The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-21
Southern Orator Contrasts
Them With Symmetrical.
Refers to Dearth of Men Who
Really Are Great.
PIETY ANDLAUGHTER
He Says God Loves Naturalness
in Church or Out.
Emphasizes That Solemnity Has
Often Spelled Ruin.

Rev. George r. Stuart, the southern
orator, talked on ''Lop-sided Folks" at
the Chautauqua in Garfield park last
night In contrast with lop-sided folk,
he described perfectly symmetrical per-
sons. who think laugh and weep in proper
proportions who are equally physical,
mental and sentimental and who are
business, social and religious at proper
times and places.
In speaking of the physical side OF
human nature, he said that prize fight
ers are developed physicals. He
characterized them as "brutes on two
legs" In his references to religion
he argued for religion of laughter
and joyousness saying that solemnity
was no sign of reverence and that
wherever sin was there was somberness,
hut wherever innocence dwelt there was
5ollity. He emphasized that solemnity
had done more than anything else to
drive healthy virile men from the
church, and to encourage worldliness
among young men and women.
His lecture in part follows:
sIt is a real tonic to meet syrnme-
trical character, one who thinks, laughs
and weeps In proper proportions. Yet
how rare are such persons. The very
process Of educationS are belittling.
You want to make a lawyer and after
giving him an academic course, you
send him to college two years and he
comes back a little 'shyster' who will
DO anything for So. If he gets an Of
flee he viii pull himself into another
Office higher up and finally there is
little fellow in big Office who rattles
there like beans in bucket.
Wanted-Great Men.
"How few really great men there are
great legislators, or great governors,
or great preachers. People a1ways'are
talking about the wonderful resources
rN4 nit
physical resources and industries. What
lis an auto with a little dude or 'dudine'
in it running over every one?
What is a great mansion with
lot Of little dudes and 'dudines' going
in and out? / would rather have a log
cabin with great men and women going
in an out than fine house with dudes
and 'dudines frequenting the place.
I'VE want great men and great wo-
men. There never was a greater de-
mand Tor brains than now, for big
brainy pulpit men for instance. The
only reason that men do not go to
hear the preacher is because they don't
want to hear-us. 1t is not that they
Jesus Christ. People spent more and
went further to hear the Passion Play
than any other dramatic production.
Put a brainy preacher in a pulpit, one
Who sparkies with gems of thought and
his church will be crowded.
r.
People want to hear religion given
out ip-to-date, not the dusty, musty,
solemn article. There seems to be a
prejudice against laughter in the
churches. Since am lecturing it is all
right to make you laugh, but if 1 was
preaching some solemn brother would
go home and say with a long face:
Well, 1 don't know about Reverend
Stuart's telling funny stories. 1t seems
to me that such levity is out of place
in the house of Cod Did you ever run
across a bunch of heathens? They are
always whining. granting and groWl-
ing. The idols they worship are as cold
as a Topeka Methodist, stiff as a Pres
byterian and as exclusive as Baptist
II believe God laughed when he made
a monkey. He knew what the animal
would do, and he put the do in him
to make people laugh. Where there is
innocence there's jollity. where sin
pious in church. What God loves is
naturalness."
In the afternoon Rosani, the juggle-,
def1ed the laws of gravitation with
balls, Wands, lamps and played jokes
with the established order of down
ward attraction.
Miss Olive Bray, who originated the
idea of the girls industrial school at
Beloit and worked for it in connection
with the w. c. T. u, spoke for the
suffrage movement after Rosani fir
1shed. Miss Bray told how the move
enty years ago when widows with chill
dren were given the ballot at school
elections
She asked:
DO you know that the women of
England, Scotland and Wales may vote
upon the same terms with the men in