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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS K AT L’HP AT, UARC1I J. IDT. A SOUTHERN COMMISSION HWWWIMHMOMWMMIMWiMMi - proponed «" ••cur* In the , ,i,„rn *utn>. th* constitution of SS5SMSI of *bl. and repreeen- .'..Vitlsena for the purpoM of crjrn pronouncing, «ftor a thor “K'mraatlSallon of fh« fhct». thoM 'SS.'.wS with re#«rd to our 2Td»rn situation, nnd the re- *■1 of the two racea In th« Houtli. rrpronont th* cotuclenoe and at *,^.,oio P iTine the resolute civilization •f.^uthJm whit, people. It *.e«- "it this conunUelon •hall eon- C Of men of th* htifhut public cbar- *?.r a'ltoae preset** on «ueh a com- “irio« win command the general con- Smo" Of their reapectlre state«,_and o.tTiopeal t" •■»• re«pect and patriot- Lm of me whole Soulh. *Thil propoaltlon haa aecured the ap- JSJ of* large number of tbougbt- fV ’ . influential men to whom It fau SiXbmmed and In whoea hand* It Kn formulated. It la believed It “T, Tnnman.l the favorable Judgment .’i hr patriotic sympathy of all who Jtvr tt careful and thoughtful coruld- ’’tvrthemiore. the matter ba* gone far ™ become a practical poaal- of the reaaon* which urge the Joe ami Importance of thla movement “rte pweent unaettled nnd unaatia- J,on- .iato of afTatra In the Southern Site,’with regard to the relation of ISTare. l« not a permanent condition, IS in the judgment of careful obeerv- “ muet result In an Improved eltua- T' nr In one Indescribably worse. Ae nitiere are now, the progreaa of the Snnthtrn states along several lines Is hindered he the unreal over thla ques- and If an predicted, the contusion nd dlaonlcr I* precipitated Into eome- thlnr ttorec. every Interest of the peo- of the South l» Jeopardised. > The Southern white people owe It to themselves and to their common Inter- I,, go* together In the thlnge upon ,hi(li we me agreed, and aa the domi nant and responsible people, should not f* * r mf . undemtood program. In 1M,, during the months Intervening between the emancipation of the I 1 •*TV.’ , * n< * thalr anfranchlaement. the legislature of Georgia confronted tha fact of 400,000 people In the aisle who were freedmen and not vot er*. and. tlierafora, without a status. That legislature devoted Itself to the preparation of a. code of lawn defining tbb atatua of |h* freedmen and the re. latjqn of the white race toward them That wae a wise etateemanahlp. For ty year, later we confront a situation almost Identical, au far aa the negro population la concerned, with that which existed In 1147. Th* negro le not a voter, but la a citizen. It should suggaat Itself at once that It would be wlae statesmanship If’the Southern states shall eeek to come Inlo agreement In regard to the relatione between the racee. and to lay down a policy about the matters upon which general agreement le poetlble. The white people of the South owe It to the negroee to give them an un derstanding of the conditions under which they are assured protection, progress and peace. At the preeent time the negroee are In confusion about what the Southern white people really require at their hands. Thla greatly affects the ability of their leader, to obtain co-operation among themselves In directing theljr race. There Is a debt which the atrong owe the weak. It will be In part paid when the strong Anglo- Saxon of the South gels his own thought clear about the relations which should exist between the white people and the negro people, of a common soil, and whose welfare In the laat analysis Is a common Interest. The Southern white people are un der obligation to the rest of the world to face thla race situation with courage and with confidence ln x our ability to control It and resolve It Into an orderly and determined policy for both racee. The supreme obligation now resting 1 upon the while men of the South Is to prove that there la statesmanship among ua sufficient to secure a work ing agreement that we are able to deal with our problem In accordance with the principles of Christian civilization, and that a program for such a dealing ran be originated among ua. shaped (n our handz, and faithfully Incorporated Into our public sentiment.’ The necessity for prompt attention to these metiers on the part of the whole Boutli Is pressed upon ua by peril of sudden outbreak and violence at the colnta where there Is meet mlsunder standing and distrust between the races. It must be clear to a thought ful man that outbreaks like the At lanta and .Mississippi riots have a tendency 10 destroy our own confidence In our ability to control our Situation, and also the confidence of other eec- tlone of the country. Moreover, if •uch outbreaks should continue, a pro test would noon be heard front Chris tian communities In other ports of the world, an In the case of the Russian massacres and Congo atrocities, di rected to the United States aa a nation, and holding the whole country reepon; slhle for the Inhumanities. The Inevl- table result of that will be that the Southern race situation will become a matter of congressional action and a matter affecting the national honor. When this occurs the South will at' once be plunged Into n period of reac tion nnd resentment on one side and " onsclentloue support , of order and national authority on the other, creat ing u hot line of division throughout the whole Southern society, the effect of which upon all the Interests of*the Southern people will be unspeakably deplorable. Whereas, If, as this commission pro poses, ths South demonstrates Its re sourcefulness and promptness In put ting Into pronouncement principles tending to ameliorate conditions, and tending to cteale u better opportunity for the difficult task of working out REV. JOHN E. WHITE. our'problem, we will very effectively put nn end to ell agitation over the possibility of congressional Interfer ence. The existence anil the deliver ance 4>f such A commission will give reassurance to the negro leaders and promote the direction of their energies In a wise leadership of their race; It would laeue a restraint upon tbe law- nesanesa of Irrraponsibla whites nnd tend to gather them Into the orderly ranks of good cltlaenahlp; It would ere. ate an era of current. Instead of the ’present era of eddies, a period of con struction In the plucs of confusion, and ’we would commend ourselves to the kegard, the confidence anti the patience 4t the rest of the country end tbe 'world. 1 To the question, "What would such a commission give Its attsntlon to. and . along what lints would It conduct It* .wor?’’ It Is suggested as follows: I The matter of the separation of the races, socially, to place this matter upon Its moral basis aa a condition dully resolved upon and to which tha oo-operation of the negro leaders should be formally Invited. . The matter of race Integrity, the sub-' mission of the fixed and Anal conclu sion vital lo all parlies for the peace |. end progress of both races, end so S renounced Ms to be beyond any possl-' le misunderstanding. At the aame lime giving attention to the while man's share In the common curee of mis cegenation looking toward the aeyereat possible dealings with ths white man's crime for fornication and adulter)' with a wr.il.er race. Tne mallet ur the MUfftsge. 'I'iie clear enunciation or Ihe morally de fensive grounds upon which Ihe policy of our suffrage amendments nnd Ihe gonsequent elimination or the Ignorant negro vole, would have great value to tbe South. Also a clear-cut recogni tion of this as a wlae provision of gov ernment to be ultimately applied to tbe unprepared of both racea would be Juit and al the same time stimulative to education and thrifty cltlaenahlp on the part af the white people. The matter of negro labor. Encour agement to the negro to stay close by the soli on the ground uf Increasing agricultural opportunity In the South, nnd nn the around of a natural race evolution, encouragement of the negro alia to thrift and Industry; therefore, the repeal of all legislation discourag ing lo Ihe freedom of labor; also en couragement of the natural diffusion of labor aa tha variations of opportunity may naturally permit, tin the further grounds that at many points In the South there Is an over congestion of negro population. The qtPMtlon of Im migration would claim great attention. The matter of education. The .loittli. ern people deserve thut Ihe fact* with regard lo the development of our pub lic school system, th) wreck cut of vrtCh It emerged, the poverty thrn end •till generally prevalent.poverty of the |>«ople, the difficulties attending taia- lion, and the deplorable Illiteracy or the maaaes of the white children should have an accredited atalrmenl and pro nunciation. Alan tha naceaalty for local taxation to supplamenl the met grr leglslntlve provision should be encouraged. With regard lo tha nagro schools, assurance of no drslre to deprive them af their •hare In Ihe public school funds and the promotion of movements to Im prove Ihe equality of the negru’s'edu- cation, and of attention lo lls adapta tion lo-what la peculiar In hla rltuu lion. Thr mailer of Justice and law ailmln- Islrmtnn The umendnienl sod reform of our criminal practice before llo courts, so that the publle and Justice may be better protected against tdiHt'p practice, without regard to public safely, which haa tended to bring law and the admlnfstration uf