The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-04-07
COOLIDGE HOLDS FAITH
IN BIBLE ESSENTIAL
Says Nation Must Hold Faith
To Support Foundations of
Government And Society

in American life," President Coolidge,
in letter made public recently, said
it would be difficult to support the
foundations of government and
society if faith in Bible teachings
were lost.
The letter was addressed to Eugene
E. Thompson, organizer of the Bible
class at the Church of the Epiphany
in Washington, who, with D. 2. B.
Phillips, pastor of the church, recent
ly called on Mr.. Coolidge, explained
the campaign of the class to create
wider interest in the Scriptures and
invited him to attend the church's
services, Sunday.
Literary Value of Bible.
Mr.. Coolidge's letter declared that
the foundations of American society
and government rest so much on the
teachings of the Bible that sit would
be difficult to support them if faith in
these teachings cease to be practically
universal in our country"
Everyone who has given the mat
ter any thought" the President said,
"knows of the great literary value of
the Bible and the broad culture, aside
from its religious aspect, that comes
from general familiarity with it."
Source of Inspiration.
+ although it has been the subject
of most careful and painstaking study
for hundreds of years, its most thor
ough students find in it constant
revelation of new thoughts and new
ideals which minister to the spiritual
nature of the race"
at would be difficult to conceive of
any kind of religious instruction
which omitted to place its main en-
phasis on the precepts of this great
book 1t has been the source of IN
spiration and comfort to those who
have had the privilege of coming in
contact with it, and wherever it goes
it raises the whole standard of human
relationship"
Southern College Students Conserva-
tive In Religion.
New England college students are
"the most radical" in their religious
beliefs, and those in the South SHOW
the conservatism of the South in re-
ligious matters" the Rev. Charles
Sickle, keeper of the church advertis-
ing department of the international
Advertising Association, declared.
Mr.. Stelzle's conclusion was based
on study of the religious beliefs of
$4,000 students in one hundred widely
distributed American colleges and
universities with total enrolment of
10000. The students indicated their
beliefs in answers to nine questions,
which were submitted recently in a
newspaper poll taken in 200 cities. In
the newspaper poll 100000 persons
answered.
Orthodox in Their Beliefs.
| The college survey, said Mr.. Stelzle,
showed that the students arc as or
thodox in their religious beliefs "as
is the average person in the cities of
this country"
The nine questions and the percent
age of affirmative answers by the
students and newspaper readers were:
Do you believe in God? Students,
SO; newspaper readers, 81.
Do you believe in immortality?
Students, 80; newspaper readers, 8s.
Do you believe in prayer as a
means of personal relationship with
God? Students, 80; newspaper read
ers, 8S.
| Do you believe that Jesus Christ
was divine as no other man was
divine? Students, 80; newspaper
readers, IS.
| Do you regard the Bible as inspired
in sense that no other literature
could be said to be inspired? Stud
ents, 82; newspaper readers, IS. =,
| Are you an active member of any
church? Students, rs; newspaper
readers, 81.
Do you think that religion in some
form is a necessary element of life
for the individual and for the COM
munity? Students, 81; newspaper
readers, 81.
This questionable, said Mr.. Stelzle,
showed that "the conservatism of the
South in religious matters was re-
vealed in the study of the colleges
as was true in the newspaper poll, in
many cases the students voting al
most solidly yes Probably the
most radical students were those in
New England colleges. Dartmouth
had an average of only So per cent
Eyes" answers on the whole set of
questions, as against 81 per cent for
all the colleges, and Wellesley had II
per cent.
Small Colleges Conservative.
| Providence College, Rhode Island.
however, had the highest rating, with
SO per cent for the whole question