Page:The World's Most Famous Court Trial - 1925.djvu/295

Rh that the human race is much more ancient?

A—I think there may be.

Q—And you never have investigated to find out how long man has been on the earth?

A—I have never found it necessary.

Q—For any reason, whatever it is?

A—To examine every speculation; but if I had done it I never would have done anything else.

Q—I ask for a direct answer?

A—I do not expect to find out all those things, and I do not expect to find out about races.

Q—I didn't ask you that. Now, I ask you if you know if it was interesting enough, or important enough for you to try to find out about how old these ancient civilizations were?

A—No; I have not made a study of it.

Q—Don’t you know that the ancient civilizations of China are 6,000 or 7,000 years old, at the very least?

A—No; but they would not run back beyond the creation, according to the Bible, 6,000 years.

Q—You don't know how old they are, is that right?

A—I don't know how old they are, but probably you do. (Laughter in the courtyard.) I think you would give the preference to anybody who opposed the Bible, and I give the preference to the Bible.

Q—I see. Well. you are welcome to your opinion. Have you any idea how old the Egyptian civilization is?

A—No.

Q—Do you know of any record in the world, outside of the story of the Bible, which conforms to any statement that it is 4,200 years ago or thereabouts that all life was wiped off the face of the earth?

A—I think they have found records.

Q—Do you know of any?

A—Records reciting the flood, but I am not an authority on the subject.

Q—Now, Mr. Bryan, will you say if you know of any record, or have ever heard of any records, that describe that a flood existed 4,200 years ago, or about that time, which wiped all life off the earth.

A—The recollection of what I have read on that subject is not distinct enough to say whether the records attempted to fix a time, but I have seen in the discoveries of archaeologists where they have found records that described the flood. Q—Mr. Bryan, don't you know that there are many old religions that describe the flood?

A—No, I don't know.

Q—You know there are others besides the Jewish?

A—I don't know whether these are the record of any other religion or refer to this flood.

Q—Don't you ever examine religion so far to know that.that? [sic]

A—Outside of the Bible?

Q—Yes.

A—No; I have not examined to know that, generally.

Q—You have never examined any other religions?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—Have you ever read anything about the origins of religions?

A—Not a great deal.

Q—You have never examined any other religion?

A—Yes, sir.

Q—And you don't know whether any other religion ever gave a similar account of the destruction of the earth by the flood?

A—The Christian religion has satisfied me, and I have never felt it necessary to look up some competing religions.

Q—Do you consider that every religion on earth competes with the Christian religion?

A—I think everybody who does not believe in the Christian religion believes so—

Q—I a [sic] masking what you think?

A—I do not regard them as competitive because I do not think they have the same source as we have.

Q—You are wrong in saying "competitive"?

A—I would not say competitive, but the religious unbelievers.

Q—Unbelievers of what?

A—In the Christian religion.

Q—What about the religion of Buddha?