The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-08
SUNDAY READING.
"The Little Church Around the
Corner"
BY DAVID WALK.

TThe following sermon was delivered in lem
phis, Tenn, Feb. 9th, to a. crowded auditory
1t deals manfully with some evils and wrong
ticent, and we, therefore, take great pleasur
in giving 1t publicity.-Ed. Stdndard1
One Of the most pregnant and sugges
tive facts of the hour is, undoubtedly, tn,
sudden and unexpected notoriety of thu
little church around the corner" l have
not come here tonight to talk about til,
little church around the corner, which hap.
pens to be located in the city of New York
but of the principle which l conceive to be
illustrated in its peculiar and unexampled
prominence. propose to include in my
present view, all the little churches around
all the corners of all The towns and cities
of our land. Propose to hold up all the
little churches around all the corners of all
the towns and cities of our country, in con-
trast with all the big churches in all the
grand avenues and fashionable streets of all
the towns and cities Of this free and inde-
pendent nation.
l propose to demonstrate the fact that
with what is called "society" among us
the church is mere fashionable append
age, and that it is tolerated only as sort
of sop to guilty consciences. The poor,
the addressed, the ill-fed, are as effectu-
ally excluded from the churches as they
are from the private mansions of fashiona-
BILE society. as
These are rich mems churches, built ex-
cusively for the worship of the rich mans
God. intend, further, to exhibit the ut
ter heartlessuess and hypocrisy of that &C.
clesiasticism which assumes the awful pre-
negatives of the Divine Judge, and pre-
sumes to pronounce &c catbedrG upon the
fitness or unfitness Of prolessed follower
of Christ to receive those Christian atten-
tions in death, which we do not hesitate to
bestow upon savage. And, finally,
it is my purpose to consider the
spirit and tendency of a religious or
ganization which does not scruple to
ostracise and condemn all who have not
the open sesame of fashionable portals,
without apparently any misgivings of
corded the little church around the corner,
in New York, is but the responsive voice
Of the great body of the people, speaking
in recognition of an act of simple christian
charity. 1t is the voice of the oppressed
proclaiming eloquently against the oppres-
sor. 1t is the voice of the poor and down
trodden, lifted up against the purse-proud,
would-be American arstocracy. 1t is "a
cry from the great heart of the outcast and
prescribed classes of our country, speaking
in thunder tones against the insufferable
priestly arrogance which apes the spiritual.
social and political tyranny of the old
world. 1t is a solemn protest of pure
and undefiled religion, the object of which
is to do good to all men, against fashion
able Christless pharisaism.
Perhaps all who hear me are familiar
with the circumstances which gave rise to
the expression, "the little church around
the corner" Briefly, they are as follows
A few weeks since there died in New York
the veteran actor, George Holland it is |
alleged that he had been for many years
good standing it is fair |
to presume--of church, which in this |
sermon shall be nameless. Mr. Joseph |
Jefferson, with whose name you are all |
made application to a rever-
ened gentleman in the city, the rector of
large and fashionable church, to grant
burial to the deceased actor, and |
also that the funeral rites might be OBJ
served in said rector's church, At first |
the clergyman consented; but, on learning
the calling of the deceased, he withdrew his
consent, casually remarking that there was
a little church around the corner where
funerals of actors had taken place, and to
this church he advised Mr.. Jefferson to 60
1t is reported that Mr.. Jefferson left the
rector with the remark "All honor to
the little church around the corner p
These, as l understand them, are the
facts in this case. Now let us be /
just. Let us remember that nothing is
gained for the cause of truth and righteous
ness by exciting the prejudices of the peo-
Pile. u
Perhaps most of them were ignorant of |
the existence Of a law, forbdding prayer
to be uttered over the mortal remains of /
poor actor; or of a man who-for all we
can KNOWN a moment of insanity,
should commit suicide. At all events,
they knew there was no such law in the
word of God, which is the only religion of
Protestants and it now remains to be
seen whether or not they will sanction
such law by remaining in bondage to it.
Now, have nothing to do with any par
tisan or sectarian view of this affair.
With me, all sects are alike. / speak as
the champion of no sect, but in the inter-
est of the cause of Jesus Christ, which
rises high as the heavens above all sects.
But there are some things which, it APP
pears to me, the public do not consider.
1t is alleged that Mr.. Holland was a men,
Der of the sect which refused him Chris
ian burial. Very well; but let us in-
luire: Did he knoao that his profession
was in contravention of the laws of his
church
But further had the church clearly and
distinctly pronounced against not only the
Ealing Of an actor, but also against at
upon theatrical exhibitions? Did
t tolerate theatre going Oh the part of its
members? Was it in the habit of deal
Dg with those members who attended
heatres, as offenders against the peace,
ilgnity and purity of the church? If
yes, its action was consistent with its dis
inctly enunciated principles; if no, then
{ simply stultified itself, and, hence, de-
erves the odium and contempt which the
people have, with such surprising unanim-
ty, heaped upon it. % g q