davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

lieve that Jesus was born Of a virgin
will show you letters which their dead
friends have written them from the
other world and Pontius PLATE, who
asked Jesus. what is truth?' trembled
at the relation of his wife's dream
Stephen Girard, the famous philan-
thropist. who founded the Girard col
lege, is said to have been AN lnfldel.
Wheth err this is true do not know, and
1t has been so unfortunately common In
this country to handy about this
charge that have learned to be cau-
lions in applying IL to men whose re-
ligious opinions | do not know. was
Thomas Jefferson IAN infidelY For TWO
generations he has been so stigmatized,
and that By people who never saw him
and never read line of his voluminous
works.
Butte return to Mr. Girard-it is re-
lated of him that he once ordered his en-
ployes to unload cargo on Sunday.
One of his young men declined to work
on that day you know my rules,
said Mr.. Girard. Yes. sir; and ! am pre-
pared to give up my place rather than
work on Sunday was the StalWart re-
ply of the young man. He was promptly
discharged Not long afterwards, bank
ing company wanted a cashier. and ap-
piled to Mr.. Grard to recommend one.
81 advise you to employ young -,
said he. mentioning the name of his dis
charged employe. what do you know
If him. well I know that he allowed
me to discharge him because he would
not unload carea on sunday: and /
think a man who will lose his place rather
than violate his conscience is the sort
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

his credit mass of such works as
literary Roosevelt might regard with envy
and "dee-light." Imagine the persistence
implied in gathering editors for such an
undertaking as The Expositors Bible, =
which covers for English readers every
book in the entire Bible with modern SER
mon-suggestion or exposition and seeing
ii through the pressl TO that has been
added an edition of the Greek New Tesla
ment, the Expositors' Greek Testament.
an attempt to supply for us what Afford
provided for our fathers. 1t is nobly
done
on this side of his work must also be
placed the monthly magazine for Bible
students known'Sas THE Expositor,' a
scholarly affair. antedating the Chicago
Biblical World. and even more neces-
sary to the equipped student.
Robertson Nicoll has this supreme gift
of an editor He knows where to find
men | do not mean that his choice has
ALWAYS been the best possible, but that
the average result of his choice has been
a body of thoroughly modern, conserva-
tive religious literature which is beyond
praise and has received the cordial rec
IGNITION of a world of readers. No man
can advertise him now. BY his splendid
discoveries of men with ability and gen
Jus. he has made himself famous and laid
us all under debt to him as well as them
He belongs to a famous group, Scot
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

lands gift to the nineteenth and TWEEN
tieth centuries. They were young men
who dared look literature in the face,
even though It was sacred literature.
They had been to school in Germany and
learned the arts of critcising and history.
They began to make themselves felt by
the average man about the time that
the Eucycopedia Britannica began TO be
issued in it's ninth edition. That was es-
sentially a Scottish project, with Baynes
as edltor-in-chef. Ii was completed with
DR.. Robertson Smith in the editorial
chair it promulgated the conclusions of
Wellhausen. making them in sense
authoritative. The whole question OF the
literary structure of the Bible was at once
nm for general discussion Robertson
smith modified and popalarized Well
hausen's conclusions, was prosecuted In
the general assembly of his church, and
driven from his Scottish professorship He,
was welcomed however in Cambridge.
England. and continued his work until
his untimely death in 1894. He was the
leader on whose head fell the blows OF
which those who delivered them probably
became ashamed They were not fighting
men. but the Tides of God. The days of
Bibliolatry were past and could not be
brought back Truth must be looked In
the face. and the church must dare to
stem ont into unfamiliar places. | need
onlv mention few names to show Scot
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

