davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

to supersede in England itself the 1ss1-5 revision, to say nothing of the 1611 au- thorized version? It is a great work. but.
 What we have today Is a number of slightly varying traaslations-such a con- fuson as the 1611 translation was de . signed to supplant. Then indeed they had no Bible that could he called author ized"; for Matthews Bible had pushed Coverdaes and Lyndale's to the wall and had been superseded by the Great Bible, which had been itself followed by the Geneva the "Bishop's' and the 'Douai' in English. Amid that variety our authorized" or King James, yer sion, did bring itself to a real primacy, and fairly earned the honor showered upon it to this day. Perhaps we are more willing to sacrifice some dear things to scholarly precision than were our fathers Perhaps, too, we are reading the Bible less and studying it more than they In any case l imagine that the beloved version of the future will not be the much be-lauded Standard Version though mo library will be complete without if ''
 The main thing, after all, is, however. the enormous hold of the Book itself on the conscience, the memory, the imag- ination. of the English speaking race. Dr. Whyte quotes Cardinal Newman's Grammar of Assent" to the following effect:
 Bible religion is both the recognized title and the best description of English religion. For English religion consists. not in ceremonies, nor in creeds, but mainly in having the Bible read in church, In the family, and in private Now the simple reiteration, again and again, in the public services of the sane tuary, of the words of inspired teachers. under both Covenants, and that in grave. ,,a i, iasti1. En olish that hns ,.nntto.. /. z
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

vantage of the woman's ignorance of his wrong or shady life, deserves something worse than an annullment of his mar riage They are joined together other wise than Gods Word doth allow, for there's dishonesty on one side and their marriage is not lawful" in the sight of God. no matter what it may be in tho sight of men. Confess your faults one to another" is the command of Gods Word; and. surely, the command applies most emphatically In the contemplation of matrimony. Would you have ma-- red him if you had known what you have learned?" Never" "Can you love him, now that you have learned it?'' No; even respect is gone, and there can be no happiness in our home hereafter" Thus the story of the unhappiness of some homes would run, if an outsider dared to ask such questions as those above given.
 Shall l tell herr" asked the man of me. Tell her? By all means tell her. Love won by deception may become loath- ing by future information woman can endure anything better than decep- tion; while in a mans memory nothing is
 
 a deceiver, placed the gold band upon the finger of a trusting and unsuspect- ing woman. Let anyone thus tempted to hide the shady secret of his soul be- fore marriage. turn to Tennyson's ''Locksley Hall' again, and make the words his own
 Am l mad that I should cherish
 That which bears but little fruit?
 l will pluck it from my bosom
 Though my heart be at the root. Then, also, let him recall the words spoken by Prospero to Ferdinand who. l would take Miranda for his wife, and ap- I ply them to the subject in hand: No sweet aspersions shall the heavens let fall
 To make this contract grow; but barren
 hate,
 Sour-eyed disdain. and discord, shall be-
 strew
 The union of your bed with weeds so
 loathly,
 That you shall hate 1t both: therefore,
 take heed
 As Hymen's lamps shall light you"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

that lay before them were our English men; so that to us somehow belongs the glory of that superb work. Is not their language our language? Did they not enter into the inheritance of Wiclif and Purvel, of Tyndale and Coverdale? Clearly their achievement was a national achievement, a race achievement.
 Now 1t would be an easy task to say many things in praise of the King James Bible. It would even be moderately easy 10 find fault with it. To say anything both original and worth while on so hackneyed theme would perhaps be hard. I am therefore struck with admir- alton for the wisdom of Dr. Alexander Whyte of Edinburgh, who has collated some utterances of few representative thinkers on the subject. He shows us what Coleridge said of this great yer sion, then what Huxley paid as tribute, what Father Faber thought of it, what Dr. Eadie, Thomas Carlyle, John Rus kin and some living masters have put on record concerning the English Bible. Some of these deserve to be passed on to readers of The Age-Herald.. Hence this paper.
 Most of us nowadays read the Amer ican Revised version, ebut l suppose most of those who read it have to swallow their feelings when the familiar and suf- ficient words are tangled in a maze of proprieties. For instance, who is going to relish the 23d Psalm, though it Is amended with some show of reason in such words as: Jehovah is my shepherd: : 1 shall not want?" Does anyone pray that way, publicly or at least privately? :? And if not, is it helpful to try to read into the proper name Jehovah all the contents that crowd the old phrase the Lord?' For dramatic public uses the ,~rora. r,rna hoe ual1a parbanS Ii
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

