The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-05


Place for Thlrd-rate Preachers
A Curious Difference in a Pfomi-
ment Church-TwS. Former Resi-
dents of Cincinnati Interested
The Honeymoon ExperieiSces OF d
Young Minister and His wife.
Special Correspondence of the star.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Feb. 2.
Whenever l hear of new clergyman
coming to Brooklyn | feel a tendency to
shfug my shoulders. l know that in a
clerical sense this pastoral field has come
70 be regarded as the Mecca of Meccas,
and that about three out of every five
ministers in the country have at some
time or another longings in this direction,
unless those longings have already been
satisfied, or there exists dissemination
to surrender present realities for indefi-
mite prospects. Some clergymen also be-
heve in letting well-enough alone, hold
ing that Providence is already doing as
well by them as can be expected. But
Beecher has given Brooklyn such splen-
did reputation, and made it such,a center
of Christian influence, reputation and
influence that Storrs, Talmage and Guy
ler have each contributed to in their
way, that have no doubt--not to in
dulge in hyperbole-that very many
clergymen, especially young and aspiring
men, think that to receive call here is
an honor, and to become settled here a
guaranty of achievement and success.
Well, when a new man comes here he is
not long in having his mind disabused OF
such impressions, if he have them.
In the first place he finds the standard
of intellectual and oratorical abilities
very high, and in the next place he finds
what he has perhaps not bargained for,
q terrible competition. There are few
mediocre pastors in Brooklyn, and as the
pastors number over 900 refer to the
Protestants-a new man discovers null
titude of rivals; not that clergy men 30
far forget the dignity and nobility OF
their calling as to stOop to stimulation,
but that the public, or rather the con-
gregstions, are all the time comparing
notes, and the chances are that unless, in
common parlance pastor is able ito
hold his own" he is very apt to find his
people slipping away from him, and 60
ing to Brother KS, though in this respect
/ think the Episcopalians are an excep-
ton, though the good that their system
and training do in this direction are off.
set by sometimes compelling parish to
sit for years under preaching that with a
little more latitude in custom would not
be tolerated. Unless man has intellect.
ual stamina and pious determination
to keep himself free from petty jealous.
les, l think he had better look anywhere
for pulpit rather than here.
Now do not misunderstood me. The
Ieligious atmosphere is good; the clergy
as body are pious, liberal and catholic.
But there is a tendency on the part Of
the people to judge their ministers by
the lofty standard Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher has created, and as is natural,
when anything in the balance shows
that something is wanting, dissatisfac-
ton is the result. Now / do not mean
to imply that Mr.. Beecher is the model
of every one in Brooklyn; if he were,
lack Of church accommodations would
alone prevent the whole city from flock.
ing to hear him. A few people even as
seft they do not admire his style Of
preaching, and short time ago ran
across an old Brooklynite who boasted he
had never heard him and never wanted
to. But for all that the standard q
qualification is the Beecher standard
even though, like latent heat, it exists Ii
an insensible state. By the Beechel
standard l do not mean the sam'
degree Of pulpit qualifications he pos
sesses, and he alone in the Who'll,
world, not even Spurgeon excepted; bu
qualifications that cover more than abil
itY to preach two drowsy, pious dissef
tations.a day, lead a prayer meeting il
the old-fashioned way on Wednesday o
Friday evening, and allowed a funera
or two, marry couple or so, and eat tw'
or three dinners with members of tn
congregation during the week. For
clergyman 70 succeed in Brooklyn h
must have good pulpit delivery, thor
ough knowledge Of passing events, be u,
with the advanced thought Of the day, b
able to deliver every Sunday two Sci
mons characterized by earnestness, orig
inality and ornateness, and withal hav
good administrative ability. Withou
these qualifications man may get alonI
for a time-or rather may drag along
but in the end he must awaken to tn
fact that compared with the require
ments, however conscientiously he ha
done his duty, his career in Brooklyl
has been failure. ssu. a.
Now Brooklyn is also one Of the bes
places in the world for getting up
breeze in church. Take Talmage an
the Tabernacle, for instance, though i
that case pastor and church are one, an,
as Che matter stands it is section Of th
Pesbytery versus pastor and people
But have In mind a number Of il
stances in which there have been disser
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