Was William Jennings Bryan a Fool?
The name of William Jennings Bryan has been kicked around for years since his participation in the Scopes trial. He was made to look silly in the movie about the trial, "Inherit the Wind" (leave it to ultra-liberal Hollywood). But was Bryan really the clown the media and entertainment fields made him out to be?
The following is taken from the book From Darwin to Design, by Dr. C.L. Cagan and Robert Hymers:
" William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) has been portrayed as a half-wit by the secular media for defending the Bible against evolution. But Bryan was no fool. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president in 1896, 1900, and 1908. And history shows that the first man he ran against, William McKinley, did not have Bryan's ability or character. Even Clarence Darrow, Bryan's antagonist in the Scopes Trial, admitted he had voted for him twice because of Bryan's progressive ideas in politics. President McKinley is hardly remembered today, while Bryan is discussed in every college classroom when the subjects of the gold standard or evolution are brought up.
Bryan was Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915. He had the moral courage to resign rather than back the administration as it plunged our nation into World War 1, "the unfinished war," which history shows did not make "the world safe for democracy." Bryan had the foresight to see this error. America should have stayed out of World War 1 and let the European nations settle it themselves. World War 2 might never have occurred if Wilson had listened to Bryan. Bryan was right. Wilson was wrong.
Bryan's arguments on the subject of creation and evolution are solid and convincing. Those who have only been exposed to the scopes trial through the Hollywood propaganda film, "Inherit the Wind," should read the masterful arguments of this great American. Bryan said:
"There never was a time when we needed religion [i.e. Christianity] more than today. We need it in the world; we need it in this country. Look at the sin and crime in our own country...There are [thousands of] college men in our prisons; how much good has education done them? The country has spent its money to educate them, but their hearts went wrong, and their hearts took their brains with them. Brains that were trained for the good of the country were turned to the plunder of society and there is no hope unless we can get back to a religion that makes men believe in God and a future life and gives them a sense of responsibility. The world needs Christ." "
If you need any proof that Bryan had a point, take a look at today's newspaper, or turn on a television news program. You will see the results, and the side effects, of a world that too often believes that we don't need God, that we somehow can rely on science and the "goodness" of people to take care of our needs. Those people are wrong.
Bryan was right. The world needs a belief in salvation, hope, compassion and kindness. It needs Jesus. More than ever.
By George Konig
4/27/2008
www.konig.org
See a list of all of our commentaries
Copyright ©1999-2009 George Konig
www.konig.org
Home Page
Our email address is:
cifquestions@yahoo.com
