The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-11
EDITED WITH ROME
INTERESTING LECTURE OF THE
 REV !. s. LYONS.
Capabilities as Lecturer Demonstrat- cd by Intimate Way. in Which He Portrays Atmosphere of sub-
 jecf--Preaehes Tonlxht.


 Rev. J. S. Lyons. whom the people of Montgomery remember pleasantly in connection with his temporary pastor ate of the First Presbyterian Church here a few years ago, entertained the Brotherhood of that church on Tuesday evening with a very interesting stere- opticon lecture on Rome, a subject that is unlimited, as pr. Lyons demonstrate ed. The speaker showed that 1t Is so closely associated with the most vital history of Christianity that 1t will al- ways cause a continual recurrence to the fact that Rome Is indeed "The Eternal City" and the large audience that greeted Dr. Lyons's first appear ance in Montgomery as lecturer was fully and amply repaid for, the very close attention given throughout the lecture.
 Dr. Lyons was introduced by the pastor of the church, Dr. Henry M. Ed monds. who invited the people on be- half of the Brotherhood to partake of the intellectual feast so generously af- forded them, and spoke briefly of the evident preparedness of the lecturer to speak to them on the subject of Rome.
 Dr. Lyons. with his family, had the good fortune to spend the greater por- tion of year in the historic capital of Italy. and during all this time came into close personal contact every day with the various subjects presented to the audience through the stereopticon, and spent sufficient time with each to absorb fully what might be called "the local atmosphere. He has very genl erously provided himself with all of the salient points of history bearing directly and indirectly on the history of the worlds greatest city. It is from this generous store that he so iucidly draws the great number of interesting references which he makes as the diff ferent views of the city are flashed on the curtain.
 Naturally his greatest attraction lay in the direction of the churches and cathedrals wherever he had occasion to stop in his travels over the conti- nent. It was therefore to be expected that Dr. Lyons would make Rome's many famous churches the nucleus of his talk. After personally conducting his audience through the more inter esting points of general attraction, he narrowed his lecture down to the four great churches that have come to mean Rome's greatness throughout the Christian world, greatest among which of course is St. Peters. He gave views of all the churches from every exterior and interior viewpoint. glimpsing the various parts of each that receive the
 
 and showing the paintings and relics that through all the centuries have re- mained intact from the marauding pagans who from time to time have entered Rome, birding themselves on footing and desecrating the holy places of God, and in this very immunity seeming to show the will of Him who, through 1t all, was the guardian of them and theirs who believed in His work.
 A delightful feature of the lecture was it's absolute informality. While pr. Lyons has given this lecture on Rome a number of times 1t Is in each case entirely extemporaneous, and 1t Is to this fact largely that is due the att tention given his remarks during all the entertainment. It is a source of great qualification to the friends of pr. Lyons who knew him as an able and forceful speaker of the gospel, to recognize in his efforts last night all of the ear-marks of a very great and gifted lecturer.
 pr. Lyons is now pastor of the First