The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-03
BRYAN TO TAKE UP
WORK FOR CHRIST
Famous Nebraska Orator to
Devote Time and Talents to
Uplifting of Masses.
NOT C0NFINE HIMSELF
TO ONE DENOMINATION
Will Probably Become One of
the Best Known Lay Preach
ers of World.
BY ROBERT LEE CARTER.

BY ROBERT LEE CARTER.
By Leased Wire TO The Tribune.
NEW YORK, April 2-William j.
Bryan, on his return from his South
American trip, Will devote more Of his
time and energies TO church work, This
statement is made on tho authority of
close friends of Mr.. Bryan with whom
he has been in recent communication,
He has become convinced that he can
be of more service TO tho people II he
should devote II greater portion OF the
time and consecrato his talents to
greater extent than heretofore, TO
Spreading the truths Of Christianity
among the millions Of men throughout
tho country not reached by churches
and who would perhaps come TO hear
him
Just what plans Mr. Bryan will make
cannot be definitely known until his
arrival but | am Informed on high au-
ihority that he will work with the
Christian Endeavor society, the Young
Men S Christian association, the Lay
men IS Missionary movement and other
nter"denominational institutions, and
without remuneration.
While Mr.. Bryan is a Presbyterian,
an elder in the church, he does not
intend to confne his work along denomi'
national lines, His idea is to 90 at the
great mass of people who have no
church affiliations or whose church ties
bind them very lightly.
Friends of Mr.. Bryan and active
church workers who are familiar with
his ideas predict the famous Nebraskan
will become ono Of the greatest and
most effective lay preachers in the
history of the church
Accorded High Praise,
William Shaw, general secretary
Of the United Society of Christian En-
deavor, who has Just returned from
trip around the world with Rev. DR..
Frances e. Clark, president Of the
Christian Endeavor society, said to mo
in this connection:
"Dr. Clark and 1 both believe that
Mr.. Bryan would be O tremendous
power in arousing the masses and par
ticularly laymen to new enthusiasm
for the work OF the churches.
Mr.. Bryan was one Of the most &C.
ceptabe speakers nj our last interna
tional Christian Endeavor convention
at st. Paul He declines to take any
remuneration for that kind of work,
He told me that in the future he in
tends to give more of his time in ad-
dressing religious gatherings. 1t Ger
tainly will be great thing for the
cause of righteousness to have Mr..
Bryan interested in the fight with all
his splendid abilities and great
energy
Nj, Bryan does not intend to con-
fine his efforts to America. Already
he has promised to go to England this
summer to deliver several addresses to
the Young Men s Christian association
and similar bodies. 1t is possible he
will go to Paris and Berlin also.
Special Auditorium.
If Mr. Bryan looks upon the PROPOSE
tion favorably, great auditorium Will
be built for him in New York. y num-
Der of very rich churchmen and women
have had such q proposal under CON
sideration and are ready to act. Among
them are said to be John d, Rockefel-
Ter, William Huyler, Mrs. Russell Sage,
Mrs Kennedy, Helen Gould and others.
The idea is to build at central point
in New York City great auditorium,
capable of seating not less than TO-,
900 people, and place Mr.. Bryan at the
head of it, the services and speeches to
be along religious lines, though not ac-
cording to any set form.
While Mr.. Bryan would not be an
evangelist, remaining a layman, it is
believed, he could be a tremendous
power for good and the work would ap
peal to him. A we'll known church.
man. who is conversant with the sit
uation, in speaking of the prospect,
said 10 me today:
"There is no Disgusting the fact that
the churches as they are have lost
touch with the men of the community,
The whole thought Of the churches to-
day is directed toward re-establshing
this touch. Accepting the fact that the
men will not come TO the church, 1T is
imperative that tho church should be
taken to the men. No man in America
is better qualified TO do that work than
William Jennings Bryan. There are
tens of thousands Of men in Now York
and hundreds of thousands throughout
the country who cannot be induced to
90 to church, but would flock to hear
him speak He could arouse them as
no other man could, and the good he
could do is past calculation: Now, Mr.,
BRYAN is an intensely religious man,
and when this matter is presented to
him. as it Will be soon after his return,
we arc hopeful that he will accept tho
task.
"While under the plans as now
partly formulated New York would be
The Headquarters for Mr.. Bryan, his ac-
tivities would not be confined to this
city. He would be free TO 60 wher-
ever he found there was need Of him
and he could do good work.