The Detroit times., 1911-10-20

as II is some years ago, ana want
America to hear some OF my more re-
| cent sermons as well.
what the Americans desire primar-
| ily Is TO hear me preach. They Wish
70 see and study how | deliver my
| sermons. They also want TO near
! what am teaching in England. lheFe
has heen a great growth OF liberal
views i'm religion in the United states
during recent years, and II is because
| am Identified here with religious I'D
| eralism that the American Leaders
have been so anxious that Siiea'e
| visit them.
"This growth has been pretty gen.
eraI. think, all over the ohlleu
| states | attribute il 10 the Same
! causes as here-the fact that the
modern mind does not take kindly 10
rigid dogma. II intelligent men are
! 80 ha religious at all that relgloh
has 10 he interpreted for them IN
terms az the thought of today ana Oh
| nrasent-day knowledge of history ana
| ~ the laws which govern the cosmio
order.
Ne VIII Study Us, Too.
81 am waiting with some interest 10
see in what ways England and Amer
I lea differ. In some ways | nave NJ
doubt that the States are ahead OF US
| I think some OF the best. work III the
fields OF psychology is being done
there refer 10 the work OF such
men as the late William James ana
prof Coe. But on the whole, in the
Acid of Biblical criticism, should
think that we are ahead OF them.
sneak. OF course. subject 70 correc-
tion but | think | am right In inc
field OF Biblical criticism | think that
we have gone further than the Amerl-
can churches are prepared TO go
What is the reason? Well, II IS dlt-
fcult 10 saw definitely, but IL may be
because we are nearer the sources.
| What do you remember parucu-
| larly In connection with your previous
visit to America? What is your most
| vivid recollection"
The extraordinary hospitality OF
| the people We don't meet that in
| England Ii was extraordinary. IL
struck me as very un-European.
Did you like it,"
Liked Our Hospitality.
| The preacher laughed.
| Il did" he said decidedly. There
was something 80 fresh and frank
about It. They do not stand 80 much
on convention as we do in England.
/ am told however, that - is not quite
the same now The nation struck me
then as being big boy, full OF ex-
uberant spirits and the sheer Joy OF
living put II down 10 It's being a
new country with bountiful resources.
On the other hand, thought the ma.
terialistic spirit too pronounced.
met so many people who seemed 20
consider that living consisted in get
ting as much as possible OF material
good have been told that there is
a revolt against IT,
Il am awaiting with interest to see
whether the younger generation has
developed great interest in art and
literature. am told that there is
quite a passion for culture. as dis.
tinct from mere material acquisition
II will be interesting to see whether
this report is correct.
Reaction Against MaterIslisn.
1T is from America that We get
most of these Quasi.mystical cults
which are a distinct revolt against
materialism. | believe that they are
distinct sign Of the reaction which
has come against the speculative ma
terialism OF the latter half OF the nine
teenth century"
but do you not think that these
cults are often dangerous and objec'
tionable?"
Granted. But in every period OF
religious awakening there have been
extravagances, sometimes revolving
They have, however, had no more in
fluence on the movement than the
straw I'm the torrent, which despite
it's lack of influence shows which way
the torrent Is flowing. | hold that
these cults are sign OF the reaction
which Is certain TO come against ma
terialism. both in thought and prac
tice. There will be something better
by and by"
Has the announcement OF your
visit to America brought you many
invitatlons?"
YES. many more than can pos
sibly accept do not think there
will be any time for social engage
ments beyond those which come au-
tomaticslly from my visit 10 any
city"
. 4 .