The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1912-03-08

Si&:ss:S$$S*3:#3&g most % u / Iul
picture In the Ma
= zzsSs..ss.A p tional Gallery in
London is Muril-
los Holy Family" In Paris, Murillo's
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, 1.-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;
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 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 Is, 000, 900 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 land of
literature. Indeed, 1t has been claim
ed by some that there are towns of
moderate size in Ireland in which
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 II
stripped of all their scripture quota
lions 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
out in even stronger relief. A moral
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 coionized 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-
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
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 Puritanism, they are to
be much preferred to the wide open
O. fh4
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 !
murder to every 1TS,000 inhabitants;
In Holland. a Bible land, to every
100, 900; In Austria, land which is
half and half Bible, l to every $1,000;
in Spain, land of no Bible, 1 to ev'
cry ALA; In Naples, land of no
Bible, 1 to every 2,750; and In Rome,
the city of no Bible, to every $50.
Further, in speaking II the in.
fuence of the Bible in he realm OF
morals, it Is claimed that in London,
a Bible city, 4 births out of every log
were Legitimate; In Parts, where the
Bible Is seldom read, 4S out Of every
100; in Vienna, where there is prac.
tca1ly no Bible, for every, 100 legiti
mate births, 11S were illegitimate; and
In Rome, where the Bible Is practical
ly 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?
Further, and shall we say it in
bated breath, that this is the book the
state of Illinois has banished from it's
public schools. As nation we should
never forget that the secret of our
national dignity and greatness comes
from the Bible. 1t will be sad day
indeed for this nation, and the be-
ginning of the decay of her greatness
if the other states Of the Union should
follow the example of Illinois. Then
we had better write Ichabod upon the
door of our Capitol at Washington, for
God will have left us and our glory
viii have departed.
Exercise your Talents.
"T-he foolish virgins in the parable