may be worth while to the scholar. though he readily sees that properly speaking 1t Is not a proper name at all. But I cannot help believing that 1t is too heavy load for the Revised version to carry in competition with the sweet but augustly familiar phrase of the old version.
 And this Is said In view of the inter- esting fact that the Gideons, a body of Christian men who are also commer- cial travellers. have put into every room in our hotels a copy of the Bible in the revised version Messrs. Nelson the great publishing house that issues the American form of the revision, are pop uarizing 1t with great energy, producing cheap and well bound editions in q read able type. And yet l venture to say that SC years hence the old version will still hold the field. At a recent reading of the Epistle to the Romans there were present perhaps 20 persons, each with Bible. Among them no less than five variations or versions were counted, First in numbers was, of course, the King James Bible Second was the American Revision. Third came copy of the English issue of the American preferred readings" Fourth was a copy of the English revised New Testament of 1881, and fifth a "Twentieth Century New Tes- tament" which gave us a more or less bungling para phrase.
 When, years ago, Dr. Moon sharply criticised the English reversion, English grammar, he showed how unlikely their labors were to upset the popular love for the old version. The standard revi- sion, published 20 years later in America was improved in the light of those and other criticisms. But does anyone reckon that even the more polished Eng fish will enable the standard American
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

such subjects as music, sociology, art philanthropy, literature and the like Many a good man has been bounded by a scandal -scenting set, and the name of many a pure and faithful wife, has been associated with the thought of disgusting "affinities,' when such things never had place in their minds or hearts for moment. They are in terested far less in each other than they are in the interests that created their friendship.
 If a husband shall have no interest in the things that most appeal to his wife, is it not his duty to sacrifice himself, his evening at his fireside with his newspapers, his own inclina- tions, and tastes for the qualification of the woman he has taken from her home and sworn to love, to cherish and to honor? She never asked him to be- come her husband. He asked her to become his wife when he might have known her mental tendencies. She owes him no more than he owes her. He should sacrifice his own tastes for her happiness. But the sacrifice is not to be one sided. The wife should. and usually does, make the advances in the matter of self-sacrifice. The first great sacrifice of all lies in her leaving her own people, and giving up her own name. for the man she mar ries; and all the way along her life is a sacrifice in matters too delicate and sacred to mention. All the sacri flee should not be expected of the >wo- man; nor should a man expect more of a woman than he is willing to give. If he has a right to make demands of her. why has not she right to make demands of him? In a home where this mutual right is denied there can be only arrangement and the absence of happiness.
 If l be still pressed with the ques- tion, ''Is 1t wise for opposites to mar ry?" l should further reply-I believe that it not only best to marry where interests tastes and sympathies are similar, but l believe, that, people should marry in the same social cir cles. Messenger, in the famous drama, "A New Way to Pay Old Debts.' has declared the same thought The man
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

to him forever out Of his English Bible. It Is his one sacred possession that doubt has never dimmed. and that con- troversy has never soiled."
 Very different in tone and import is this clipping from Carlyle. but not legs true as a normal expression Of facr: Tn the poorest cottage in the land. there is one Book. wherein, for thous- ands of years, the spirit of man has found light and nourishment. and an interpreting response to whatever is deepest in him. And wherein, to this day. the Mystery of Existence reflects itself. if not wholly resolved yet re- vealed and prophetically emblemed; if not to the satisfying of the outward sense. yet to the opening of the inward sense. which is the far grander re- suit"
 My space is gone, and much could still be quoted. I am haunted, however. with the sense that all these quota tions fail to justify or explain the power of the English Bible. It is not chiefly that men have believed this Word, unquestioningly? In the new age, when questions rise, and what Father Faber calls controversy as- saults the Book. will it still be cher ished and still be potent?
 Yes, surely But in new way. All these "Baraca" classes and this popu- lar study of the Book presages, does 1t not, more thoroughgoing mastery of the original Scriptures their his- toric data, their literary value? So that as in Bible-lovlng Wales, so here in Bible loving America the Sunday school will reach all the way from re- cital of the simplest picture stories to grappling with the theories of the lSeenest and most ruthless students and critics, and faith will prove still indomitable, unconquered.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02
THE LORIMER CASE-By Savoyard