satisfying Life of Jesus ever published.
called 1.-THE Days of His Flesh"
Now what have these men TO do with
our great editor? Much, every way, but
chiefly that through him multitudes who
would have been hostile were made will
ing, even eagerAto be taught. lie has
helped to domicile modern science In
Protestant orthodoxy, and / suppose that
his great literary attachments will some
day be reekoned of less permanent value
TO his age than this skill In organizing
the newer orthodoxy with independence
OF tradition He is scholar who be
lieves the Gospel
But it is his literary gift that has made
DR.. Nicolls fortune as an editor. The
creation of a great paper on profitable
basis is the work of a giant. The Brit
.ish Weekly, 6ammed full of political
radicalism, racy bits of personal news,
keen analysis of social questions, and
trenchant but kindly and able criticisms
of books worth notice, has been a real
power In England. For his services to
the government DIR. Nicoll was knighted
the other day, and fairly staggers while
nodestly bearing the academic honors of
the past with the additional title now
adjoining his name. In the battle of the
Budget" he has been great fighter for
Asquith.
He is credited with the discovery of
]. NJ. Barrie and the inspiration of Ian
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

were more men of the highest order of
talents in the party than any other po-
litical party England ever had could
show One wing of the party called
themselves the "patriots.I Pulteny and
Pitt belonged to It. 1t was their action
after the fall of Walpole that prompted
honest old Sam Johnson to define the
word patriot" in the first edition of his
dictionary as the last resort of scoun-
drcl."
But after the fail of Palteny the Pei
hams came in and when they enlisted
Pitt the administration was the most
brilliant and successful England las
known since Marlborough.
The opposition to the Younger Pitt con
tanned Burke. Fox, Grey and Wndham.
who could beat The world saying things,
but ii was left to Pitt to do things
In our country John G. Calhoun and
Daniel Webster were the two greatest
thinkers our Congress has ever known;
but they contentod themselves with say
ing things Henry Clay was an excep-
ton. Beginning in 1929. when he was In
his prime, Clay was in opposition the rest
of his career; but he made the compro-
Mise of 1898 and the compromise of 1850.
And thus he postponed secession. which
would have been successful had II come
ten years earlier than it did =
Samuel j. Tilden was both doetrinaire
and a constructive statesman. His dis
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

practical; the party in opposition is doc
trinal.
will try 10 bring an illustration from
English history. Wien the house of
Brunswick secured the British crown the
whig party got power, and Sir Robert
Walpole ruled England for about a quar-
ter of a century with consummate state
craft, though to retain the primary he
was necesitated to buy members of par
lament Ike pigs in the pen. He was
emphatieslly n practical man and die
things. We are told that his administra-
lion was criticised by an opposition com
posed of Bolingbtolle. CarteFet. Chester
field Argyle. Pulteny. Wyndhar1, Dod-
dington. Pitt Lytteton. Barnard Pope,
Swift Cay, Arbuthnot. Fielding Johnson,
Thomas. Allenside and Glover. an array
of genius. talent and eloquence such as
confronted no other administration in the
Old world or the new.
FinnliH the old statesman fell, and the
opposition came in with Pulteny,- the
prime minister. The country had been
led to expect that everybody would get
everything as soon as the government
was rid of Walpole. The new admnlstra-
ton was u lamentable failure They were
agreed on nothing but anita enisrn To two
score years, and when they came to for
mHlate measures they we're impotenl for
verilc affirmative action, though there
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

lands contribution to the leadership of
thought in this time of peril.
First there was Henry Drummond,
helping to Christianize the disturbing idea
at the roots of the new life, evolution,
and incidentally making himself an evan
gelistic force of the first magnitude,
thrilling Scottish university students with
the conviction that God stll lives and
loves. though old thoughts may pass
away. Drummond, alas. fell in his early
prime!
Then there is stiil among us George
Adam Smith, traveller, Hebraist, master
of history in many fields. What the other
Smith indicated with prophetic forefinger
this smith has attained and accomplished.
Isaiah and Hosea and Micah have be
come Ineligible statesmen-preaehers for
this George Adam Smiths works. HIS
latest vast work on Jerusalem completes
his historical and geographical survey
of the Holy Land and puts the world
again under debt to Scottish scholarship.
Sir William Ramsay is yet one more or
the same splendid tribe, man who has
actually laid bare the life of the first
Christian century in Asia Minor, bringing
it back as with a magician's wand.
Curiousy enough a third Smith de-
mands recognition in the group. David
Smith of Tulliallan, Abut now of London
derry. the author OK perhaps the most
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

