The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-09-08
pRE.EXISTENCE.

" PRE-E1IsTENCE.
s,-suee story and How lt Came
!, to be Told.
,uOpg the commuters q = ml4ea
Anun rsr and milk train making
sss4 4;T,e and many stops on a rail-
pF IN. In one of its terminals ln
"a Wv NV on the Atlantic seaboard, a
80 NJ 4 century ago, were Leon
aIsL LIES Ellis D. Johns, Thomas y.
Y Ja and Estabrook T. Williams
ID nia INC TO be known AZ the big
~ This appellation grew out or
Y PlL ..ot That the four men named Re
N laot .ha tedium or their daily
\ fVea ~ the discussion Of ques-
rrne; mare or less public and pri-
\ ~ ;Utarest By common consent Of
ia.noU-passengers certain seats,
eI t+ thev daily occupied together,
a va reserved for them, and those
IN at in their vicinity were often
L.stIv diverted. if not edited, by the
sriors and views edvanced, pro
ilI oan mon subjects under discus
" y ~ W strange circumstance that
". man Of such diverse character
w. u the Big Four we're brought
srrh close fellowship and the
s;,,ato relations which existed be-
Rraan them. James was an ex-Con-
,sarate officer, a born Southerner
"A rarv proud Of his English lineage.
Eis theological belief was once ex-
-sssad IN a single sentence: The
Fbristisn religion is the greatest sys-
fsm ever invented by man
Tobns was an ex-Union soldier, of
Match descent, and an agnostic.
ko,biano boasted Of his Huguenot
INA but was a pronounced Spiritu-
rst and claimed TO be a medium
Tf no mean power.
Williams was q believer in Orthodox
fbrsrianity and was often forced in
argument on questions pertaining
n his faith, and sometimes mercilessly
rdiculed concerning It, until he re
F1sed to join in such discussions up
IN the ground that the subject was to
Kin too sacred for badinage. The
Nan we're gentlemen and thereafter
rbe discussion Of theological ques-
tions was tabooed. Williams views,
however, we're strongly reinforced by
Inc strange story | am about to re
lata and which was told the Big
-Four BY stranger who happened to
Orerhear one of their discussions, the
subject of which was Pre-Existence.
NThis stranger was a fellow-passenger
N the disDutantS when the subject
named was under disc ussion and sat
near enough to catch the drift OF the
theories advanced by them.
He showed by his manner that he
was listening with interest and seem
ed at times on the point of joining in
w the talk. but refrained from doing SO
until the train was nearing the city.
@ Turning TO the quartet then, he said:
Gentlemen, I have been listening
# to your talk with much interest, and,
as have had some personal expert
alce on the subject, would be glad to
relate it to you. I am a stranger, not
only in your city, but in America, my
home being in London, England. l
am travelling with my family to gain
SoL4C NM "iCASC vi lAl5 6ICdL
w OF yours from personal observation.
As you have no doubt observed, I am
Jew, but Jew with Christian faith.
| am temporarily stopping at the Ho-
tel MitdOrff, 4010 Monroe avenue, and
II you will accept an invitation to
dine with me at A o'clock this after
noon, will take pleasure in telling
the story Of the experience to which
| have referred"
The stranger was a very handsome
man of about 80 years old, with a
manner SO frank and winning that the
Big Four, with one accJ.d, accept
ed the invitation. They went together
to the address given by the stranger
shortly before the hou.. IL had nall ed
and were entertained Ivy him IL q
private dining room OF the magnificent
house OF which ne, his wife and two
children were guests. And aft.r &c
dinner he told them his strange story.
He said:
AS told YOU, gentlemen, my home
is in London and | am a native OF
mat great city. MY name, which is
me same as that of my father, is
S'--NNAA SPPSllIhclCl. h1 G
orthodox Jews and are not aware that
! have departed from their faith. My
father is rich banker of high stand
ing was born 80 years ago and
from my earliest recollection have en-
loyed the surroundings common to
great wealth and the opportunities, Of
education offered by the great English
Universities. These are mere Incl
dents, however, OF little importance in
the story have to tell.
1T was when / was about years
old that | began to dimly comprehend
lnat had had previous existence. OF
course, ire memory OF il at that early
age was misty and uncertain; but
called to mind surroundings differing
from those in my London home. As
Ime passed these memories became
more distinct, and at SIX years OF age
became conscious that in that other
lie had little companions and play
mates One pr these, ! remember,w was
sirl OF four years old, whose name
was Ruth, daughter OF Benoni. An
otner was a boy cousin OF my own
sad about my own age, Abner, son
oL jonathan. My own name was Ma
.nanlel, which was also that Of my
father.
There we're others, but these were
me Two most prominent in and close
y connected with my own history and
VIII mention the names Of no 9TH
ers. ~ year or two later it came to
me that my home in my previous ex-
lstence was in Chorazin, Palestine, and
1nat the period was along about the
Jewish year 1000. | remembered, too,
mat my parents and kinsfolk were
people Of wealth and high standing,