The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-27
STAGE AND PULPIT.

THE REV. Mr.. FoRREsTER DOES AGREE WITH
MISS DICKINSON THAT THE PULPIT is STUPID
AT TIMES.
Rev. j. f. Forester, pastor of the Universalist
Church of the Redeemer in Newark, N. j.. preached
yesterday the subject OF "Hndrances to Preach.
ing and the Relative Feeling of the Public Toward the
Pulpit and the Stage" '.Watchman, what of the
nighty was his text. The discourse provoked
by the recently uttered structures on the lack
OF pulpit influence and efficiency by Miss
Anna Dickinson in her Steinway Hall lecture.
Instead of antagonzing the views Of Miss Dickinson
az it was generally expected he would do DIR. For
roster virtually yielded the lady all her points. He
said. in opening the earliest period in tho
administration Of Christianity until the present time
unbroken chorus of complaint ut the
neficiency of the pulpit down its history.
An rnbroken torrent down the literature of the
Church at the stupidity and perverseness of the
world. while the protest of weary listeners in the
house of God dates back beyond the memory of
modern generations. Perhaps there time
when such complaints were more prevalent than
now; and the recent utterances of one of
the most popular and able women before the
American public. accusing the ministry of duness.
stupidity and want OF influence, is only voicng the
thoughts Of an innumerable host Of our people The
preachers begin their professional career inspired
years service must have been peculiarly fruitful
which has not left them saddened or disheart-
ened ut the meagre results of their labors As body
of men the clergy have less hope and that vitality
which comes from hope and gratifed expectation,
than any other class in modern society. The COM
munity, too alive to the deficiencies
in preaching than now.
THE WHY AND WHEREFORE.
The preacher then proceeded to explain the reasons
why the pulpit was open to the charges made The
chief oneand upon this the preacher laid the main
stress-was the cold dark. gloomy funeral pail of
Calvinism which had so long oppressed and sur
rounded the Church. making sweet religion repugnant
to humanity In conclusion, DR.. Forester said
Now, the effectiveness of the drama and the stage
and the interest and enthusiasm which they awaken
is because of their appeals made in direct antagonism
to the old theory OF human nature and the
old idea Of the justice OF God. The stage
speaks to the human sentiments of average lite,
and touches the feelings and thoughts that belong
to such life If it We're otherwise it would be pow
erless for good. Let a play celebrate vice. make its
leading character successful villain teach that the
human soul naturally loves evil and hates good
ness that good life is sorrowful ana a bad life
and action of a play the same theology which the
preacher puts into prayer and sermon, and the
stage would become dull tasteess and monotonous
as the most fossilized pulpit in America. These
the coElmon mind with preaching. and q sermon.
in liberal church and inspired by modern
thought and culture, must carry more or less the
burdens and mistakes OF those who have gone be-
fore. There has been nowhere in this country o
single generation OF characteristic religious freedom
in all its history. The cold, bigoted dogm tism OF
creed has been put forth the warm.
free. liberal spirit of Christianity, though it
resembled Christianity only the dull, cold
crust on the mountains side thousand years
old. resembles the fire fluent lava it issues from
the lips OF the crater. "Where the spirit of tho
Lord is there is liberty. said apostle and free
dom is essential to all spiritual growth. When the
chief care of the ministry shall be the simple Gospel
of Christ, and not creeds and formulated theology,
and its test of soundness in the faith life in sym
pathy with practical everyday righteousness, there
will be inspiration In its abors and satisfaction in
its results,