In His Image

by William Jennings Bryan

Religion is the relation between man and his Maker-the most important relationship into which man enters. Most of the relationships of life are voluntary; we enter into them or not as we please.

392 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1922

About the author

William Jennings Bryan was the Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States in 1896, 1900 and 1908, a lawyer, and the 41st United States Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson. One of the most popular speakers in American history, he was noted for a deep, commanding voice. Bryan was a devout Presbyterian, a supporter of popular democracy, a critic of banks and railroads, a leader of the silverite movement in the 1890s, a leading figure in the Democratic Party, a peace advocate, a prohibitionist, an opponent of Darwinism, and one of the most prominent leaders of populism in the late 19th - and early 20th century. Because of his faith in the goodness and rightness of the common people, he was called "The Great Commoner."

In the intensely fought 1896 and 1900 elections, he was defeated by William McKinley but retained control of the Democratic Party. For presidential candidates, Bryan invented the national stumping tour. In his three presidential bids, he promoted Free Silver in 1896, anti-imperialism in 1900, and trust-busting in 1908, calling on Democrats, in cases where corporations are protected, to abandon states' rights, to fight the trusts and big banks, and embrace populist ideas. President Woodrow Wilson appointed him Secretary of State in 1913, but Wilson's handling of the Lusitania crisis in 1915 caused Bryan to resign in protest.

He was a strong supporter of Prohibition in the 1920s, and energetically attacked Darwinism and evolution, most famously at the Scopes Trial in 1925. Five days after winning the case but getting bad press, he died in his sleep.

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic read with Scriptures to backup and illustrate the point that Mr. Bryan was driving home. Of course, I have a soft spot as a soon to be history teacher and Christian for Mr. Bryan, yet not too soft since he was a Democrat. Just kidding. The book is a swift read, and was timely in regard to the John 15 Vine and branch chapter. It was needed personally. If you are a cultured Christian, who loves the classics, then this read is for you. If you are a contemporary Christian who likes the "what can Jesus do for me" genre, this book is not for you.

[Shelly Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book for its Christian subject matter, and it delivered for about the first half. But within it turned into a Christian nationalist screed. Because the author was an attorney in the Scopes Monkey Trial, and served several roles in federal government, he wrote at length about Darwin's theory of evolution. That part was actually interesting because I was not familiar with the nuts and bolts of the theory and how it stacks up against the biblical narrative. This was a free book on Kindle, and I suggest reading it to learn about Jesus and understand the perspective on how the Christianity of the early 20th century shaped the modern intersection of faith and patriotism.