoted by DR.. Poteat in his great
lecture the other night of such men
as Gladstone, Josh Fiske, Sir Henry
Lodge, Browning and Tennyson, as
to the truth of Christianity.
Mr.. Bryan was introduced by DR..
Hardin in a brief word. in which he
said: eff we have listened with great
interest to Mr.. Bryan in his magnifi-
cent address in the auditorium on a
political subject, with how great in
terest must we hear him when he
speaks on the greatest of all sub
jects."
Mr.. Bryan said that in the limited
time he had at such a late hour he
could only approach his subject
under one phase and that would be
the result in favor of Christianity
after a comparison of it with the
other religions of the world.
II became a member of the
church." he said, when l was only
IA years of age. l joined so early that
| knew little of creeds. I confess it
without shame. I have been so busy
since that | have not had time to look
up the matter. But | got a grip on
the fundamentals of the Christian
religion and l hold it yet, I believe.
my father was a Baptist and my
mother a Methodist at the time / was
born, though she afterwards went to
the Baptist church with my father. l
Joined the Cumberland Presbyterian
church and later took my member
ship to the regular Presbyterian
church. My wife is a Methodist and
though our membership is in the
Presbyterian church. | am now 60
ing with her to the Methodist church
to sort of even up.
while l say l am still in the Pres
byterian church have been a little
troubled about one doctrine of that
church--the doctrine of election,
Laughter.) But | accept the moral
in the illustration your own great
citizen, Senator Vance, used to give,
when his old colored slave refused to
be 1oored by an examination on this
doctrine but said: BOSS. / amt
never heered of no one being elect
ed 'thouten he was a candidate
81 am interested in the funda-
mentals. / sometimes feel indigna-
ton over DR.. Osler's remark that a
life should be snuffed out at SO. Os-
Ter must have spent so much time
examining bone and muscle that he
forgot the spiritual side of life.
There is a continual growth in the
moral man. The influence of my
father, a Methodist minister.
who went blind in later life but who
continually grew stronger in spirit
ual power and enthusiasm, upon my
children and in my family has been
inestimable. l take more interest in
Christianity and the influences flow
ing from it the older l grow"
Mr.. Bryan, after pointing out the
and abstinence from in
toxicants, etc., of the Mohamma-
dams, yet pointed to their amorous
heaven and their degradation of wo-
men, as showing the inferiority of
their religion to Christianity.
Their religion rests on force, ours
is based on love. DR.. Parkhurst's il
lustration shows the difference. The
hammer breaks the ice, but the sun
shine melts it. The religion of the
prophet has reached its limit, but
is still spreading.
Touching on the tenents of Budd-
which is a reform Hindooism,
Mr.. Bryan said that an Englishman
who had become a mond of Buddha
at Rangoon in India told him that he
embraced Buddhism because it did
not require him to believe in any,
Buddhism sent delegates to
a recent agnostic convention in Rome.
The Buddha's heaven is mere absorp-