Evening Star Newspaper, March 16, 1930, Page 105

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH 16, 1930. 11 s e i Babson’s Statistics on Christian Religion “The Wizard of Wellesley Hills” Considers This Spiritual Survey One of His Great- est Reports, for Here He Charts the Future Trends of Research 1 n ihe Realm of Man’s Intangible Asset—IHis Soul— and Finds a Place for God in a World That Worships Big Business. BY ELEANOR EARLY. LITTLE, unimportant men are apt to sneer at faith. But hig men are often prayerful. Consider, for instance, the late President Wilson. Henry Ford says that he and President Wilson agreed, during the war, to read their Bibles every day. The President kept that promise to the day of his death, and Mr. Ford has never missed a day. Yet Mr. Wilson was an intellectual, and Mr. ¥ord is a very smart man himself, Roger Babson, a deeply religious man, has given much thought to this subject. He ad- mits he doesn’t read his Bible as methodically as Mr. Ford. But he does say his prayers. Every night and morning. And grace, before and after meals. One of the brainiest men on earth was Charles P. Steinmetz, the great electrical engi- meer. He was a scientist if ever there was one. A great many people believe that it is hard for scientists to reconcile themselves to faith. In fact, agnostics say that scientific men rarely believe in God. Yet observe the deep feelings which Steinmetz revealed to Roger W. Babson shortly before his death. Steinmetz had gone to Wellesley to visit his friend, and the two, scientist and statistician, discussed radio, aeronautics, power transmission —any number of things. ple happiness. Material things will never bring happiness. “ ‘Scientists must now turn their laboratories over to the study of Ged, and prayer, and Mr. Ford (at top) and President Wilson agreed to read the Bibl every day. AND Babson said to his guest: “Tell me, my friend, what line of re- search will see the greatest development during the next 50 years.” “Mr. Steinmetz dropped his head in his hands,” declared Babson. “He had a massive head on a little, insignificant body. One of the finest heads 1 have ever seen. For several minutes he was quiet. I think he was seeking words for the answer he gave me. It was, you see, a most extraordinary statement on the . lips of a great scientist. ““The greatest discoveries,” he said, ‘will be made along spiritual lines. We scientific men thave spent our lives studying physical forces, And now-——having made the most sensational discoveries in the history of the world—we learn that our knowledge has not brought peo- the spiritual forces. Here is the field where miracles are going to occur. Spiritual power is the greatest of undeveloped powers, and has the greatest future.” I'r-y-uwhenuepeofle»mvmtldr. Bahson says his prayers. Lots of people be- lieve that only clergymen, women and invalids pray. that is not exactly red-blooded, or two-fisted. “I am told, however, that Jack Sharkey says his prayers. So does Sergt. York, whom men call the ‘Ome-Man Army.' Sharkey and York are certainly red-blooded and two-fisied. “For & long time it has been comsidered Electrical genius Steinmetz. . . . “We scientific men, having made the most sensational discoveries, learn that our knowledge has not brought people happiness.” rather smart to be irreligious. I wish that I could get people back to God. Most of all, I wish I could get them to saying their prayers again. I'd like to get them to pray like John Wesiley, who wrote in his autobiography, ‘I have so much to do today, that I must pray for two hours this morning.’ “Most people would think it & plain waste of time to pray for two hours, especially if they had a great many other things to do. But farmer spends half an hour sharpening his hoe before going out into the fied to do an hour’s Mr. Babson wishes he could make people realize how comforting it is to tum to God in time of trouble. *“If something worries me,” he says, “I think of God. If some one has been unkind to me, I think of God. If I should come face to face with dire grief—or disaster—or death ftself, I think of God. Jesus voiced a subiime said: “Thou shalt love the all thy heart, and with and with all thy mind, and thy hyself.’ $N\JERVE specialists say that a great amount of trouble does not hurt us—so long as there is variety! It is brooding on one thing too long that causes mental breakdowns. And s0 the psychoanalysts think they have invented something they call ‘thought transference.” All that is necessary, they declare, is to transfer our thoughts from the subject that hurts, or is tempting us. Jesus had the same neotion 1900 years ago, when He told us to love Him, and think about Him. “Jesus was really an ultra-modern, although the agnostics, who think themselves so smart, consider him an old fogey. If you will read Jesus’ program, you will see that it was made up primarily of healing, giving faith to the dis- couraged and good cheer to the crestfallen. He constantly taught that the worth while things of life come through freedom, naturalness and love for God and man. He urged people to for- give. To love. And trust, that they might ‘have Aufe more abundantly.’ the church for more mone). Surely the worMd needs to return to the Ten Commandments and to the sweet teachings of Jesus. “Educators should be compelled to teach as much about God and spiritual fores as about gravitation, electricity and all the physical forces that make up our knowledge of sciemoce. “Purthermore: Just as Catholics, Protestants and Jews all use precisely the same multiplica- tion table, and study chemistry, physics and algebra from the same text books, so, sensibly, they should unite in studying the greatest thing of them all—spiritual power. Religion must be put on a scientific basis. “The five great teachings of Jesus are based upon definite fundamental laws, and can be studied in any laboratory, or discussed in any lecture hall. Beauty, dignity and art have a fit place and fill a useful end. But they are not all in all. We don’t depend solely on pulpits, and candles, and organs to put religion across. “Jesus’ messages are as sound and demom- strable as a problem in geometry. And I can prove their wisdom. Not as a preacher. I am not a preacher—although I once thought I wanted to be one. But as a hard-boiled busimess man, who has to be shown. “Here they are: Love of God, Power of Human Love, * Effect of Human Prayer, ‘The Golden Rule, Eternal Life. “Jesus was a practical psychologist. The mod- Continued on Sizteenth Page Businessman Babson says his avery. might and morning, tdfore and after meals. ayers grece