Evening star., 1925-07-21
Witness Declares He
Believes EUery
Word of Book.
.COn,n,Oner Takes
Stand TO "PrOtect
Gods WOrd."
BY the Associated Press.

eral truths of the biblical account of
creation, Jonah and the whale, Adam
and Eve and the flood provided the
theme OF the most dramatic moment
OF the Scopes evolution trial-a debate
between William Jennings Bryan and
Clarence Darrow. in which funda-
mentalism and agnosticism met in q
clash of wits.
With the jury still absent Bryan
took the stand yesterday not in the
crowded Rhea County courtroom. but
on platform in the open, while hun
dreds pressed forward as Darrow sub
jected him to a running fire OF ques-
tions on the Bible
Darrow defined the questioning as
an effort to show the people what
fundamentalism is" But the witness
called il an effort 10 east 'slurs upon
the Bible
The great Commoner. who an
nounced his willingness to take the
stand ITO protect the word OF God
against the greatest agnostic in the
United States" expressed his belief
that everything in the Bible should
be accepted as It is given there" Mr..
Bryan indicated that he in turn eX-
pected to place DarroW and others of
the defense STAFF on the stand. but
whether this part Of the program
would be carried out remained in
doubt as preparations were made to
resume indoor court sessions today.
Believes Bible Literally.
Replying to direct questions. Bryan
said he believed that Eve was made
from Adams rib, that the temptation
OF Eve was the reason the snake was
compelled to crawl on its belly: that
the flood destroyed all mankind and
animals outside of the ark, and that
he could believe that God could make
a fish big enough 20 swallow Jonah.
A silence settled over the crowd as
Arthur Garfield Hays announced the
intention of the defense to call Bryan
to the witness stand.
The purpose was explained later
by MI. barrow as an effort to show
the people what fundamentalism Is D."
Mr.. Bryan arose from the witness
stand to tell Darrow, the judge and
the assembled spectators that its pur-
pose was to cast "slurs upon the
Bible
The nature OF the examination
brought Attorney General A. T. Stew
art and other members Of the prosecu-
tion counsel to their feet time after
time to interpose objections. Ere
Quently it even caused DarroW to
W
proceeded to direct the course him
self.
Crowds Faces Strained
Faces grew strained and lips tight
ened among the spectators at the ap-
parent irreverence Of some of the
questions. and they arose to cheer as
the witness waved aside the protec-
tion of the Judge with the declara
ton:
These gentlemen have not had
much chance They did not come
here to try this case. They came here
to try revealed religion. I am here
to defend it. and they can ask me any
questions they please"
As 1t proceeded insinuations ceased
to ne insinuations and became either
unveiled sarcasm or pointed irony,
until argument succeeding argument
fresh one threatened to arouse more
controversial remarks than any Of
the preceding ones and Judge Rauls-
ton adjourned for the day with several
members Of both the prosecution and
the defense counsel on their feet and
hot words on their tongues.
The questioning began with the
usual qualifying questions for the
expert witness and after Bryan had
announced his intention of calling
to the stand Darrow. Malone and
HAYS.
Admits Long Bible Study.
The witness said that he had made
considerable study OF the Bible. in
Guiding its Interpretation on the par
ticular question involved.
al have studied the Bible for about
80 years" he said, in answer to a
question, cor some time more than
that. but. of course. l have studied
it more as l have become older than
when | was a boy.
do you claim that everything in
the Bible should be literally. inter-
preted?"
az believe that everything in the
Bible should be accepted as ii is
given there. Some of the Bible is
given illustratively. For instance,
'Ge are the salt of the earth
would not insist that man was actual
~ salt or that he had flesh of salt,
but it is used in the sense Of salt as
saving Gods people"
But when YOU read that Jonah
swallowed the Nhale-or that the
whale swallowed Jonah-excuse me
please. how do you literally interpret
that
When | read that big fish swal-
Doesn't it. are you sure?"
THAT is my recollection of it. A
big fish. and / believe it, and 1 be-
lieve in a God who can make a whale
and can make man and can make
both do what He pleases."
Asks Purpose OF Fish.
other interrogations along the same
line followed until the query:
"You don't know whether it was
the ordinary run of fish or made for
that purpose?'
You may guess, you evolutionists.
guess" responded the witness.
But when we do guess, we have
a sense to guess right"
But do not do 1t often
You are prepared to say whether
that fish was made specially to swal
low a man or not?''
NO, the Bible doesn't say
But you believe He made them;
that He made such a fish and that 1t
was big enough to swallow Jonah?"
Yes, sir; let me add, one miracle
is Just as easy to believe as another" ;"
A suggestion from Darrow that one
was Just as hard for him to believe
as another brought an immediate re-
sponse:
'It is hard to believe for you, but
easy for me. A miracle is a thing
performed beyond what man can per-
form When you get beyond what
man can do, you get within the realm
of miracles; and it is just as easy to
believe the miracle Of Jonah as any
other miracle In the Bible"
Perfectly easy to believe that
Jonah swallowed the whale?"
IF the Bible said so; the Bible
doesn't make extreme statements as
evolutionists do
THAT may be question, Mr..