Justice Inlo contempt. This would also bring In the con sideration of 4 rural police, and also the ro-operall»n of the negroes In th- detection of criminals, and we should pronouncedly give a pledge of trial In jury and of protection agalnet all Itw- leanness to all rltlsena. For such a commleselnn to pronounco upon theae and other mettera abou which at the present time there pi much feeling and no crystallisation of thought, would lay down a line by which the press, the pulpit, the schools and Ihe people could begin to hew, and by which also tha negroes would mskn a batter assured progress than thsy urn at present making toward the adjust ment of their race to Ita environment It would discourage I ha morbid spirit of discussion among our people end greatly promote attention to the health- producing and manhood-making con cerns of life. The religious movements by denomi nation and by civic leagues would be greatly acceterated by tbe creation of a saner and leas dleturbad slate of mind In ihe South, and especially the very existence of a commission, would Inspire confidence In the ability of tha Southern while people to ba master ful In the face of great difficulties. The essential feature of thla whole proposition Is that 11 will b. Southern in origin, Southern In organisation Southern In. all the provletone for Its existence, and. therefore, on appeal iw the patriotism of ihe Southern people, lls keynote would be the firmness and yet Ihe sympathy of the South with re gard ta our qwn and the negro's wel fare. Iis prlnclplo Is confldence In the Mouth's ability lo realize a fommon In terest and responsibility, conOdence In our eaparlty to agree sufficiently uinnng ourasivea tu pniiimle that com, mon interest end to discharge with a more united front that common respon sibility. Its expectation Is that such • com mission would be the beginning of an organized public sentiment In the South protective of our Anglo-Saxon leader ship, pronioilre of Christian clvlllza- • lion and reassuring to the development and progress of the Southern states and people. It Is not an effort to solve the race problem, but a movement to create better conditions In which the slow moving forces of solution may better do their work. (In the next paper objections to thla proposition will be met.) BRUNSWICK* AND ITS .ISLES ENCHANTED By REV. JAMES W. LEE, PASTOR TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH A T THE breaking out of the war between the states LeBarron Drury move* to Brunswick from Quebec. !!i« family at the time con futed of his wife and daughter and hi« eldest ion, named Jamee Drury. Hla hon. Charles Carter Drury, born t Rotlienay. New Brunswick. Canada. Aufuat 27. 1146. after hla education at the collegiate School. Fredericton. St* Brunswick, entered the royal navy 1859. • U Barron Drury married the daugh- f Lieutenant Colonel James Poyntz. who commanded the Thirtieth rqcitnent In the British army. Charles Carter Drury married the eldest oiughter of Robert Whitehead, of Bucket, Rerks and Flume, Austria. En uring the royal navy in 1859 he was *ib-J1eutrnant, 1865; lieutenant, 1868; •■"nimand»T. 1878; captain* 1885; rear adrr.ini. 1*9$, aide de camp to the queen, 1897-99; naval adviser to in spector general of fortifications. 1886- # :»M: flag captain North America and # We«t Indies hie majesty's ship. Bells- rophnn, 1SS9-92; member ordnance committee. 1893-94; flag captain, "Roy al Sovereign,” 1894-95; senior officer, Gibraltar, im-99: rommander-ln-chlef Ks*t Indies. 1902-03; vice president •rdnam e committee, 1900; he wae cre- •ued knight commander of the bath. IK- and treated night commander of etar ..f India In 1903. He In fel- f the Royal Geographical Bocle- ■y a «d I- now the second naval lord ih- admiralty of Great Britain. Hie hrv. wife died In 1900, and It 1* now announced that he la soon to marry »ne eeron.i tlrqe. a daughter of one of ' * tpoet prominent peer*. It le said • vime ,,f the older generation In Krunnvb!; that he spent a winter there "itii his f.Hhfr during the latter's life- Le ItMiTon Drury died In Bruns- * 1, k in H8I. and his son. James Dru- r >. dn-.i there In 1891. They are both rotted there. N'ath.ini. I Greene, the greatest gen- i.ii ,r u„. Revolutionary war, next kL. Vr•ngton, had an estate on Cum- i*rUrH Inland, near Brunswick, and «ttr hi* retirement from the army m-ned ther.. and lived until his death n Vi «. 