W. S. (William Shuler) Harris
opinion on one of the complex questions of the day.
At the bureau of information the two companions were directed to the
Public Hall of Debate, which was reached by the aid of one of the
numerous electric elevators. The Great Hall had an auditorium of one
hundred feet in height and a seating capacity fully capable of
accommodating the visiting multitudes. The acoustics were so perfect
that one, at the farther end of the room, could easily hear the speaker
on the stage. When Mr. World and his friend had entered the hall they
were surprised to learn that many of the auditors were members of the
more radical churches along the King's Highway.
The corps of high titled professors who occupied the stage spoke at
intervals, or answered questions which were propounded by persons in
the audience.
Over the stage I saw in illuminated letters: TEMPERANCE AND THE BIBLE.
An aged man was speaking when the two comrades took seats near the
center of the room.
"We are not here," explained the venerable man, "to prove that the
Bible is either false or true. We leave that question for other schools
to decide. It is our province to show what the Bible teaches on this
important theme. Temperance is a word so misused and so abused that
it becomes people of sound judgment to go to the rock bottom of the
question as viewed in the light of Scripture."
Then, adjusting his green spectacles, the speaker opened the Bible and
offered to explain, or to have explained, any part of it that bore on
the subject of "Temperance from a Bible Standpoint."
A breathless silence followed until a moderate-drinking church-member
arose with Bible in hand. "Did Christians, during the life of Christ,
drink wine?" he asked, in a self-righteous manner.
The speaker called upon Mr. Wine Expert who quickly stepped forward
from his chair on the stage.
"There can be no doubt," he affirmed, "but that they drank wine freely.
They knew enough in that day not to discard a good thing."
Hundreds of people sprang to their feet, but Mr. Venerable ordered
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