, 1879-04-06
THE TALMAGE CIRCUS.

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THE TALMAGE CIRCUS.
/ Family jars, operatic wars, and church
rows require the most subtle diplomacy from
outsiders who have the temerity to interfere
| The rule is that both parties to the disturb
ance turn upon the would-be peacemaker
and suspend hostilities for the time being
| and unite forces to annihilate the intruder
But. even at the risk of incurring the dis
| pleasure of both factions in the particula,
religious denominations which Mr: IAL
MAGE Fpurports to represent, we are prompt
|. ed to remark that the trial of thut gentle.
| man is an exhibition of unchristlanly spirit
| and indecorous behavior which amounts to q
scandal upon religion, and which ought to
be brought to the speediest possible termina-
| ton. This is true whatever the merits Of
the charges against Alr. TA1MAeE may be, or
| however good q defense he may be able to
make to those charges. Whether we regard
the actual language and sentiment expressed
on the trial, or the hilarious manner in
which the audience presumably Of church
people) receive these unseemly expressions,
the trial is simply disgraceful, and it can
hardly fail to furnish scotfers with new
material for scandal and contempt.
The Court, the jury, the accused, the Wit
nesses, and the counsel are al, or nearly al,
clergymen or ex-clergymen- Yet the Rev.
HATHAWAY testified that the Rev. TA1MAGE
told him that the Rev. VASDHKE was "a no.
torious liar; and thereupon the audience
burst out into loud gutfaw Of laughter.
One reverend gentleman accused another
reverend gentleman of being defaulter; q
third reverend gentleman proposed to bring
the whole matter before the PresbytaTy,
whereupon the first reverend gentleman
turned upon the third with the charitable,
not to say benign, remark, "f you do, we
will turn on you and kill you; whether We
find anything against you or not, there are
men who will swear there is" The Rev.
TA1MAoE, in meekness Of spirit supposed
to bs characteristic of his cloth, sprang to
his feet and denounced the testimony es
*the biggest pack of falsohoods lie had ever
heard"; and then, shaking his fist at fourth
reverend gentleman, said he s'wouldn't allow
Dr., Bur1En to call him friend or brother"
Thereat the audience applauded vociferously,
probably recalling the scriptural injunctions
about charity out Of q pure heart, and about
loving ones neighbor US oneself The Rev.
DR.. BUTLER took more worldly view of tho
matter, and thought it would be better that
the Presbytery sit with closed doors, if this
sort Of thing were to 60 on. But the audi
ence hissed and hooted at this suggestion
that it might possibly be excluded from tho
circus.
While the TA1mAGE trial must certainly be
very hu,niliating to all who take an active
interest and donominational pride in tie
creed this person processes, it would be un-
fair to draw conclusions from it that would
reflect upon the Church us an institution.
The moral Of it seems to be that churches
should avoid tue loud and f1aring sensation
a1ism which TLMAGE and his flock have cni-
tivated. Religious work becomes morcenary
and disreputable when, through the agency
of either newspaper or the pulpit, it seeks
the notoriety of a public show. TA1MAGE
and his personal adherents and admirers
hayo courted this kind of notoriety Of
lite years. The TABERNACLE has been one Of
the regular sights of visit to the s[etrop
oils, like Gilmore's Garden or the Aquarium.
Tie latest resort to public attention was
night-tour among the slums Of the city,
which were subsequently described in the
style of police journal, interlarded with just
enough admonition and exhortation to make
these descriptions pass muster as sermons.
The pulpit occupied by TA11aAGE has been
distinguished only for parade, fanfare, and
antics. 1t has not only failed to furnish as
much entertainment as the minstrel stage or
the opera boutfe, but it has lacked the spirit
of sanctity and the sincerity Of religion to
atone for its shortcomings. The disgraceful
exhibition now in progress under the name
of a trial is q fitting sequel to the career
whereby TALnAGE has achieved sort Of no.
toriety, and it may be lesson to churches
everywhere not to- go and do likewise.