The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-03

Nor am at nll Disconnected in speaking
Of the Prince OF Peace to many who
havo spent q part of their lives as COL
diers I am sure that they will be de-
voutly thankful for tho coming Of the
day when thef(Prince Of Peace shall
reign, and wars shall cease. ii5
II Appreciate the appearance here Of
your honorcd Governor, and the COM
plimcntary words of your Lieutenant
Governor in presenting me-"
Tendency Toward Skcpticism.
Mr. Bryan stated that during tho
months when he was speaking every
other day in the week. he was always
glad to rest on Sunday, but now that
he was not engaged during the week,
he had surplus strength to speak on
Sunday.
7 That am interested in politics and
deny. Every ono ought to be inter
ested in the science OF government. If
/ I speak on political subject. am
suro to speak to some who disagree
with me. There Is no such thing as
absolute harmony among mon who
think. Where q large body OF men
think alike. tho fact Is they do not
think at all. In speaking on religion
| 1t Is somewhat different.
religion concerns man in this
| life, and in the life beyond the grave,
I u,
speaking on a political theme one must
convince q majority OF his fellows, and
that is sometimes ra Their hard to do
added tho speaker naively and amid
laughter
Addressing himself to Tho present
tendency toward skepticism, Mr.. Bryan
| said: 800
II have found SO many young men
who think 1t is smart to be skopt!cal
| The religious sentiment does not rest
+ IVA fnrN> H%f
superstition, as some contend It rests
upon the consciousness that our powers
arc limited when We stand in the pres
ence of the Infinite. Tho relation be-
tween, ourselves and God Is the most
important influence OF our lives. Men
need OF religion as they grow older.
Tho man who merely tries to do right
When he thinks others are watching
MIN Will certainly fall. Religion is
necessary thing, and morality is tho
l power of endurance In man."
4 The speaker here related his own ex-
perlence with skeptlcism when stu
dent at college. stating that he had
mad some difficulty with the theory Of
creation. When turned to the pas
crented tho heavens and the earth, I
took my stand there until some bet
ter theory OF creation appeared, and
! am still standing there"
Il Theory of Evolution.
Speaking Of the theory Of evolution
Mr. Bryan said: IT cannot accept the
theory OF evolution. man ought to
be able to trace his ancestry where he
can get most pride out of 1t. When
/ you link yourself In generations with
the ape 1t becomes IN important matter
whether ySu arc coming from or going
to him, md 7 have seen mon who APP
i poared to be going one way and some
others another way. In accepting the
theory OF evolution one merely moves
God Il step further away. It does NOT
eliminate him as tho Creator.
4 Turning 10 the question of miracles
which the skeptic was unable or un-
willing to accept. Mr.. Bryan said: Can
God perform n miracle. and II He can
would He want, to? The answer to the
presumptuous enough to attempt tc
say what God might or might not have
desired to do. But II we live UP to
tho things we understand. we shall moi
have time to worry about the things
we do set understand. The. miracle
Of life and death is a mystery"
i Eaborating this thought, Mr.. Bryar
spoke OF the mystery of the chemistry
Of The vegetable world, citing the fact
dried. weighed but 1000 to n pound
would In duo season produce the leal
J and vine and finally melon 100000
times its weight. There. is mystery II
. to cat until he understands the mystery
OF what he cats he would stnrve
"Mystery does not bother VS. In thr
dinlng-room: it is only In tho church,
said the speaker, and tho audience
!. laughingly expressed It's ncnuiescence
|. Holding glass of water in his hand
+ tho speaker said that according to TIN
! law Of grnvitation that glass should fal
, to the ground but 1t did not because
9 his arm was strong enough to rests
the oSeraton OF that law.
@ The speaker added that If human
g mower was able to suspend n naturn
y law In that way, no would not attemp
:, to put limitations upon Gods power.
The Prince Of Peace.
/. There Is nothing more marvelou
In all the mysteries of tho natura
! lworld than the change In human
life from u self-ccntred existence to
= life of unsenshnefs," lie declared. IN
child ever repaid the marvellous unself
i !shness OF a mother but tho law o
= life Is that each generation suffers mn
k sacrifices for the succeeding generation
= So II Is In all history. We revere tn
II soldier because he met the suprem
i test; he has offered his life for some
\ thing greater and higher, and thos
. . who give themselves for rraa or III n n