with the leaders of both parties There had as corrupt city council as that leg islature. No southern state, even in the era of reconstruction. had a viler, or more acoundrally law-making body. Cor ruption was open, bold, fragrant flag itious. And this Mir I.ormer the most sdroit, dextrous, apt. able boss. even Chicago ever had, was in that atmos- phere for weeks, scrutinizing the filthy game, riskng the biggest stake. and yet he didn't know a thing about what was going on right under his eyes. What? Lorimer. boss of Chicago. little Red Riding Hood in the den of those wolves in the bucolic precincts of Sangaman county. It's disgusting absurdity Is only exceeded by its brazen insolence.
 There was no serious investigation of the Lorimer case. True. there was a whitewashing expedition by certain grave and high-toned United States senators, but they threw away the sword of scrutiny and took hold of the shield of eoncealment, and yet every plain mind discovers in their report the reluctant fact that at least four members of the Illinois legislature were bribed outright
 to, vote for Lorimer. and that three other members corrupted them. One wit ness ran away, another stood mute. LOT inner was not summoned, nor did he vol unt>er his testimony, though an innocent man would have demanded hearing under oath. The governor of Illinois was not called, though 1t was manifest that his testimony would have been valuable
 There were antedated letters. jackpots.
 conventicles in bathrooms, conferences
 in St. Louis. Corruption was rampant, and one could cut it with the scissors, so fragrant it was
 Well what was determined by the com mittee? That 1t was true there was brib- cry, but that no honest man was bribed, and they let 1t go at that. At least such is the argument of the defendants ad
 vocates in the Senate. If White and
 his fellow-scamps had been men of in- tegriiy 1t would have looked squally for the Honorable Loimer, but they were corrupt and not worthy of notice. That is all l can make out of the pleas for tine defense from Bailey's down to and including Paynter's
 The committee treated the accusation as though 1t had been an indictment for murder Every technicaity was invok- ed just as in murder trial, and 1t is not strange that Lorimer was '.vindicat- ed" when we reflect that in our country
 we ''vindicats' 97 per cent of our mur- eerers and let 'em go acquit. The Sen ate. sitting in over and termer, did the same thing and made the jail delivery complete March l. It was humiliating to the Senate and tie country. What would have been the conduct of a high-minded man, like Ros- COG Conkling, of the North, or John c.
 Breckinridge of the South. when charged
 with obtaining an honor by fraud? We
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

fact, been. to our people a vast bene- fit It has attuned their minds 10 re- ligious thoughts; 1t has given them high moral standard 1t has served them in associating religion with compositions which. even humanly considered are among the most sublime and beautiful ever written; and. especially. 1t has im- pressed upon them the series of Divine Providences in behalf Of man, from his creation to his end: and above all It. has impressed upon their minds the words the deeds. and the sacred sufferings of Him in Whom all the Providences of God center"
 make no apology for setting beside that stirring and melodious message this from Thomas Huxley, Newman's agnostic contemporary. Speaking of the Bible as a sch hoolbook for English chil dren, he said
 consider this great historical fact, that for three centuries. this book has been woven Into all that Is noblest and best In English history; consider that it has become the national epic of Great Britain. and that 1t is as fa- miliar to noble and simple from John O'Groats to Lands End, as Tasso and Dante once were to the Italians con sider that 1t is written in the noblest and purest English and that 1t abounds m exquisite beauties of literary form and, finally, consider that It forbids the veriest hind, who never left his ma tive village, to be ignorant of the ex- isteuce of other countries and other civil lza tions and of a great past stre tch- ing back to the furthest limits of the oldest nations in the world"
 What Huxley says there may per haps serve to illustrate one of my preliminary remarks concerning the sense of heritage that comes to chill dren. IL is not a fact that to HuXleN' s
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

he was strongly proposed favorably to Lorimer
 MT. Baileys speech was characterized as masterly in all the. newspapers the interests" find pliant, and the Lorimer case was dismissed with the observa- tion that Bailey's arguments were con elusive of the issue and that the Hon. Lorimer was thoroughly and complete ly vlndicated man in every particular.
 A layman. I know nothing about the Hon. Bailey's law but if 1t is no better than his history it scarce emerges above the dignity of cold sophistry. Here is some of his chimney corner history that he adduced to explain away the fact that battalion of democrats voted for Lormer:
 'The senator from New York. and he was not alone in pursuing that line of argument has spoken as If he thought the action of those Illinois democrats was without precedent, as well with out excuse. Sir. they have forgotten the history of Illinois. because more than once result like this has been wrought out In the legislature of that state. All over this land today they are celebrat- and millions are paying homage to his integrity and patriotism, Even the southern states. against which he levied a cruel war have buried their animosity in the years which have elapsed since then, and pay respectful deference to his memory, Yet, sir, Abraham Lincoln sig nallzed his entrance into national poli- ties by an episode which senators pro- fess themselves incapable of under standing, In 1855 Lincoln was can1i- date for the Senate, and was supported by the republican members of the Ill nois legislature. If 1t Is proper to call them republican. as the republican party was just then In its formative state, But no matter about the name of the party . whose candidate he was ho was sup ported by all of his partisans in that leg islature,
 '''rhe democratic candidate against him was James Shields, a remarkable and a romantic character. but his election was made impossible by the refusal of i've democrats to vote for him. These five democrats, under the leadership of John M, Palmer, who afterwards became a senator from Illinois. voted for Lyman Trumbull, and after an unsuccessful ef- fort to elect their candidate the dem ocrats withdrew Shields and substituted Governor Matteson as their candidate, and, fearing the election of Matteson, Lincoln advised his republican friends to vote for Lyman Trumbull boiting democrat, who received 49 of the 45 Lincoln votes in that legislature and with them was elected senator, Lin coin afterwards explained in d letter to the Hon. D, R. Washburne that he could have held h of his votes to the end of the legislative session but that he feared the election of Matteson and, under his own advice. his friends abandoned him
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

