Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-27
That Peace Jubtlee"-Prayer as nm
Advertising Medium.

Advertising Medium.
From the New York World.l
The clergy of Boston-that is, the
clergy characteristic Of Boston-are un-
questionably peculiar people, whether
or not they are jealous of good works.
1t seems that number of them have been
applying for the privilege of making the
opening prayer at the coming " Peace
Jubilee" !" with which Boston is now agog
The "Peace Jubilee" does not, to the
secular mind, appear to be such an under
taking as to demand, beyond purely
human undertakings, the invocation of q
blessing from on high. 1t is merely in
its actuality an enormous advertisement
for certain lively men of business, and in
its potentielity concert, or series OF
concerts, at which it is intented to assem-
BILE the greatest number Of human voices,
the most tremendous aggregation of wind
and stringed instruments, and the largest
and greenest auditory ever collected upon
this planet, with the object of celebrating
peace possibly; of giving a concert Of
unprecedented grandeur, probably; and
of making money for its projectors, GER
tainly. This is all very well in its way,
except that there is no reason why the
return of peace, if peace has really re.
turned, should be made the stalking horse
of managers. And there is Ger.
tainly every reason why religion
should not be called in to give an
odor of peculiar sanctity to what is
only the plan Of man of business to
make money in his business. That art
should be the handmade of religion is
doubtless true. Real art always is. But
that religion should be the handmade Of
advertising is another proposition alto
gether, aud one by no means so accept
able. When Simkins opens his newly
decorated "drug store," fitted up with
oriental magnifcence and replete with
adulterated wares, or when Tomkins an
nounces to the public that his dry
goods palace" which has been erected
with total disregard Of expense and de-
corated in the highest style of what it
pleases Tomkins to call art" will .e
inaugurated on a given day, we all
understand that Simkins and Tomkins
are doing q bit of advertising. 1t is as
legitimate q means as plastering dead
walls or sending emblszoned bipeds
through Broadway. But Simkins and
Tomkins do not in such cases, call in
their respective clergymen to commend
their several shops to the notice of the
Almighty, by way of impressing the ex-
cellence Of them still more forcibly upon
their fellow creatures. 1t is probable
that they would have sufficient moral
sense to revolt at such proposition. 1t
is permitted men to be ridiculous, but
not to be impious.
We are unable to see how the manager
of this Boston Jubilee stands on a
different footing to any other manager.
Barnum refrained from calling down the
divine blessing upon the fsctitious tail of
his gorilla, and the spurious antiquity of
his Joyce Heth, and it seems that the
Boston Snowman might wisely emulate
him in leaving the taint of original sin
upon his unblessed trombones, and per-
hitting his unhouseled ophicleides to 90
TO their account with all their imperfec :
tions on their heads.
But, in any case, it is shameful that
men whose business it is to SOW spiritual
things should prostitute their calling by
applying for leave to advertise, in the
way of prayer to Almighty God, this
great show, that so they may secure a
small share of the advertising to them
selves. But in Boston all things are
possible, and next winter we may lock ia
see some spectral word. monger having
the honor to announce to the lecture
committees of America that he is open
for epgagements-begging to call their
attention to the fact that he was the pre-
ferred candidate for putting up prayers
at the late Peace Jubilee in Boston, and
hattering himself that in that capacity
he gave satisfaction. To whomp