Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-11-09
The Saloon of surat.
(Translation from Greek.)

there was a saloon where many trav-
e!ers and strangers were accustomed
to assemble and debate.
One day Persian theologian call
ed at that saloon; he was man who
had given all mis- life to the study of
nature, theology, reading and the
writing of books on these: subjects.
He had studied, read and written so
much about God, that he lost his rea-
son. His mind became confused en-
tirely, and he even ceased to believe
in Gods existence.
The shah being informed of this,
sent him out of Persia in exile.
After he had studied all his life
about the "First Cause" this, poor
theologian, without being conscious
of having lost his reason, reached the
extreme of believing that there is no
superior ruling the universe.
This man had with him an African
slave who followed him everywhere
he went. After the theologian enter
ed the saloon, the slave remained out
side. He sat near the door, upon a
huge rock, under the shining sun
Chasing the flies which were buzzing
around him."
After he had settled himself upon
bench in the saloon, the Persian or
dered a cup of opium. He had drunk
the opium and it began to hasten the
functioning of his mind, and turning
to the slave he spoke to him, through
the open door. "Tell me, poor slave,
do you believe that God exists or
not?"
"Certainly he does exist" answer
ed the slave and Immediately pulled
from under his belt a small wooden
idol. "Here" he said, "This is the
God who has preserved me since the
day of my birth. All the people of
my country worship the holly tree
from which this God is made" This
conversation between the theologian
mad the slave was heard with aston
ishment by the patrons of the saloon.
They wondered at the Masters ques-
tion, and much more at the answer
that the slave gave him. One of them
a Brahman, hearing the slaves talk,
turned toward him and said "Silly
and Blind! Is it possible that you be-
lieve that God can be carried under
a mans belt? Only one God exists,
Brahma, and he is the greatest in the
world for he created it. Brahma, the
only one, the Almighty God and to
his honor churches have been built
and the banks Of the Ganges river,
where his faithful priests, the Brah-
mans worship him. They are the only
ones who know thestrae god After
many thousand years, and through
many revolutions and wars, those
priests have preserved their spiritual
power, because Brahma, the only
God, protected them.--
Thus spoke the Brahman, thinking
to convince every one. But one, a
Jew broker, who was with the other
patrons, answered him saying "Nay,
the church of the true God is not in
India, nor does God protest the Brah-
mans tribe. The true God is not the
god of the Brahmans but the god of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He does
not protect any one else but his
chosen people, the people of Israel.
Since the beginning of the world our
nation and only ours was beloved by
Him. Although we are now scattered
all over the earth, it happened be-
cause God wanted to test us, for He
promised that some day He would as
semble His people in Jerusalem. Then
the temple of Solomon "the ancient
worlds wonder" will return to it's
previous splendor. Israel will become
the commander of all the world"
He wanted to continue, but some
one interrupted him-"What you
have spoken are lies" said he to the
Jew. "You make God unjust! Is it
possible for him to love your nation
more than the others? 1t happens to
be otherwise. Nevertheless, God, even
in the ancient times, never loved the
Jews. Nineteen centuries have passed
since they rejected him, and made
him destroy their nation, and scatter
them throughout the earth. And to-
day no one is coming to their. faith;
faith which has almost disap-
peared."
"God never shows any preference
for any nation. However, he calls