with her about her two half grown
girls, who attended the Sunday school,
and | thought / was getting on swim
mingly. When l took her hand to say
good bye. she said What is your name
please?"
After the sermon | was walking with
a good sister, a member of one of the
historic families of the Second Baptist
church. She had known me almost
from her girlhood, and she said: why
EVERYONE in that congregation surely
knew YOU" I replied: No my sister
for after coming out of the pulpit | was
met by a perfect stranger, who said: 1
want 10 telf you how thankful / am
that you introduced yourself; for | am
a stranger mere; and, without the intro
duction. ] should certainly have cred
tied that sermon to another preacher. =
"Why. doesn't he mind his own bust
ness?" said one who had been annoyed
by a persistent meddler. "There are two
excellent reasons" replied friend. lie
has no business, and he has no mind.
Those who object to the doctrine that
1.-The universe was created out of moth
ing" do not seem to realize that the
other Overwhelmingly, that matter
is self -existent---is just unthinkabl lie.
and quite as difficult of belief.
There seems to be a strange affilia-
ton between skepticism and superst-
ton. 1t. is related of Thomas Hobbs,
one of the ablest and most daring of
SIX optics, that he could not bear to be
left alone in the dark. Men who can
not believe In the resurrection of Jesus
Christ will not walk through a grave
yard at midnight. Men who cannot be-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

speech Upon this whole earth man is
the only creature upon WHORE God has
conferred this faculty of speech; and
Jesus Christ warns you that you will
be held responsible If you abuse it.
Many years ago, during his pastorate
in Richmond, Va. this scribe exchanged
pulpits one Sunday morning with the
Rev. w r. L. Smith, pastor of the Sec
ond Baptist church. ] had done good
deal Of preaching in this church; but it
was done mostly in days of yore, under
the administration, of c. c. Britain; SO,
Just before taking my text | delivered
about the following prelude;
Years ago, l lived for some time in
the same house with George B. Taylor,
our missionary to italy, and l learned
to reverence his wisdom. On one occa
sion / heard him say something which
SO deeply impressed me thai | remem
Der il today. He said: 1T is not well
for people to sit through whole SER
mon wondering all the time who the
preacher can be; for their curiosity to
know who he Is will draw off their at
tention from what he says From that
day to this | have always made 1t q
rule to introduce any brother who
preached for me. Your pastor is preach
ing for me today. and so cannot intro
duce me; so | must introduce myself /
am j. c. Hden. pastor of Grove Avenue
church. If any of you should imagine
that everybody here knows me, then
YOU are probably mistaken; for some
time ago ] was visiting one of my own
members, stayed a half hour. talking
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

of man to be safely trusted with money.
The young man received the appoint
ment as cashier.
1t is a very real comfort to know that
our God can and does use bad men, and
even demons, to carry out his purposes OF
grace in behalf of His people. Take the
following instances:
Caiaphas, burning with mad jealousy
and rancorous envy, is used as mouth
piece of the Holy Spirit to utter very
remarkable prophecy of the vicarious
death of Jesus Christ. The fierce Roman
soldier, who ran the spear into his side
and let out the blood and water which
proved that he was dead, was aiding in
the fulflment of the prophecy. "A bone
of him shall NOT be broken The rob-
bers who were crucifed with him fur
nished the fulfilment of another prophecy,
which said that he should make his
grave with the wicked" And the brutal
ruffians who gambled for his seamless
coat" were fulfilling that prophecy,
"They cast lots upon my vesture." Truly
God makes the wrath of man to praise
Him. and the remainder of that wrath He
restraints.
Readers who remember President Har-
per's Stories of Genesis" as discussed
by him In the Biblical World" will err
If they suppose that that periodical has
been altogether given over to radical
criticism; for now and then there is an
oasis in the desert; and old Princeton
gets a show.
When Prof John d. Davis discussed
''The Literary Productions of Israel from
Josiah to Ezra" he gave no uncertain
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06
FRACTIONAL CURRENCY-By J. C. H;den D. D.

