The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-04
LARGE AUDIENCE
HEARS VENDING
NOTED LECTURER ATTRACTS A
GREAT THRoNG AT THE
BIJOU THEATRE.
MASTER WORD PAINTER
APPROACHES HIS SUBJECT IN CRI-
T1CAL MoOD1EsUs COULD
NOT HAVE BEEN IN
vENTION.

The fact that George r. Vending
had been heard in Richmond on
numerous occasions did not detract
from the interest with which he was
heard yesterday afternoon at the
Bijou Theatre under the auspices OF
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton. The audience pretty well filled
the big play house-an indication that
the people OF Richmond knew that
an intellectual feast awaited them and
also that they were able to enjoy
such q feast. He spoke for over an
hour without there being any per-
ceptible tagging OF interest on the
part of his hearers.
Powerful and Beautiful Tribute.
Few more beautiful or more power
full tributes to Christ can have been
found than that which Mr.. Vending
makes in his lecture on THE Man
OF Galilee." And by the same token
there are few men who can be so
effective in bringing the Nazarene in
his true light before the people. The
hundreds of men and women who
heard him yesterday undoubtedly
went away with new conceptions OF
Christ In their minds and with doubts
Of his divinity. II any there were
prior to hearing the remarkable ex-
position of his character. removed.
The lecture abounded in sentences
that were perfect jewels Of pictures
que and striking expression and
which would have to be printed YER
batim for their full charm to be
realized.
And while Vending is a veritable
magician with words ne is the same
master orator as 81 yore. his oratory
being not Of the impetuous -torrential
type. but rather Of the type OF pre-
ciston, Of absolute self-possession. OIL
perfect enunciation and of an un-
erring sense OF the dramatic.
What He Hopes.
In opening his lecture. Mr.. Wend-
ling said that II all the good he could
do his hearers lay in what he might
say he would not have accepted the
invitation to make another visit to
Richmond. He said that what ne
hoped to do was to suggest something
that the audience would follow up
and investigate for themselves and
that in this would be the benefit that
.aAyIap o. aIaM kou1
He expressed his intention to 20 into
his subject not irreverently. but in a
critical mood. And so he turned the
searchlight Of logic and reason on the
man Of Nazareth.
One Of the many striking things
that he said was that people are stili
ruled by Kings and that everywhere
In republics as well as in monarchies
they naturally demand a King Re-
publics. he said. are ruled by nom
hereditary kings. TT Is the win and
character OF the wisest and ablest, the
kingliest man. that prevails" he said.
do you tell me the day OF kings 10
over. Not with the genuine king.
And the real king comes as often from
the humble as the high walks Of life,
The Physieai Christ
An especially Interesting part OF the
lecture was his delineation Of what
he conceived 10 be the physical char
acteristics Of Jesus whom he described
without spot or biemish, His every
feature perfect Jesus. the lecturer
said. was not ''the meek and lowly
Jesus" In any sense except the spir-
itual sense. He was not frail and
bent. but a majestic. kindly looking
man. Nor was Christ an unsophis-
ticated man or provincial. accord
ing to Mr.. Vending: on the contrary.
He was a cosmopolitan. mingiinx with
esV HiOcN pCIAENN ease Win the m0St
diverse personalities, Of exquisite re-
finement. OF great personal dignity, OF
matchless courage-in truth tho very
lion OF the tribe OF Judah.
Christ's intellectual Life.
Speaking OF Christ's intellectual life.
the lecturer dweit at some length on
Christ's immeasurable superiority over
mere men In the gift of expression. He
quoted Renan a. saying that ~when-
ever one comes to His words ono can
feel them vibrafe." ana the speaker
himself coined . beautiful expression
when he said that the sentences Of
Jesus "hang like banners IN the air.
The concluding part Of the lecture
was an answer to the suggestion Of
modern doubt that Christ was an In
vcntion. He said that Christie his-
tory showed Him to be q perfect man
and quoted with approval the words
Of Theodore Parker THAT 1t takes Z
Jesus to fabricate jesus II Christ
were an Invention. the speaker argued.
there would b. imperfsctions In HIS
character.
Tomorrow niGht M. vending win
begin Z series o. week nieht lectures
NJ tho *. N. G. a. auditorium, Tho
sub5sct Tor tomorrow night bsing Sun.
1esn 4solt1oBs -