The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-22
THE BOY PREACHER.
Denunciation of the Methods ofThe Ecclesias-
tical Jumping Jack.

Denunciation of the Methods ofThe EccIesias.
teal Jumping Jack.
Man About Town in Lafayette Times.
Twenty-nine years of age! The Rev. Mr..
Harrison leaps into the Methodist arena with
religious hand-springs and ecclesiastical SOM
ersaults, and with How do you like me,
Mr.. MerrymanT' sets the Christian commu-
nifty into emotional commissions. Religious
sensations are the order of the day, and this
rather old boy-preacher begins his clerical
endeavor to light revival fires with such fam
taStlc tricks as should make respectable an
gels weep What right have we to
laugh at dancing Dervishes, such as l once
saw in Constantinople or Shaking Quakers,
If this sort of thing shall receive the counte-
nance of the Methodist church? If from out
their honored graves could come John and
Charles Wesley, George Whitfield, Phillip
Embury and John Fletcher, how would they
regard the gymnastic pyrotechnics of this
boy-preacher? There may be most excellent
and emotional souls who can cry over this
sort of thing and it may do them good. II
may be that out of this kind of religious en-
thusiasm there come to some men reformed
and better lives but to me it seems altogether
ridiculous and absurd; and it is the result OF
my observation that the emotional piety
which is the growth of these excitations is
short-lived. If the human reason be con-
WINGED of immortal truths by such display
if the minds of rational men and women are
to be convinced, then the grave arguments
of those dignifed wise and prayerful men
who established the Methodist church, and
laid broad and deep its permanent founda-
lions, sadly mistook the proper mode OF
teaching divine truths. By way of illustra-
ting how this ecclesiastical Punch-and-J udy
show is conducted by this clerical Mr.. Punch
let me say that after bouncing around the
pulpit he suddenly dropped down, exclaim-
ing: Everybody pray! Every Christian prayi
God, we do thank Thee tonight that we
are not in heaven, and we thank Thee that
we are not in help The invocation was EN-.
phasized with such gesticulations as thump-
ing the knee, rending the hair, and the like,
followed by a disconnected series of perso-
nal experience and tales of wicked converts,
the whole attended by the most violent con-
tortions of the physical man. Anecdotes
and exhortation followed, with chorus of
"Amens" from preachers. On one occasion
he sprang at bound out of the pulpit to
the floor below walked with his feet on the
backs of seats, tapped with his heels appeal
ing to the galleries. Thus did he beg, latter
and cajole, now leaping on the platform and
shouting line or two of some hymn. Well
may this jumping-jack OF boy-preacher
thank God he was not in heaven, and II I
ever get to heaven, hope he may not como
there with his antics. Such conduct is mora
appropriate to niger camp-meeting. I
do not under-rate the value of emotional
piety and I can we'll understand the men.
tai excitation that will carry enthusiasm
l cannot understand the methodical frenzy
that reproduces itself night after night, and
is mechanically pumped up for the purpose
of moving men by vulgar anecdotes and 70.
mantle stories to explanatory "amens,"
''bless Gods" and women to hysterical tears
and slobbery sobs. have no patience with
this kind of frenzy. 1t is not religion. II
is burlesque on the worship of God. 1t is ,
irreverent and blasphemous. 1t brings into
contempt and holds up the solemn service
of Gods altar to ridicule. 1t is not in ac-
cord with staid, and dignifed, and earnest
teachings of the early fathers of the Method
list church. Such things as these are turn
ing the world into infdelity-are filling the
world not only with unbelevers, but with
scoffers. The sublime truths of the Chris
tian religion have demanded the most pa
tient investigation OF learned men, and have
been taught by the eloquent and gifted. Good
men have demonstrated the sincerity of their
convictions by martyrdom and death. Away
back in the ages there is long line OF Chris
tian heroes, and scholars and martyrs.
Abroad in this Christian land are thoughtful,
earnest God-fearing. gifted men; but they do
not travel with cap and bells and In molly
garb to turn churches into play-houses, and
travesty religious services with the tricks OF
a mountebank But this sort of work is fi-
nancially renumerative to Mr. Harrison.
When at the Battle Ground Camp-m Getting
he received 800 per week, and all expenses
were paid by the Association. He is very
avarcious, and has an eye always out for an
honest penny. He sells his little song book
for ten cents, and like the circus clown he
advertises his book to his admiring friends
from the pulpit and sends his 'gentlemanly
agent" through the congregation to wait
upon you, that everybody may bny one OF
his popular song books" and he only makes
six cents on each book after paying all ex.
penses. His "gentlemanly agent" also al
ways has on hand an abundant supply of
nj nf ha which hq
purchased at a very reasonable sum, and all
the ladies purchase them. He has his biog-
raphy and history of his revival that may
be purchased on the ground Of his gentle
manly agent" He gets SIS per day and all
expenses, besides elaborate presents from adj
nliring friends that he calls gift offerings"
He strikes bargain like horse jockey, sells
his song-book like a clown, advertises his
biography like a Barnum speculates off his
photographs like prima donna, rakes in
his per diem like Bob Ingersol, and accepts
presents without stint