sound 1t was really refreshing to read
the concluding paragraph Of his article.
He saw exactly where the shoe pinched
tie radical critics. He holds that II
Isaiah and Daniel are genuine books and
If the authors knew what they were
writing about then miracles are histori-
cal. ''If miracles and prophecy are inn
possible and unhistorical,, the books of
Daniel and Isaiah are not genuine
throughout. If miracles and prophecy are
possible AMI attested by history, no valid
reason has yet been advanced against the
genuineness of these books In this con-
nection 1t is notable that Christ quotes
Daniel as 1.-The prophet and calls upon
the disciples to attend carefully to Dan
iel's warnings, and that He also quotes
from the SD chapter and 18th verse of
Isaiah and applies the prophecy TO Him
self
The name of the robber, insurrectionlst
and murderer, Barabbas, has been the
subject of numerous traditions, most OF
which are probably fabulous. The name
''Barabbas is Hebrew, and the meaning
is "son of the father" and this meaning
awakens some strange reflections, when
we think of the robbers connection with
the Son of God. The critical scholars tell
us. strangely enough, that three manu-
scripts, besides the Armenian and Syriac
version, giveN Barahbas the additional
name of Jesus The reading seems to
be very ancient, as shown by Origen In
his exposition of the passage in Mat
thew's gospel. Origen says that many
manuscripts also had not the name Jesus:
and the heretics might have interpolated
the name Griesbach attacked the genuine
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

shall pay them. Let those who pay The
tax fix the amount while, and See how
the thing works.
There Is nobody in Congress, no dozen
bodies who know how TO make a tariff.
Aldrch. Payne. Dazell, smoot Lodgs.
Cannon. and that whole republican lay
out could moi make a protective tariff
without calling in the manufacturers 20
write their graft into it. Why didn't
s \. d. North write Schedule X the
most famous feature of all the infamous
features of the infamous Dingley tariff
Didn't che Niassa chusetts wool spinners
give him $500 for III Wasn't there some
tall lying about it when the hearings
we're on in the-Ways and means commit
tee year ago. To be sure 70 be sure.
Neither can the democrats in Congress
make tariff for revenue only unless
they call in the experts in the counting
rooms Of the importers. The republicans
lied when they denied the manufacturer
made the Payne bill Let the democrats
tell the truth and say our bill was MADE
by the men who pay the taxes.
Then nominate Harmon. If he snail be
reelected governor, and go TO the coun-
try on the issue of tariff made by the
taxpayers versus tariff made BY the
tax-eaters, and we shall sweep every
thing as we did in 1892.
But
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

and folly unexampled in the worlds his
tory And wonder of wonders. the old
thing sincerely believed that 1t was mag
Unanimous. AS | recolect. Charles Dick
ems says thai old Peclsniff actually
thought he was a virtuous man.
In 1874 the democrats had a majority
in Congress that year chosen. but when
the first session was convened the idea
Of William r. Morrison was confronted
by the idea of Samuel ]. Randall. and
the party was impotent for affirmative
action on the tariff until Il years later
when Randall was unable TO defeat the
Mills tariff that passed the democratic
House of the Fifteth Congress
But Ben Harrison was elected Presi-
dent in 1888 and It was a great calamity
Then the G. O. p. went through its
great stunt of revising the tariff up The
people smashed that and brought in
Cleveland again The House was actually
democratic and made democratic tariff,
which German Randallized in the Senate
Then the silver question came on, and
everything went to POT.
What is the result of the partnership
between the democrats and the populists?
MeKinlev. Roosevelt and Taft in the
White House and eight republican Con-
crosses in succession. That Is what the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

