Life, 1907-03-21 · page 19 of 40
Life — March 21, 1907 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes two distinct targets: **"The Black Hand in Religion"** mocks chain-letter prayer schemes circulating under the name "Bishop Musell." The satire ridicules how such letters exploit people's religious fears and superstitions—promising misfortune to those who don't copy and distribute the prayer. Life notes no such bishop exists, suggesting this is either fraud or a hoax, and warns that whoever perpetrates this scheme trades cynically on nervous believers' anxieties. **"Roosevelt Versus Education"** critiques President Theodore Roosevelt's recent attack on Harvard President Charles Eliot as a "mollycoddle" (weakling) for valuing intellectual education over athletics. Life defends Eliot's position that sports should serve education, not dominate it. The piece argues Roosevelt—despite his reputation—shows more respect for "muscle than brains," while Eliot's measured argument about limiting competitive sports and prioritizing intellectual development is far more convincing and sensible. The accompanying illustrations show children at play, contrasting innocent recreation with organized athletic excess.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
— The Black Hand in Religion pert oF] co °$ of the following threatening letter s A have been received, presumably, by many ; people: Tam sending you a prayer which J have quest that you will rewrite it and send it to nine “O1 merey on received with the ersons: 1, we implore Thee to have | mankind, keep us from all evil and sin, and take us with Thee through eternity. originally sent. by Bishop He who will not rewrite it will have some mis- jortune, Ile who rewrites the prayer, beginning from the day it is re nding one each day, will on or before the ninth day exper It was heard said that he who will grant this request will be delivered from some great ¢3 ’ Please do not break the ch: If Bishop Muscll— whoever he m advertise himself he is probably succeeding. ‘The scheme of trading upon the fears of nervous people is certainly cl If his endeavor is to vulgarize piety and render faith in prayer ding. Should he try this system in some scheme he might find himself in jail. We find no Musell in the list of bishops gnd the whole thing, may he somebody's conception of a joke. (Signed) A Frresp. be—is doing this to ridiculous he is also suce Roosevelt Versus Education HEN President Roosevelt invaded the State of Massa- chusetts and aimed a mollycoddle” blow at President Eliot, he was “up agains ‘The Prex of Harvard coun- tcred on the solar plexus of the Kickers’ champion. The blow was well directed and reached home. That Mr. Roosevelt should have more respect for muscle than for brains is excus- able. Many football players-- under twenty-one years of age probably agree with him. But his recent expression of opinion was merely an impertinence. President Eliot's remarks, while more temperate and more dignified, are far more Sonvincing, For instance: From the educational point of view, the value of any sport is to be tested chiefly by the number y take active part in it for pleasure during the education period and enjoy it in after life. persons who habitus And parents have long believed that It is high time that the whole profession of teaching in school, college and university unite to protest against the present exaggera- tion of athletic sports during the whole period of education, and especially to brin, petitive sports between schools and between colleges within reasonable limits and establish the supremacy of intellectu: tions of educati nd moral interests over physical interests in all institu. ‘These are simple truths, and probably obvious to all thoughtful Americans, excepting, of course, an occasional President and professional athlete. A ng man says that the reason Boston is called “the Hub” is because it is the slowest part of the wheel “Lb ALL A MISTAKE comicbooks.com!