The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-03-30
WHAT GREAT MINDS HAVE
THOUGHT or THE BIBLE.
FARMER
BY John Marcus.
Continued

BY John Marcus.
(ContinuedJ
Samuel Adams wrote letter TO
Thomas Paine with regard to his in
fideI and delstic teachings as contain
ed in his age Of Reason" and asked
him:-"Do you think, Mr. Paines, that
your pen, or the pen Of any other man,
can unchistianize the mass Of our eiti-
zens? Or have you hopes OF corrupt
ing few Of them TO assist you in SO
bad cause?"
Benjamin Rush: Christianity is the
only true and perfect religion. and that
in proportion as mankind adopt its
principles and obey its precepts, they
viii be wise and happy And better
knowledge Of this religion is TO be
acquired by reading the Bible than in
any other way"
Chief Justice lay when dying, was
asked II he had any farewell address
to leave his children; he replied:
They have the Bible.
Henry Clay 7 always have had,
and always shall have, a profound re-
gard for Christianity, the religion Of
my fathers, and for its rites, It's u.s.
ages. and obseryances.
Danied Webster, few days before
his death. the foremost man Of all
his times" drew up and signed this
declaration Of his religious faith
Lord. believe; help those my UNI
belief Philosophical argument. espec-
tally that drawn from the yastness of
the universe, in comparison with the
insignificance OF this globe, has some
times shaken my reason for the faith
that is in me, but my heart has always
assured and reassured me that the
gospel Of Jesus must be divine real
ity. The Sermon on the Mount can
not be a merely human production.
This belief enters into the very depth
Of my conscience"
General Grant Hold fast TO the
Bible as the sheet anchor Of our lib
critics: write It's precepts on your
hearts, and practice them In your
lives. To the influence of this book
We are indebted for the progress in
true civilization, and to this we must
look as our guide in the future"
Bancroft, the historian. Philosophy
has sometimes forgotten God; as
great people never did The sceptl-
eism Of the last century could not up.
rot Christianity, because 1t lived in
the hearts Of the millions.
Christianity never lived IN the hearts
Of 50 many millions as at this moment.
The forms under which Il is professed
may decay, for they, like all that thar
is the work of mans hands, are subject
to the changes and chances of mortal
being; but the spirit of truth is ineor
ruptible: II may be developed. Illus
trated and applied; It can never die;
It never can decline. No truth can
perish No truth can pass away. The
flame is undying, though generations
disappear Wherever mortal truth has
started into being humanity claims
and guards the bequest. Each genera
ton gathers together the imperishable
children of the past, and increases
them by the new sons OF the light, |
alike radiant with Immortality"
Then we have more evidence to fur
nish from the pens Of great thinkers
Men whose names are as familiar al
most as household words:
Goethe, the great German poet: 1T
is a belief In the Bible which has serv-
ed me as the guide Of my moral and
literary life"
Sir Isaac Newton; 4 account the
Scriptures Of God to be the most sub
lime philosophy
John Locke: ITO give man full
knowledge Of true morality, ! should
need to send him to no other book
than the New Testament"
Coleridge 4 know the Bible Is in
spired, because it finds me at greater
depths OF my being than any other
book"
Carlyle "a noble book All mems