He is freeman whom the truth makes And all are slaves besides
 IT was some two score and five years ago,
 time when its was not very respect | able to be a republican in Kentucky. that a handful of that political faith as- sembed in mass meeting at Franklin, Simpson county on the southern border of the state. to organize the G. O. P. in that bailiwick. The court room was crowded. mostly by democrats drawn there by curiosity, and in the throng was the Rev. Dr. Cottrell of the Meth odist Episcopal church. south, who had been chaplain in the Confederate army. Though a minister of the gospel. he was q man of infinite jest. He also had a fondness for politics. >On this occasion one of Dr. Cottrell's flock. an uncom- promising union man during the war and now republican, was present to assist in the organization of the party so new in that community. and he called on his beloved pastor to open the proceedings with prayer. Instead of complying, his reverence bolted for the door, vociferat-
 
 here!'
 And if the United States senate should cut many more capers like that of March 1. 1911. when by a vote of 4S to 40 1t re- solved that it was not better than Wil- liam Lorimer, respectable senators may come to wish that the future historian shall not find out that they were ever members of that body which appears to glory in garbage for prey.
 William Lorifner got seat in the United States senate because the 'inter- ests'' needed his services in that body. and he retains it for the same reason and by the same decree. That is the case in general and in particular. There is no secret about it. Everybody knows it. Scan the vote if you doubt and doubt n., longer. A great ado was made of the fact that MT Lorimer is moral. relig- ious, and sleeps under the roof-tree of the Y. M. c. A. But so was the Pharisee a moral man. yet the Master denounced him as clean outside and foul within. It would appear that a moral man is a curiosity in the United States Senate.
 Who is Lorimer? From a poor boy he rose to be the boss of the second city of the western hemisphere. He was steady, diligent. energetic, shrewd, with out petty vices, full. of tact with will of iron and ambitions for place, power and wealth. He was born poll tician, and made politics his trade, enter ing into the game with zest, determlna- ton and enthusiasm. His adversaries were "Hinky Dinll' and "Bathhouse John." and his partners were birds of the same feather. For many years he had a seat in Congress, and some two years ago he appeared at the capital of the Empire state of the Mississippi val ley when the legislature was seeking to choose . senator in Congress-. He re- mained on the ground in constant touch
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02

bribed votes from his total but he im- mediately applied the salve to cure the wound when he insisted on taking this from the grand total of those votes. which made corruption triumphant.
 Let me tell you, the great speech Of the Lorimer debate was that of MT, Bur ton of Ohio. No intelligent, candid and unbiased mind can contemplate it and believe in the innocence of 1orimer shall not undertake to discuss the law, but shall quote from Mir Burton, who makes ducks and drakes of MT. Baiey's figures as follows:
 Let us look at this argument from the standpoint of morality and public policy Let US look at it in the light of the great and comprehensive principle that no man or set of men shall profit by their own wrong. Grant such a prop ostion as the advocates of Lorimer are contending for and those engaging in fraud are bound to win. There is no pos- sibility of failure. If the bribery Is not detected, the seven votes are counted for Lorimer making 10S, and he is elected of
 
 to tho eyes of the world he is elected all the same. For If those seven votes are subtracted from the whole number present each one will still count for at least half vote for Lorlmer, and he will be choice of the legislature. You would have to change the quotation corruption wins not more than honesty, and substitute in Its place corruption wins yet more than honesty" There is no law that can be found in support of any such proposition. He has no prece- dent except In the scheme of the cum ning lago when he set Roderigo on Cassie and said.
 Now whether he kill Casslo,
 Or Cassie him. or. each do kill the other Every way makes my gain,''
 And again Mir, Burton returns to the case with this crushing blow that utterly demolishes Mir, Baileys arlthmetici
 Suppose these seven votes had been bribed to leave the hall, leaving the to- tai number present 195. Would anyone contend that such election would be free from the taint of corruption? Let me give another Illustration which shows the absurdity Of such argument. Suppose some members eoud be bribed to vote for Mir, Lorimer, but others, who would not vote for him under any crcum- stances, could have been bribed to vote for Mr, Hopkins or some other candi- date and general bribery for candidates was engaged in that MT. Lorimer would receive a majority of what are called sound votes. Under the claims set for this could he done, and all brihed votes for whatsoever candidate cast might he excluded, establishing the most remarkable result that it might aid one candidate to bribe legislature to vote | for another candidate"
 | Now MT. Burton is republican ane when he set about study of the case