A—No, sir.
Q—Do you know they are both more ancient than the Christian religion?
A—I am not willing to take the opinion of people who are trying to find excuses for rejecting the Christian religion when they attempt to five dates and hours and minutes, and they will have to get together and be more exact than they have yet been able, to compel me to accept just what they say as if it were absolutely true.
A—Are you familiar with James Clark's book on the ten great religions?
A—No.
Q—He was a Unitarian minister, wasn't he? You don't think he was trying to find fault, do you?
A—I am not speaking of the motives of men.
Q—You don't know how old they are, all these other religions?
A—I wouldn't attempt to speak correctly, but I think it is much more important to know the difference between them than to know the age.
Q—Not for the purpose of this inquiry, Mr. Bryan? Do you know about how many people there were on this earth at the beginning of the Christian era?
A—No, I don't think I ever saw a census on that subject.
Q—Do you know about how many people there were on this earth 3,000 years ago?
A—No.
Q—Did you ever try to find out?
A—When you display my ignorance, could you not give me the facts, so I would not be ignorant any longer? Can you tell me how many people there were when Christ was born?
Q—You know, some of us might get the facts and still be ignorant.
A—Will you please give me that? You ought not to ask me a question when you don’t know the answer to it.
Q—I can make an estimate.
A—What is your estimate?
How Many People 5,000 Years Ago?
Q—Wait until you get to me. Do you know anything about how many people there were in Egypt 3,500 years ago, or how many people there were in China 5,000 years ago?
A—No.
Q—Have you ever tried to find out?
A—No, sir, You are the first man I ever heard of who has been interested in it. (Laughter.)
Q—Mr. Bryan, am I the first man you ever heard of who has been interested in the age of human societies and primitive man.
A—You are the first man I ever heard speak of the number of people at these different periods.
Q—Where have you lived all your life?
A—Not near you. (Laughter and applause.)
Q—Nor near anybody of learning?
A—Oh, don't assume you know it all.
Q—Do you know there are thousands of books in our libraries on all those subjects I have been asking you about?
A—I couldn't say, but I will take your word for it.
Q—Did you ever read a book on primitive man? Like Tyler's Primitive Culture, or Boaz, or any of the great authorities?
A—I don't think I ever read the ones you have mentioned.
Q—Have you read any?
A—Well I have read a little from time to time. But I didn't pursue it, because I didn't know I was to be called as a witness.
Never Interested in Primitive Peoples.
Q—You have never in all your life made any attempt to find out about the other peoples of the earth—how old their civilizations are—how tong they had existed on the earth, have you?
A—No, sir, I have been so well satisfied with the Christian religion that I have spent no time trying to find arguments against it.
