The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-20
hcapiug-up OF large and onorous ad

hcapiug-up OF large and sonorous adj
jectlves.
That our preachers, as a rule, are
wanting in simplicity of dlction and
gwen to o~ver-laborious Ways of put
ting things. we arc obliged to confess.
The art OF familiar and yet forcible
speaking is a hard one to learn and to
sustain; and somehow it seems TO be
more so in the pulpit than anywhere
else. when there is where il should be
found at its best. There is II constant
tendency, apparently, towards a vari-
city of preaching that is not preaching
so much as lecturing and far-fetched
philosophizing; and so when a Sam
Jones along, talking In famil-
lar language and urging everyday
facts with easy energy, people flock
to his tent aud pay HIM those tributes
OF interest and applause which other
and abier preachers do not gain. 1t
is the difference between raising a
subject above Il mans head and thrust
ing it directly into his face. In the
one case he yawns and goes to sleep;
in the other he straightens up and
hears every word. The sermon of the
regular minister may be ave. SO much
superior to that OF Jones in depth,
scope and literary merit, but Jones
receives the attention, and his words
are readily remembered and quoted,
while those of his rival. so to speak,
arc forgotten as soon as uttered. or
recalled only BY the few members of
the congregation who have fancy for
that order of religious teach no.
There is stlil another pc Mt that is
worth taking into account-Still an
other consideration which helps to
solve the problem OF the success of
these Sam Jones meetings. We refer
TO the absence of style which chnrac-
ter.zcs The sermons not only, but every
other feature OF the place and the
proceedings. People assemble there in
Il spirit of perfect freedom and ease
and good-fellowship. There is no
classification according to ..nk nc-
counts and the Gu; an! cost of wear
tns apparel. Nobody is made to feel
unwelcome because he does not rentA
conspicuous pew, or has not vet had
opportunity 10 specify himself as an
individual who is entitled to ordinary
respect and courtesy. Tho stranger
"a NV > SaitS - IpL
chilled by an atmosphere nj formalitv
and studied reserve which gives him
reason to think that he has mad.
rertently wandered INTO Il private
drawing-room where he was not ex-
pccted and is not wanted. There is
AZ air OF kindness and fricndllncSs, on
the contrary, which causes him to feel
at homo and to understand that social
distinctions and determinations are
not allowed TO interfere with auvbody's
comfort and satistact on. 1t is this
that takes 4 large number of people to
such meetings who are ioath TO attend
divine services in the usual places and
under the circumstances that are COM
monty encountered.
Tho great surprising fault of our
churches OF all denominations is a lack
OF proper attention to those obliga-
tons OF allability and cordially which
are calculated to increase the size of
the congregations and make religion
more attractive and popular. There is
not Il church in ST. Louis, it is SAT to
say, that is above criticism IN this re-
spect; and the churches of st. Louis
are very much like those of other To-
cal!ties, particularly the larger cities
and towns. During the last twenty
wears tho philosophy of church at
tendance has undergone an almost
complete change. and the place OF the
church in society has changed accord.
lngll. The people have been grad
uaily led to think that gong to church
involves IL given amount OF prctense
aud display; and when they get there
they lind that all the difference of out
side station, which it should be the
first effect OF religion to suppress and
remove, are rs sharply defined in the
church as i'll daily life. In what meas
ure the work of promoting religious
growth and progress is retarded BY
this fact. VIC can only conjecture, but
certainly it is sufficient to warrant the
statement that the churches have Il
duty of self correction IN that regard
which they can not afford to deny or
neglect. This is one of the most i'm
rortant lessons that Sam Jones and his
fellow evangelists are teaching. Their
success is IN Il sense u reproach to the
regular religious agencies of tho IL
try, which ought to cover the field so
successfully that no room should be
left for these irregular and indepen-
dent preachers and thcir tents.-St.
LOUIS Globe Democrat.