11 * r * v * Is at Dungeness. ,he b, -uitlful grounds now owned by Mrs. Carnegie. It was while living In the home of General Nathaniel Greene's widow thnt Ell Whitney In vent'd the cotton gin. Having grad uated from Yale College In 1792. he came to Georgia to teach school. Ob serving with what difficulty the ne groes picked, the lint from the cotton seed, he set about devising a method to do the work by machinery. Ills workwhop was broken into nnd his machine stolen before he could get a patent on It. After that he went back to New England, where Jie made a for tune on firearms at whltneyvllle, near New Haven, Conn. Light Horse Haro* Lee. General Rob ert K. Lee's father, died at the home of his old commander. General Greene, and Is burled In the same grounds with him. on Cumberlapd Island. Mr. Al fred C. Newell some year ago collected many Interesting fact* concerning the life %nd last days of Light Horse Harry I*ee. and 1 take the liberty of giving them here. General Lee was burle 1 here In 1818. He had been to the West Indfm In search of health, and after remaining there five years without Im proving. he bad started home to Vir ginia. hoping to reach his native state before he died. But growing rapid*v worse on the voyage, he requested thnt he be put off gt Cumberland Island. There he was received with the great est kindness by Mr*. James 8haw. the daughter of his old companion In arm*. General Greene. Mr. Newell found In an old copy of The Savannah Republican an account of his funeral, which Is perhaps the only contemporary description of It In existence. The account 1* from an eye witness and Is as follows: ”1 yesterday witnessed the Interment of another of those patriarchs that our country. In congress assembled, so fre quently speak of and so little assist. I have seen the body of General Lee re ceive all the honors that could be given by feeling hearts from those who will be forgotten by their country when no longer serviceable, when It Ig too late to benefit them either by pecuniary re ward or a just acknowledgment of their merits. He was burled from the Dun- geness house, the property of one of our Revolutionary heroes, General Greene. Whether to meet In fancy his old comrade In arma or to call back scenes of better times, led him there I did not Inquire, but heard he came an Invalid; that Mr. Shaw and the family strove all In their power to keep the flame burning, and although the oil waa lacking, they atlll drew* the gentlo breath of affection. Commodore Henly superintended the la«t sad duties. Cap tains Elton. Finch. Madison. Lieuten ants ’Fltxhugh and Rtchte, of the navy, were the pallbearer*. "As the procession moved and the swords of the first two crossed the old man's breast, they were In their scab bards. for his heart beat no more. I thought they said 'Rest In peace.' The other officers of the navy and Captain Payne followed. The marlnea of the United States ship, John Adams, and the brig Saranac, formed the guard, and a band from our army assisted. Me. Taylor performed the last ceremonial duties. The sight nfva long train of soldiers, neatly dressed, Interested me. 1 was absorbed in contemplation. 1 pointed out the procession. It was mm I ng over a field, where once a fine orange grove stood. An Invader of our country hss destroyed It. Admiral Cockburn bad been there, the last of hla name, and a greater scourge to mankind than the locusts of Afrlci. Involuntarily. I turned to embrace the sturdy monarch that supported me. for It seemed to promise that such things -should never happen again., A volley, of musketry over the grave of General Lee aroused me. and with folded arms 1 retraced my steps, while the howilng of the mfnufe gun from the John Adams echoed through the woods.” General Robert K l*ee. with his daughter. Agnes, visited his father's grave In the spring of 1870. ihe clos ing year of his life, and upon the oc casion wrote home to Ills wife: "We visited Cumberland Island, and Agnes decorated my father's grave with beautiful and fresh flower*. I presume It Is the last time I shall be able to pay It my tribute of respect. The ceme tery Is unharmed and the graves uro In K'mmI order, though the house at Dungcne** has l>«cn burned nnd the Island devastated.'' Mr. Newell nls«» glvss Ihe following interesting facts concerning General Henry Lee's bravery, he culled from teenrds of his life: 'On the 19th of July. 1779, nt the head of 300 men. Lee surprised um! captured Patilus Hook. N. J., securing some 16o prisoners, and retreated with the loss of only two killed and three wounded. For 'his prudence, address and bravery' REV. JAMES W. LEE. j ■ on this and other occasions, congress voted the following resolutions: By the act of 7tli of April, 1778. it was 'Re solved. w in rcai* Captain Henry Lee. of (lit Light Dragoons, by the whole tenor Ills conduct during the Inst cam paign. has proved Idtmoif a brave and prudent officer, rendered essential serv- to his country, and Acquired to himself and the corps lie commanded distinguished honor, nni It being th'* letennination of congress to ,-ewnnl neilt. Resolved, That Captain Henry I,ee be promoted to the rank of major commandant; thnt he !