The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-06

London is Muril-
| los Holy Family" in Paris, Murillos
Assumption of the Virgin" in Ant
werp, Reuben's Descent from the
Cross" in Florence, THE Madonna
de la Sedia;" In Venice, Titian's AS
sumption of the Virgin" in Milan.
Leonardo's Last Supper" in Berlin.
Guido's 'Ecce Homo" in Rome, "The
Crucifixion," and in Madrid, "The As
cension," by Raphael; in Dresden. the
crown Of all the worlds art, THE Sis
| tine Madonna"
The influence Of the Bible Is equally
felt in The realm of poetry as illus
trated in Dante's "vision;" Tenny-
| sons Holy Grail" Browning's
christmas Eve" Easter Day"
Death in the DESERT" Whittier's
"Our Master"
In the realm Of music, the influence
| of the Bible is seen in such oratorios
as Elijah and Paul" by Mendelssohn;
1.-THE Messiah" by Handel; THE Gre
alton" by Haydn. Our National hymn
America" was written by a clergy
man.
Literature also has felt the influence
Of the Bible. In a very real sense Ger
many may be called the home of the
Bible, and Germany is the land of
books and learning. 1t is claimed that
over 20, 100000 books left the German
press last year. 1t has been said that
Ireland, which, in sense has been de-
prived of the Bible, is not a land OF
literature. Indeed, it has been claim
ed by some that there are towns of
moderate size in Ireland in which a
book store cannot be found. Ruskin's
beautiful gardens would be but bar
rem deserts were it not for the flowers
taken from the Bible. Millions Para
disc Lost" is nothing but the Bible in
blank verse. Bunyan in his Pilgrim
Progress saw practically nothing that
the Apostle John had not seen in the
Book of Revelation. Shakespeare's
works would be very meager If
stripped of all their scripture quota
tions and references. 1t is claimed
that Carlyle is but spiritual distor-
ton of the Prophet Ezekiel.
When we turn to the realm of NOR
ais, the influence of the Bible stands
q
geography Of the world could be made
by considering the countries that have
the Bible and those that do not What
makes Edinburgh better than Constan-
tinople; Toronto better than Paris;
Massachusetts better than Mexico?
Mexico was colonized a whole CEN
fury before Massachusetts. Yet look
at the moral and intellectual contrast
between Massachusetts and Mexico.
What better testimony can we have
to the influence of the Bible than is
found in these comparisons and con-
trasts? What is the difference between
the Pilgrim fathers who came to this
country to build up and many Of the
present emigrants who come to pull
down the institutions which are prec-
ious to us? Does not the difference
lie in this-that those Pilgrims came
with the Bible In their hands and the
fear Of God in their hearts, while a
large number Of the emigrants Of to-
day come with neither Of these bless
ings? Say what we will against the
blue laws of Puritantsm, they are to
be much preferred to the wide open
continental Sabbath and the anarchi-
cal spirit that too often characterize
the emigration of today.
Some figures Will be interesting and
instructive in this connection. In
England, a Bible land, there was l
murder to every 17s.000 inhabitants;
in Holland, a Bible land, 1 to every
100000; in Austria, a land which is
half and half Bible. to every $1,000;
in Spain, land Of no Bible, to ev-
cry ALA; in Naples. a land of no
Bible, 1 to every also; and in Rome,
the city of no Bible, to every $50.
Further. In speaking Of the in
f1uence Of the Bible in the realm of
morals, 1t is claimed that in London,
a Bible city, births out Of every 100
were illegitimate; in Paris. where the
Bible is seldom read, IS out Of every
100; in Vienna, where there Is prac-
ticaIly no Bible, for every 100 legiti-
mate births. lis were ulegitimate; and
in Rome, where the Bible is practical
1y a forbidden book. for every 100 legi-
innate births there were 243 illegiti-
mate.
Yet in spite Of these facts some
men today are trying to get rid OF
the Bible. Should we not count that
man a traitor to his God and to his
country who would destroy the Bible.