The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-29

assume form and shape and appear to men
they would start back in alright at the appari-
ton. Emasculated theology! What is it?
1t is a theology without the theos, Christianity
without Christ, religion without beauty or
form-a mass of dry bones. It is, in short.
the exact thing which we see every Sabbath in
perhaps one-half or two-thirds of the pulpits
of this and other cities. It is sensationalism,
pure and simple. The pulpits are not slow to
charge the press with treating every subject in
sensational manner, thereby, they say, en-
couraging crime and looseness in society and
pandering to the baser passions of the multi
tude. But the pulpits are not whit behind
the press in sensationalism, as our columns
will amply testify. Why is this? Is there
anything in the tendency Of the times or in
the ideas which pervade the minds Of men d Il
the wants of this age that calls for sensational
ism or emasculated theology in the pulpits
II seems to us that this might be made fitting
subject of inquiry by some Of our ministerial
associations
A few weeks ago the Methodist Preachers
Association started discussion on the rela-
ton of Methodism in the cities Of New.York
and Brooklyn to other denominations and to
the populations of those cities. The statistics
instance, though subsequent inquiry presented
the facts in much more favorable light for
Methodism. In accounting for the decline
here Of o denomination which largely outnum-
bers any other single sect in the United States
some things were said or intimated which
have, by their publication through the press,
stirred up at least one of the most eminent
ministers of the land. Mr.. Beecher was
charged with preaching an emasculated the
ology-a theology without Christ-and the
decline of Methodism was said to be due to
SO many ministers of this denomination trying
to copy him. Mr.. Beecher, who knows how
to defend himself and his theology both in
the pulpit and through the press made this
charge the topic of his lecture room talk on
Friday evening. He, of course, denied the
specifications, andin doing SO gave utterance to
what is undoubtedly the secret Of his success
81 am, said he, '.n sympathy with mankind
I feel the pulses, the wants, the warnings of
the time in which / live" This was what
gave the Lord Jesus Christ His power to sway
the masses in His day, and because He was in
sympathy with them and felt their pulses and
the yearnings Of the time in which He lived
'the common people heard Him gladly and
followed Him by thousands out of all the
cities of Judea. The cause, therefore, Of the
decline of Methodism here is, according to
Mr.. Beecher, to be attributed to lack of
adaptability, and not to an imitation of his
style of preaching.
But what is the object Of preaching at ALP
And why are hundreds of churches built
annually and millions of dollars spent for the
promotion of Christianity? Is it that par
ticular class of men may make a living by
teaching the other classes system of dogmas
or doctrines? Is it to add a little lustre to
our UNCONVENTIONAL literature, to exalt par
ticular creeds and to make converts to special
forms of church polity? Not at all. It is to
lead men to be better husbands, fathers,
brothers, sons-to make them living episues
of Christ, known and read of ALL
This result cannot be attained by any
one set Of rules or systems of theology.
Jesus Christ himself recognized this truth
in His reply to the Disciple, who found
fault with one who cast out devils in the
Lords name but did not follow in their train.
s.He that is not against us is for u.s.
No man can do q miracle in my name and
lightly speak evil of me- The work of the.
pulpit and the work of the press run in par
allel lines They supplement and aid one an
other in many things, while in many others
their paths diverge and their duties differ;
nizes this fact more clearly or fully than Mr..
Beecher himself. He understands very we'll
the double Office of the presto gather up
and chronicle the events of the world as they
transpire from day to day. and to SO shape
and mould public opinion that the result may
be the greatest good accruing to the greatest
number. In this double capacity of chron-
icler and critic the HERALD has had occa-
sion more than once to criticise the sayings
and doings of Mr.. Beecher as well as other
public men, both in the pulpit and out of it;
and we reserve the right to do SO hereafter as
heretofore The fairness of our reports, and of
our criticisms, too, has been acknowledged by
Mr. Beecher oft and again, and in no less con-
spicuous gathering than the recent Editorial
Convention which met in Poughkeepsie.
But as we have already remarked, while there
are points of agreement between the work, re-
spectively, Of the pulpit and the press, there are
points of divergence equally marked and strik-
ing; and here, we think, is where ministers
make their great mistake. They are not called
upon to chronicle or to criticise the latest
suicide or murder, the last explosion or ship
wreck or railroad disaster or such like event.
Theirs is to teach men to live such lives that
suicides and murders shall be few and far
between to be sober and watch unto PRAYER