>• empowered to augment Ids present corps by enlist ment of two corps of horse to act as a separate corps.' "By the net of 24th September. 1779. It was 'Resolved, Tlint the thanks of congress be given to Major Lse for ths remarkable prudence, address and bra* very displayed In thr attack on the en emy's fort and works at Paulus Hook, und that they upprove the humanity shown In circumstances prompting to severity, ss honorable to the arms of tlio United Rtates and correspondent to the noble principles on which they were assumed, and mat a gold medal, em blematic of this ufTalr, be struck under the direction of the Itoard of treasury* and presented to Major I^ee.' "After serving for three years In ths campaigns of the Northern artny, l*ee was ordered south to join General Greene, with whom lie served until his final retirement from the army after the surrender of CoinwaJUs at York- town. Greene commended him by de claring that 'no man In the progress of the campaign, hsd equal merit.' "When it Is remembered that Lee served there with such soldier* as Mor gan. Marlon. Pickens, Sumter and oth er gallant officers, the full extent of this praise will tie appreciated. ".Mr. O. \V. Parke Custis. in his 'Recollections of Washington/ has writ ten: *Wlth the advantages of a classical education, General l*ee possessed taste and distinguished powers of eloquence: and was selected, on the demise of Washington, to deliver the oration In the funeral solemnities decreed by con gress In honor of the Pater Patriae. The orutinn having been but Imper fectly committed to memory, from the very short time in which It was com posed. somewhat Impaired Its effect upon the auditory; but ms a composi tion It has only to be read to be ad mired. for the purity and elegance of Its language and the powerful ifppeal It mukes to the hearts of Its readers, and we will venture to affirm that It will rank among the most celebrated performances of those highly distin guished men who mounted thn rostrum on that Imposing occasion of national mourning' "Mr. t’ustls adds: in one pn.lhula- Lec may be said to Imve excellrd 111* Illustrious contemiHirarles Marsha'I. Madison. Hamilton. Gouvemeur .Morris and Ames. It was In a surprising quickness of talent, a genius sudden, dazzling and always at co;mnund. with »n eloquence which seemed to flow un bidden. Heated lit a convivial botrd w hen the death of Patrick Henry v as announced. Lee called for a scrap of pa per. a fid In a few moments produc'd a striking and beautiful sulJgium up >n the Demosthenes of modern liberty. "'Lee's powers of conversation were also fascinating In the extreme, pos sessing those rare and Rdmrl.Pde qual ities which seise and hold captive Ids hearers, delighting while they Instrjci. That late was a man of letters. *t scnol- ar who liad ripened under a truly clas sical sun, we have only to tur.i to his work on the Southern war. where he was. Indeed, the magna para furl of ull which he relates—a work which well deserves to be ranked with the com mentaries of the famed master of the Roman world, who, like our Lee. was equally renowned with the pen as th.* sword. But there la a line, a single line. In the works of Lee which would, hand hint over to Immortality, though he had never written another. "First In war, first In peace, and first In the beerts of his countrymen” will la*t while language lasts.*" The following Iftjer from Light Horse Harry Lee to hla favorite son* Tarter !*ee. Was written from Nassau. As we retd It the conviction Is forced upon us that It Is not surprising that such a man should have had such a son as General Robert E Lee. This la the letter: "Having this moment an opportunity to send to New York. I use it to repeat my love and prayers for your health and advancement In the acquisition of knowledge from Its foundation, not on the surface. This laat turns man Into | a puppy, and the first flta him for the ' highest utility and most lusting pleas ure. I requested you to write monthly to me. giving me with . dearness and brevity m nurrutive of your studio, recreations anil your relish for the oc cupations gvhlch employ you In and out of college. Never nilml your style, but write your first impressions quickly; clearly and honestly. Style will conic In due time, as will maturity of Judg ment. Above all things earthly, even love to the best of mothers and your ever-devoted father, 1 entreat you to cherish •truth and abhor deception. Dwell on the virtues and Imitate as far as lies in your power the great and good men whom history presents to our view. '"Minerva! Let such examples teach thee to beware. Agqlnat great God thou utter aught profane; And If. perchance. In riches or In powsr Thou shlnest superior, be nol Insolent; For know u day sufficeth to exalt Or to depress the state of mortal man. The wise nnd good are by our God be* loved. Rut those who practice evil lie abhors.