The Cecil Whig., 1885-11-14
PREACHERS AND THE PUBLIC.


have seen the Philadelphia papers last
week and this did not, of course. fail to
notice the conflict recorded in them be-
tween a Media editor and Waldo Mes
-saros, the Greek divine. | was bitterly
shocked to see a disciple Of the cross 50
bitterly profancd and condemned in the
public print. think all decent mo-
rality was shocked too. / hold it true
that the preacher of the gospels is
sacred individual, and should be sepa-
| rate entirely from the dcbasing turmoil
of the world, it appearing to me almost
like sacrilege to drag him forward as
Mr.. Joseph Chadwick has Mr.. Waldo
MessarOs, siucc the latter mortally of
Tended the former by differing with Him
on a question of politics. Perhaps, you
may say, if the preacher had been at
tending his own business and not med
ding in politics the unpleasant circum-
stance would not have occurred. As
true as this surmisc nay be it is still
very evident to me that Nr. Massaros
was guided by an infinite wisdom Of his
! own and did not enter the political field
with any idea whatever OF smurching
his clerical garments. lie may have
been a bad man, that | do not know,
but am OF course willing to believe what
Mr.. Chadwick has to say about him.
But hardly believe it possible for a
mln to be bad at heart who thinks SO
sweetly Of religion and talks SO truth
fully and eloquently Of the gospel as
Waldo Messaros. Mr.. Chadwick has
very just reasons, suppose, to believe
Mr.. Mersaros an iTredeenlabiy wicked
man to have so fax DETAINED his sacred
calling as to step from the sanctified at
mosphere of a Philadelphia pulpit into
the polluted air of q Pennsylvania Pc
litical stump. But Eltor Chadwick is
rather unjust when he refuses to accord
the preacher any good intention in his
curious departure from clerical ways.
The peculiar genus of Waldo Messarcs
may exert an influence over him that
Mr.. Chadwick cannot understand, and
| think that gentleman should be will
ing to grant talent greater than his
own full privilege with its eccentricitics.
1t was untimely and uugentlemauly ia
deed to attack Mr. Messaros as NJ.
Chadwick hasdone. Mt content with
what charges of present evils nc could
bring against him lie has gone back into
the past and brought forth old records
to feed the flame of unkindly fued. |
am afraid that in the future when Mr..
| Chadwick desires to make an utterance
in his paper it Will be stamped Obi
gotry by his readers and passed by un-
noticed. Such personal warfares il pub.
lie print are disgracc(ul to the present
times. Haunting private gricfs ard
personal Injuries in the face Of weary
public from day TO day is neither noble
or elevating. Mr. Chadwick will learn
to see this too some day. In the mean
| time the reputation Of Mr.. MessarOs is
suffering at the hands Of public opin-
ion. The dark side Of his history has
been given in every graphic detail. OF
course the case of this one man does hot
interest everybody III the land, but it is
| a good illustration Of the great number
of such cases that are occurring all over
the land every day that dawns. be-
lieve the clergymen should be defended
from such treatment Of their evils III
public print. Let private bIawls and
personal grievances remain private and
personal and do not haunt them in the
| eyes Of newspaper readers. Neither
side ever receives any sympathy in this
way, but both are rather condemned by
humanity at large, rs l condemn them
here. JUSTICE.
In any other case, Justice, your re
asks might apply 18th due force and
correctness. But in the case of Chad
wick VS.. Messaros, so iar as we can un.
derstand it, the preacher deserves all
that has been showeged upon him. We
judge him not from his past record, not
from the charges of his enemy, but from
the simple fact Of his having so far DC
graded the sacred calling of his life as
to enter his voice at a political meeting
in favor Of friendly candidate We
believe hlr. McsSaros yielded TO Z sure
temptation when he went to Media and
delivered a political Grafton. lie was
influenced by something more than an
intent to spread the purify ing Wings Of
the gospel over the polluted body Of
politics, and perhaps, like every otLer
politician, had personal faVoritisin at his
back to urge and sustain him in the
mistaken course. The pulpit has Of late
years been brought entirely too promi-
nently forward into matters of worldly
import, and instead OF abating this prac-
tice the action of Mr.. Messaros aided
and abetted it, and was, therefore, a
wrong action, for which the gentleman
of divinity IS now suffering :. bitter COR
sequence. AS powerful and eloquent
minister Of the Gospel, Messaros has
done nobly and well. So long as he
preached the truth and preached it
truthfu!ly u lis congregation his small
vices could be looked upon rs side is
sues, unm nglcd with the Grarder OBJ
.jccts and purposes Of his career; but
when he subsidies his ministerial elo-
qucnco and power to tho contestants in
political struggle he deserves eondcm-
nation. Like Justice We regret that
Mr.. Chadwick allowed his spleen to
vent itself III public print. Peaceablo
settlements OF difference or eternal
pickering over an ottense had best be
conducted in privacy and seclusion from
the eyes Of tie world. Unless, as in the
presant case of Chadwick VS.. Mcssaros,
the circumstance can be used as an aw-
full example to future olleudcrs.-
WHIG.
The Morris Heater and Improved
S;rStc.