The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-10-17
Fun in the Pulpit.

Where or when our brother, DR. How
ard Crosby said the words below, We
know not, but they are so timely and so
just that we will make them the text for
a short discourse He is reported as say
ing:
If egotism be q grievous fault in
preaching, still more grievous is the trans
mutation of instruction to amusement.
To rob the Word Of its solemnity, to as
sociate the great themes of sin, judgment,
repentance, pardon, the cross Of Christ,
and eternal life, with merriment and
laughter, is an outrage upon the truth,
and woe to the church
We have not a friend on the long list
of those whom we count in that catalogue,
who has more graceful facility of humor
that makes glad the heart and cheers the
social circle, than this same preacher,
chancellor, and president of the society
that is after the police with sharp stick
He is not fool. Fools laugh and know
not when not to laugh. Their laughter
is like the cracking of thorns under q
pot, making much noise and doing very
little good But there is q time to laugh,
aud whenever that time is, we are very
sure it is not when the infinitely serious
themes of the pulpit are under discussion.
If we Were required to name the one
thing that has most contributed within
the last twenty years to weaken the
power of the American pulpit, and lead
men of the world to regard religion with
indifference, we would name the levity of
manner which preachers have cultivated
for the sake of entertaining his hearers.
1t is frankly admitted, for we can not deny
it, that the funny preacher will attract
the people who turn their backs upon
one who compels them to be serious 1t
is also true that in old times these quaint.
eccentric pre- achers retained the affections
of their people though they were often
amused by their oddities. But those
men did not make fun for the purpose of
amusing the people. Their habits were
odd and their misfortune it was to be as
they were
In our day the notion prevails that
children can not be interested in Sab
bath school unless they are made to
laugh. And as men and women are only
children of larger growth, they, too,
must be entertained in sermon time with
such Jokes and hits and anecdotes as will
set them all in roar Thus the house
OF God becomes playhouse. The preach
er becomes player, and while the cross
of Christ and repentance and faith are
the topics of discourse, he acts the part
Of a clown, who speaks only to divert the
audience. This is not the way Christ
preached Paul played no tricks, and it
he ever made an illustration to provoke
a peal Of laughter. the incident has not
been deemed worthy Of being chronicled
by the historians of the times
A merry heart doeth good like a medi
cine and religion never was desi igued to
make our pleasures less. Gloom is not
the style Of the Christian. A happier set
of people may not be found in the world
than the best of Christian ministers are
But the wisest and best of them, those
who do the most good who wear the best
in the long run, and have a weight OF
character that tells on the times, they
are the men who do not make fun in the
pulpit. Everything in its time, and Dr.
Crosby is right in saying that laughter in
the pulpit is an outrage New York
Observer