* "You have my favorite pracapt In- istllled from your Infancy by my llpa morning, noon and night. In my fa miliar talks with you. hare presented to your mind In the purity and elegance of the Grecian tragedian (Sophocles). You never. 1 trust, will forget to make it the cardinal rule of you life. It will, at least, arrest any tendency to Imitate the low. degrading usage too common of hwearing In conversation, especially with your Inferiors. My miserable state of health improves by occasional voy aging In thla fine climate, with the sage guidance of a superior physician to whom I am now icturnlng. The cli mate of Cambridge Is much colder than that of your native country. How <y*M . It agree with you? Pray guard agalnat cold; It Is the stepping stone to other diseases. I repeat my entreaty to sate yourself from Ita Injuries, and I pray you also to cherish your licaRh by te*rt- Iterance and exercise, it Is hard to ray whether too much eating or too much drinking undermines the emudtutioii. You are addicted to ucLbc.* and will, f am sure, tube care- to grow up free from both, (iegnllness of poraon It not only comely to all beholder*, hut le Indtsfiensablc to sanctity of nrriy. Trained by your best of mot hem to, value It. you will never lose mgli* of It/ To be plain and neat In dress conforms to good sense and I* emblematic of a right mind. Many lads who avoid the pructlcen mentioned fall In: > another hublt which hurts only themee.ves and which certainly stupefies the senses -Immoderate sleeping. You know how I love my children and how dear .4tnltii I* to me. Give me a true description of his person, mind, temper and habits. Tell me of Anne; has she grown tall? ; And how Is my last In looks and under- ' standing? Robert w*as always good and will be confirmed In hla nappy turn of : mind by his over-watchful nnd offer- { donate mother? Does he strengths* his native tendency?" There la not In Georgia soil more consecrated than that on v'uinlierlan.l Island, transfigured and Illuminated by the dust of the body of Light Horse Harry Lee. ' iHHIHMHNmHtHHIHMIHIHIHIHIIHHMHHMNHIHIimiHIHNI FAITH OR CREDULITY? By REV. EVERETT DEAN ELLENWOOD, PASTOR UNIVERSAL1ST CHURCH IMMIHHIHMHMHHHII Tl., nx. in hlch we live I* fre- iwntly it.si.ntted ss nn Me of *ross _ t»fl.- , : | -i:i True nplrltunllty In nsltl >r.„" '."" 'I'l'cnrln* from the he-rtn of "ry many quarters the Idea ' at religious faith haa auf- Fnw, ■•(III IIM "***- ,I ; M hue. In many a house of h ader of accustomed de- T l ,r »y» with unction unto hie " return of thn good old faith •th, ,, ier * for u genuine revival of religion," and deplores tit. If.! '" 1 ' 11 hitter moan of anguish fcl defection of Ihe unfelth- I'etitt . " ”" y hulpltn may be heard re- 'tvtiti. . '' 'h® descriptions of ex- w ," it res which are to come to "Hen. hecaune of unbelief. **i,i< ’ "’' eth not nhall be damned" »M, r ~ ' " 11 mo,t delectable morsel as their own the creeds of their In-1 of a simple act of faith, on the other there, there In In this no occasion ml hand It cnulrt only be acrompllnhed for justify the pessimistic declaration that hla equally honeet brother by making the fundamental* of faith are rapidly auch a tremendous demand upon hi* disappearing. Reverence must not pro- credulity aa to render him skeptical lilblt progress, nnd proaresa frequently concerning hla own Intellectual Inleg demands Hint the sacred objects of one ! rlty most delectab ™n> nu ecclesiastical tongue. An Age of Unbelief! o>ti , " ni1 " —If sifted before we eh—II U M , hal charge le well found- tisb.ii., . "nitty an age of religious ... 1 ‘rmin It le that this Is an hsine..*^Writuai and Intellectual reat- '*» n • i ,n1 * n »«• In which thought M.,. ,"f hnow stagnation. II la an In, t. .■*"»»" and Insistent queatlon- ’ j, i , n “«* °f universal explora- «b i,‘ ;, "'estlgatlon. And It la also bin. ,'! ' "treme Individualism.’ But totlnJ , unmistakable conditions t..... iV" ''relating that It la also n t la, . * ’ f"r Inferior Quality and fall. IfVr'o* "f genuine religious faith. »ii, ‘ '■iiough that ihe aarred ves- ■tun i, "" n,| led with greater Impunity "ge of which we have Jntin. , . record, but are we not 4m\ . 'he belief that this famlll- ’• t... "'spied by an earnest desire worth and utility, rather '• .