The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-05-10

Marshall Field, one of the most
successful business men of the
United States, who amassed a great
fortune, said: Impress on young
men the study of the Bible, the
building of a character on its pre-
cepts, character that will win re-
spect of mankind and will be greater
than a great fortune
1T has done this for hundreds
and thousands of other business
men. 1t is capable of doing this
for you and for me, for business or
professional men. Our pastor is a
very shrewd man, a very discreet
man, but he has given to each of us
a big subject.
Nations without the Bible have
no inventive genius. Confucius, 700
B. c., even boasted that the Chinese
invented nothing, that the times
were degenerate, and that the ma
tions had to look back to ancient
civilizations for reforms.
Before the advent of the Son of
Man, the individual did muscular
work, when and where he pleased.
In Christ's time the laborer received
a cent day. Last year the United
States Steel Corporation paid its
$4,000 employees an average of
$500 per annum. Christ works sci
entifically. He gives fresh air, sun
light, abundant harvest. Poor sani
tation meant poor morals. The
world has come to realize that i'm
perfect cooking has much to do with
vice of various kinds.
The feeling is very general that
there is danger in the accumulation
of wealth, but it has not been prov
en- so. Think of all that has been
accomplished by the use of wealth.
There is not fly or a mosquito in
the Panama zone.
Some of you think it is only nee
essary for professional men and stu
dents for the ministry, but / stand
here tonight to say to you that had
it not been for the comfort | derived
from this book, | would not be here,
would not be active in this
church."
Following Mr.. Holmes address,
the choir rendered an anthem. The
offering was then received.
In introducing r. NJ. Stocker,
Esq, editor of the Wayne County
Herald, whose subject was THE
Bible In National Life" Doctor
Swift commented upon the two
most excellent addresses, not only
scriptural but philosophical as WE'LL"
that had been made, but will be fol-
lowed" he said, by a third ad-
dress just as excellent, just as scrip
tural and just as philosophical
Mr.. Stocker's Speech.
Mr. Stocker spoke in part as fol-
lows:
THE influence of the Bible upon
the nations is in proportion to the
heed that is given to the teachings
of the Bible by the people compris-
ing the nations where it IS taught.
The Bible contains the revela-
ton which God has made of him
self to man, and according to our
catchism: 1t teaches what man is
to believe concerning God and what
duty God requires of man" Tie
author and Inspirer of the Bible is
the creator of the universe.
The nations that have read and
studied the Bible because of it's gen.
eral distribution among the people
are the English speaking nations,
the Germans, Hollanders, Danes,
Scandinavians, French, Italians and
Austrians. Great Britain, including
Canada, Australia, and her other de-
tendencies, the United States, Ger
many and France are the greatest
nations in the world"
The heather nations with their
teeming millions are mere dependen-
cies of the Bible loving nations.
Christian nations have the heather
for their possessions. The Latin ma
tions, when they were first Christian
lied. were the leading nations of the
earth. Our ancestors were heather
barbarians worshipping wodin or
the sun at that time. The Tentonic
or German stock were converted to-
gether with the Anglo-Saxon, a kim
dred people. Martin Luther and
Philip Melanchton, in translating
the Bible into German did for the
Germans what Wickliffe, Coverdale,
Tyndal and the learned men who
made the King James translation did
for the English-speaking people.
They laid the foundations for the
German and the English languages
and gave the Bible to the common
people. The Bible thus given has
revolutionized these nations and en-
tered into their literature and lives.
The Bible reading nations are the
most powerful, the most cultivated,
the wealthiest, the most inventive,
the best housed, clothed and fed, the
best protected against famine, dis
ease and misfortune. They are the
lands of churches, schools, colleges,
hospitals, asylums and other elee-
mosynary institutions. In fact they
are the only nations on earth fit to
live in. Contrast England, America,
Germany, France, with heathendom,
with India, China, Japan, yes Japan.
She has advanced and learned many
of the arts of the Christians but she
has gone about as far as imitation
will take her. The Bible must in
fiuence the lives of the Japanese or
they will fail.
''The influence Of the Bible is
gradually destroying force and war
as means of settling differences
among nations. 1t promotes virtue,
temperance, honesty and righteous
ness. 1t teaches the nations to trust
in God and to do right. Peace on
earth and good will to men is it's
message to the nations and ulti-
mately peace and good will must