A MONG the periodicals that come to
"a me is one bulky yellowish weekly.
n the only actual yellow journal
that I love. But it's tint is merely ply
steal, a chemical effect in the English
made paper. AS to the contents they are
as far removed from sensatonalsm as
Fan be. I note that this makes the oath
year that I have carefully read the
"British Weekly" a first receiving it in
Toxic Japan. and never willingly missing
single issue. 1t is today the most
widely circulated of religious periodicals.
1t has, had an enormous influence upon
the theology of evangelical pupts,
called, and indeed far outside that
charmed circle. You may find 1t in every
state of the union, a welcome and hon
,red visitor at more than one pastors or
professors study. It's circulation in Brit
lsh colonies is phenomenal; and wherever
missionaries have gone the British
Weekly follows Appeals for used copies
come from educated japanese, Chinese
and other Asiatic ministers French
German and italian Protestants frequent
" acknowledge their obligations to the
Weekly.
1t IS not too much to say that this so
widely-read paper is the creation ON a
single man, "a born journalist who is
sued the first copy from the house of
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

q 1NGE 1895, and even earlier, we hayci
heard the epigram "The republic
- can is the party that does things,
and the democratic is the party that says
things" That is true. and it would be
strange II it were otherwise For 40
years with brief intervals of democratic
supremacy, the republican party has been
in power. 1t is tire office OF the party in
power to do things. On the other hand,
during Il years of that 20 years the DEM
ocratlc party has been the opposition. 1t
IS the office of the opposition 20 eriti-
else. Indeed. since 1861, the democratic
party has been in full power but two
years-1S93-95 During the irsf term OF
Mr.. Cleveland the Senate was republican.
and in his second term, the last two
years the republicans had majorities in
both houses\of Congress.
If the situation of the two parties had
been reversed the democrats In pcwcT
and the republicans in opposition, the
democratic would be the party that acts
and the republican the party that talks.
The party in power from very necessity
must do something. whereas the party in
opposition must devote SO much tins 4 o
the censure OF what is done that 1t has
no time to construct anything. We may
put II this way: The party in power Is
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

ness of tic passage in Origen. on the
ground that 1t occurs only in the Latin
translation of that author: but Olshausen
who is high authority defends It, Upon
the whole, it is safe to say that we
really know nothing about Barabbas, eX-
cept what the evangelsts tell us.
If christianity" be defined as sys-
TEN of doctrine, of whatever kind, or a
history, of whatever facts. then the eN-
detrimental test would fail to cover the
case. To 'prove" any system of doctrine
will usually require more or less pro-
traoted investigation, and the scientific
appreciation of logical tests. To prove
the facts OF any so-called history VIII
probably require a still more protractee
examination. But If Christianity be re.
garded as a scheme OF living. then Coler
idges test, TRY it, is not only SOUND
one-it is the only one that can ra-
tionally be applied to the case And thera
is no doubt that this was the view
which Coleridge took of Christianity. He
was far too thoughtful man to imagine
that the test of personal experience was
applicable to any system of theology, or
TO any body of facts that were supposed
to have occurred 10 centuries ago.
Coleridge's view does not disparage either
doctrinal or historical Christianity. 1t
simply and powerfully emphasizes the
evidential value OF Christian life In
word, the best evidence of Christianity
is a Christian.
A little nonsense now and then 10 all
right. but great deal all the time is
edifying to no rational soul, 80 I've
stopped reading one Lyman Abbott
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-06

Holder & Stoughton, London, twenty
four years ago. A personality so unique
as to Impress its message on the whole
world in quarter of a century is surely
worth considering And the paper it.
self-how its editor gets himself read SO
eagerly and steadfastly-that also Is
question to be asked by the most indif-
ferent and weighed by the most judicious.
Look at the round, iocund face of the
edtor-in-chief. the Rev William Rob
ertson Nicoll. LID. with It's kindly but
shrewd eyes, its air of sustained comfort.
AMI, you would hardly say 1t Belongs to
a strenuous man. least of all to sick
man. Yet 1t was the threatened collapse
of his health before ,the inroads OF con-
sumption that impelled him TO leave his
Presbyterian pulpit and seek the editors
chair in which he has labored with Pro-
methean passion.
He has what doctors call "the phthisi-
cal diathesis,' brooding fear of lung
trouble. commanding him to be ever on
the watch lest tuberculosis suddenly lay
him low. -
They are indeed a brave and iocund
band, these intellectual consumptives who
hold Death by the throat with their left
hands and work zealously with their
right Some day Book of Heroes must
be written for them. Stevenson wrote his
own most imperishably, and Nicoll has TO