The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-10-27


Pittsburg Press. They tell a story
OF trader who In passing convert
ed cannibal in Africa asked him what
he was doing. "Oh. am reading tho
Bible" the ex-cannibal answered.
"That book Is ont Of date in my
country. said the foreigner III It
were ont Of date here" said the Ar
rican to the European, "yoa would
have been eaten long ago" Another
story tells Of woman in India who
said to a missionary: "Our old men
saw you come and carry us away with
yorr new rel,sion But II is nothing
raid ~ yoa that carries us awav and
makes Us Christians; II is vour Rook.
There are such wonderful words in
it: when they sink into the heart no
thing can take them out again"
But It is not only the unlearned
and the simnle of heart who have
discovered priceless treasures in this
matchless chronicle Of mankind's
moral and spiritual progress. Charles
A. Dana was one of the most famous
and Influential journalists this coun-
trv has ever produced-a scholar, n
PHILOSOPHER ACQUAINTED with the best
knowledge and thought Of his own
and past times. and moreover a man
OF affairs. who had successfully filled
imuortant Offices under the national
government. Hear what he said con-
cerning the Bible:
There is perhaps no book whose
style is more suggestive and more
instructive, from which you can
learn more directly that sublime
simplicity which Iiever exaggerates,
which recounts the greatest event
with solemnitv. Of course, but with
out sentimentality or affectation.
There Is no book which you open
with such confidence and lay down
with such reverence; there is in fact
no book like the Bible. When you
get into controversy and want ex-
actly the right answer, when you are
looking for an expression, what ~
there that closes a DISPUTE like a
verse from the Bible? What is it
that sets up the right principle for
you. which pleads for a policy, for
cause. so much as the right pas
sage from Scripture?'
It is narrated of a New York mis-
sionarv that he went to hold an
sopen-air service Ia Paradise park,
ore of the lowest sections Of the
city. Before she BEGAN to speak. he
heard a man say Damn the Bible,
ANYHOW The missionary at once
mounted his barrel and announced
NV text TODAY is Damn the Bible,
anyhow That made the whole
crowd including the man who made
tho irreverent remark. ea ~er I'd hear
the sermon. It was less sensational
than the text. but ii was full Of
wholesome and needed truth, and
was exceedingly to the point, for it
proceeded to tell in homely language
Just why the devil. who had uttered
the same sentiment long before the
man in the crowd. wanted the Rihle
damned--namely. because it filled
the churches and emptied the broth
els: because il DESTROYED a mans
desire TO spend his evenings with
drunken companiors in low saloons
End vile resorts and gave him new
iov IN remaining at his own fireside
end IN the sweet and uplifting circle
os his own family; because il gave
HlHi HtM NlNAOn hAAd ltffdlNN "
him how noble even the humblest
may become through Dareness and
unrightness Of life and loving SER
vice. because. in short. the Bible
takes men from evil and gives them
to God. Many q rought but manly
fellow went awav from tAat onen-
air talk with a feeling that the Bible
was his friend and with determirs
alton that he would have II in his
house and send his children to Sun
day school to learn more about 1t
than he had learned.
Much learning, once declared a
very learned man. maketh mad Per
haps 1t does not make mad save in
rare cases, but nothing is commoner
than men whom learning has made
wise in their own conceit. no really
great man whatever supercllious or
ribald in his attitude toward the
word Of God. II Is still true that
truth is revealed not to the proud
and wise in their own conceit but to
the reverent and hur'ble and II is
'Neso who linger most lovingly over
~. n