Cowardly Slur Sirs:
As one of those obscure citizens who believes the minority is often right, permit me to thank you for your clear, fair and newsworthy article on the William Jennings Bryan University and its first graduating class [TIME, June 25]. Mr. Bryan was an ordained elder in our Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and although he was hopelessly outvoted by a church which is fast slipping into Modernism and Apostasy, he was never afraid to inform the church of her danger, and in the face of ridicule and hostility, his superb moral courage showed that he feared God more than he feared man. The last cowardly slur with which an ungrateful America besmirched his memory was the canard that he died from overeating. Mr. Bryan was crucified by a loose-moraled Christian citizenship and a false religious leadership.
JOHN R. STEVENSON
Pastor
Grace Presbyterian Church San Francisco, Calif.
Rolling Chapels
Sirs:
I have read with interest your article entitled, "ST. PETER" under the head of Religion in the issue of TIME, June 25. In this article you say that ST. PETER and ST. PAUL ... are the only two chapel cars in U. S. railroading. I may say that The American Baptist Publication Society has been doing business with chapel cars on the railroad manned by a good preacher and his wife with well-equipped pulpit and auditorium and living quarters for 44 years.
Our first chapel car called "Chapel Car Evangel" was built in 1891 and used in new towns along the railroads in the West. In 1892 we built our second chapel car, "Emmanuel," and sent it to the Pacific Coast. It was later brought back to Colorado for service. In 1894 we built our third chapel car, "Glad Tidings," with money given by Mr. William Hills, of New York, in honor of his wife, and it operated in the Southwest. In 1895 we built our fourth chapel car, "Good-will," given by Baptists in general who were inspired by the generosity of Mr. Hills and the effective work of the other cars. In 1898 we built our fifth chapel car, "Messenger of Peace," and it has operated in Oregon for many years. In 1900 we built our sixth chapel car, "Herald of Hope," the gift of Baptist young men of the country.
In 1917 we built our seventh chapel car, "Grace," given by Mr. and Mrs. Conaway of Los Angeles, Calif., in memory of a departed daughter and it was set at work in Wyoming. This last car was built at a cost of $25,000. The other cars cost somewhat less. . . .
Our chapel cars are not as active now as they were in the years of rapidly developing frontiers. New towns are not now springing up along new railroads, hence some of our cars have been given to churches and built into permanent meeting houses. . . .
OWEN C. BROWN
Executive Secretary
The American Baptist Publication Society
Philadelphia, Pa.
Sirs:
I have been wondering whether many alumni and students of the University of Notre Dame: (Notre Dame, Ind.) will not write to correct your statement in the June 25 issue under Religion, article "ST. PETER.". . .
They will know that the University has maintained a chapel car for the use of its football teams on their travels for many years, to the best of my knowledge since 1923. . . .
WILLIAM C. REILLY
Orange, N. J.