„ . ’"* v •—«rk of reverence? Al- 4»n ,. “'"'ng numbers of thinking "■tussive* unable lo accept generation shall be sacred to tb« mind end conception of the succeeding gen erat ton only because of memory nnd association. The itreatrst danger th.il can fare clvlllxed man I* that the growth of the soul, the constant devel- lopment of the ndnd, should know pause | The only supreme calamity to reach the 'race could be the utter cessation of the unceasing hunger of the ntlnd to know the truth, for the soul'* expe- ' rlence nnd Its aspirations declare that along t>ila pathway alone shall freedom be dually attained. What is Faith? Doubtless very much of the gloomy foreboding end dlsmel prophesies of those who so continually .prate of the decadence of religious faith In the hearts of men I* «lu<? t» an erroneous conception of the nntura end the func tion of faith. Unfortunately, w ith very man)' men and women, faith and cred ulity seem to be but synonymous defi nition* for an Identical condition or state of the human soul. And because of this npparent Inability •'> properly classify psychology, we often And otlt- erwlae eminently rational men de nouncing In unmeasured terms their loved and respected brethren, merely because of on Intellectual Inability to All of the foregoing la merely In en able me in suy that we are nol to conclude that nur brother does not be- IIs.vs> In Uod and In the abeolute su premacy of righteousness In a normal universe, merely bemuse we discover that hla conception of dud and of Hla method of government do not fully co Inclde w ith our own. Whenever It I* possible to discover any genuine evidences uf decline of religious faith In any man's heart, thrii upon careful Investigation we may gen. erally discover auch decline to have resulted from a misguided attempt upon the part of some religious fanatic to check the isa’lng progress of that man's thought. With seine men and women It Is perilous indeed to attempt, by threet of ecclesiastical disfavor or divine displeasure,' to dethrone reaaon w hlch is only another name for gen uine faith. In older -that credulity may reign In the guise of what a preceding age ha* called faith With many leaders of religious thought-it-haa been a favorite pastime foe many years to flay the noted thinker and lecturer, Robert Imre molt, for III* so-called attkekn upon nllglon nnd lellgtnus faith, and to him la often charged the' Infidelity and consequent eternal damnation of large number. the ’’faith of Ihe fathers The greatest makers of Infldellt.' and atheism are those who evade or win, refuse to attempt to answer lo the In. liable and Innumerable question* instantly unfolding minds. If theie a—ree upon what the one nitty Tiaid "T'k .w ho have been led out and away fron be an absolute essential of faith, but' •>— "r-uh ..f the »• n.ee. " which may la* to hla brother but a gross and revolting superstition Vety much of the world's unhappiness ba* been due to the fact that man seem* cent a'nce 'o f* The " ut h°of a *crrt a I tl the- jare any real atheist* Today. I»y far th*j oryor a certain theological pioposlil.n I greater majority of them have town be for him but tbe natural result for them the seed* of InSdelliy In th* REV. E. D. ELLENWOOD. Intimacy of the cloaa room In the over, axe Hunday achnoln of our churthea. You have not anaweml the perfectly legitimate queatlon of a bright, In /eR- tlgatlve boy In your Huniay acnool when you have told him that he muat believe thin or that or thn other Im- poaalble proportion, atmply on the baala of bln faith In God. And, by your failure, you naturally fotve him to find hie own wnnwer. and thr m- awer. <ouid you know n would doubt- leaa often cau^e you great ururaMm nn Here in a atory with nmh a nolemn banla of truth aa to Justify 111 r*i*U- A certain Sunday school cla»a of perfectly normal boys was presided over by u very sincere and devout, und ♦lino very ntrnple-minded nnd unen lightened young woman. Hhe had been a willing and unquestioning pupil In the old reboot of orthodox faith nnd hud been taught to coniddrr an aban- lutelv literal and Infallible the nacr'U p«K»*n of her text hook. For hei, the all sufficient answer to every quentlon which might urine on account of the frequent conflict between tbe rtnrleH and ntatenietitn of tbe text book end the unmistakable revelation* of n< lence and experience, had been her fHllh In God uml In the Infallibility of tbe book. Hut with the l»o>n It wan very differ cut. Faith If it in- genuine end not a free admixture of credulity la very largely e matter of experience, while credulity I* almost entirely a matter of peralatent practice. The boys’ ex petlence in life had been too limited to give them