The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-05-30
A MISSOURI SERMON.
A Mistaken Congregation Which
Surmised a Chicago Divine
Was Eulogizing Jesse
James.

The following appeared as an editorial
! in the New York Times of May is:
| The state of Missouri is still mourning
| for her dead hero, the late Mr.. Jesse James.
OF course, the governor, who hired the
Ford boys to shoot Mr.. James, does not
mourn to any great extent; neither do the
| Ford bows. but, ii We can believe the reports
that come to us from across the Mississippi,
every other citizen of Missouri is both
grieved and indignant. The Missouri news
papers discuss the death of MIR James with
much feeling, and the average Missourian
constantly informs strangers that Jesse
James was the greatest man the state eyer
produced, and that he is prepared To step
out on the sidewalk and argue with any
person who doubts his assertion. The
officers OF the various lines of railway
crossing Missouri distribute to their passen-
gers on entering the state printed circular
In which travellers are warned not TO out
rage the feelings Of high-toned COM
munity by mentioning the name oi the
late Jesse James in any other than pei
fectly respectful manner. Three hundred
| and seven new male infant Missourians
have been christened Jesse James" since
the death of that gentleman, and
a "James Memorial Baptist Church
! is said To ne about to be built in a
leading Missouri town. The widow OF the
dead hero has contracted to- write his life
with view To Sunday school libraries,
and portraits of Mr.. James, representing
him In the act of ascending To heaven, out
OF the second-story front window from
which Garfield and Lincoln are leaning
and reckoning to him, have an immense
| sale all over the state. So strong Is the
feeling against the slayers OF Jesse James
that a petition praying MIR. Frank James
! To pardon the governor has obtained but
/ twelve signatures, most of which are those
of St. Louis branch or the Peace society.
The state OF public sentiment in Missouri
is SO well known that il is wonderful that
any intelligent man should be ignorant of
it. And vet there is no doubt that the
Rev. Mr.. Curtis, a young Baptist minister
who visited Missouri, last week, had no
idea of the estimation in which Missou-
rians hold the late Mr.. Jaues. MIR. Curtis
resides i'm Chicago, but as he is seeking
Tor field of usefulness, he accepts invita-
tions to preach whenever he receives them.
Last SUNDAY, in response to IN invitation
from the Baptist congregation OF East
Solomon, No., he preached in that place,
and being anxious to receive call" he
wrote an entirely new and very eloquent
sermon.
! About two weeks before Mr. Curtis APP
pearance at East Solomon the Baptists OF
the western part of Missouri had sustained
a serious loss. An aged preacher Of that
denomination, who was widely revered Tor
his piety and unseltish devotion, had just
died. Mr. Curtis thought it would be a
good idea To preach a sermon setting forth
/ the virtues of the dead minister and urg
! inc people to initiate his example. Ac-
cordingly, he wrote a very eloquent dis
course full ef beautiful illusions To the
departed saint and felt that it would show
q great lack of taste if the congregation
did not request copy for publication.
! When the time for preaching his sermon
came, Mr. Curtis found the meeting house
we'll filled, and the moment he made his
first allusion to the great loss that Missouri
had lately sustained he was conscious that
he had the complete attention OF his audi
ence. Greatly encouraged, he proceeded
To speak with real elOquence of "Our de-
parted brother" He assured his hearers
that he had known him we'll, and that a
nobler man had never lived since the days
Of the Apostle Paul. He said that the dead
man had been often misunderstood dur
ing his life time, that wicked men had
prosecuted him, and that there were even
those who rejoiced over his death but
that he had lived truly heroic life, and
had never been driven an inch from his
course by his enemies. Warming with his
subject, Mr.. Curtis praised his bravery, the
unsel6shness, and the purity of the la
mented minister. He dwelt at much length
upon his unassuming piety, and professed
the utmost certainty that he had gone
straight from earth to heaven. In con-
clusion he urged his hearers to initiate the
example he had set before them, to despise
and to leave behind them regulations Us
pure and noble as that of Missouri's hero
| and saint.
At the end Of the service Mr.. Curtis
was waited upon by the greater part OF
the congregation and warmly thanked for
his eloquent ami fearless sermon. The
elders held an informal meeting and
agreed To give him an immediate
call" with a salary OF twelve hundred
dollars, and the boys of the Sun
day school asked him to repeat his ser
mon To them ON Sunday evening, when
us the superintendent assured Mr.. Curtis
there would be collection taken up Tor
the benefit of Mrs. James and her children.
Mr. Curtis accepted these compliments
blushingly, and said that he was GLAD to
find that the congregation knew who was
the dead brother To whom he had referred.
"You bet We know him. replied the lead
ing elder There wasn't man, nor a
boy, nor a woman, here this morning who
didn't know that you were preaching
about Jesse James, and didn't admire you
for the plucky way in which you did it,
Mr.. Curtis returned to Chicago on Mon
day morning, ha, ing declined the call tc
East Solomon, and learned that Nilsson