anv well defined faith In G<mI. The> were at that age which question*, arena anil *cniMnl*»*« They were eager *for investigation und de manded t«> know th© "why" and the "how” 6f everything. Already In their work In Mchool they were delving into the mysteries of earth end ulr, and learning the law* which bring the blunh of rlintne to the guilty • beak and hold whirling worlda In their ap point rd place*. And a* a fundaments! principle of natural law they had been told that any law which might be sue- ceaafully abrogated, even for tbe frac tional part of a second, betaine upon that Instant n worthless thing In the illvlne economy of the universe. They were learning their first and moat val uable lexson concerning the attributes of God; numely, the abnoluie Immu tability of III* laws. Very naturally, therefore, the attempts which their Hunday school teacher made to an swer their i>erplexlng questions were fat ft oin rails factory. They wanted to know how ft was possible for the Iron ax head to float upon, the surface of the water. Imw Joahua wo* able to make the sun to halt In Id* course at uilil-day. how the Israelites walked dry shod through the waters which Im mediately destroyed their enemle*. how the beast of Balaam held Intelligent converse with Its master, how the three Hebrew children walked In comfort through the nery furnace. They wanted a rational explanation of all of the louniles* mysteries In that splendid collection of myths and fables, and tra dition*. and folk-lore, which they found mixed up with history and with fact all through the tfkt book they were at tempting to study. And the young lady conscientiously tried to do her duty. Hhe did her very best to explain these things to the satisfaction of her Inquisitors, and to explain them from the standpoint of the verbal Inspira tion and the absojute Infallibility of the book. Ami -•whenever she was pushed to the limit of her Inventive ingenuity, she always sought the refuge practiced and taught bv her loved and honored latltor. Hhe told the boys that they must believe these things, and sometime, when they were older, they would then be able to underetand them. Hhe forgot that they were trying their very best to understand them In order that they might believe them. Hhe told them they must have faith, and then they would have no trouble In be lieving everything Ip the text book. Just as they found It. And the result? One day the minister was calling In the home of ode of theae boys, and because the boy didn't happen to see him In time, ht cornered him In the room, and In order that the boy might learn tu love him. began to catechise him. He asked him many questions to test his knowledge of the Hcrtptures. uuj then bagan to question him concerning re ligious duty and practice, anally retail ing the question. **\Vhat Is faith?"I guhkiy unit ths bo>'s answer, "To ah evidence of faith. Imve faith Is to be able to belteva something that you know Isn’t to." And who shall say that tha seeds of skepticism /were not already spring ing toward maturity In the mind of that eager young bah*? Faith and Reason. No proiM>Mltlon la true, be It theo logical or scientific, merely because It inay be found In the text book. Any attempt, therefore, to found and to I maintain a system of religion upon the basis of an infallible book will In tha very nature of the case degenerate Into a frantic attempt to proaerve a deca- ! dent theology beyond tha time limit eet for it by the Immutable law of human i progress. A thing Is not trua for you unless it haa the full approval and as- nent of your private Intellectual con science. no matter how many times you may declare your faith In the proposi tion In your habitual mechanical repe tition of the creed which you were taught as a hoy. But because a man has discovered' and Is big enough and biava enough tu admit ami dec)#?* tbe abMbftta-RmtHy-. - of many of ths theorise which he was formerly disposed to hold as essential to salvatlor, we do him grave Injustice to declare that ha has. therefore* pegged to believe In God. It may be rather that since he has surrendered his alle giance to the fetich he hoe Juat begun to believe In God. Mud out how he treats his feltow- tnsn and then you may form n more correct estimate concerning his faith In God. There axe men and women who never heard or our Bible, who ngvtr heard the namea of any of our great leaders of religion, to whom the name of Jeaus of Kaoareth would convey wo meaning whatever, yet whose practico of their faith In God and In His uni versal fatherhood would pot to a home the practical damonstratloug of.mao/ lof our brethren w*bo continue p» insist upon the observance of a atsted form ng