Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-05-23
Secular View Ut Mr.. Jones ami His
Work
Nashvills Union.

Nashville Union.
As II secular newspaper, looking al
the religious phenomenon which the
! appearance OF q strange IMAM in oul
midst has produced, like everybody
else we think and speculate. Usueils
the work OF an evangelist, at least in
J modern times, affects ouly emotional
people, aud the social fabric, as it has
been erected, is no more impressed
than the fabric OF the State would he
by the clever amenities Of neighbors
But there is in our midst now Il man
whose w0rk-judging from the past
may make new map for social and
| religious life. This is now probable,
and hence thinking citizens are watch
ing with interest his movements and
their effect Religious revivals are Of
ten emotional, and come from emo
tional and TO some extent sensational
preaching. These emotional reviyals
do not arouse thinking men, nor do
they even wake up drowsy church.
Society remains the same; the vices
are not abated.
A genuine old-fashioned revival of
religion i'll Nashville, based not upon
emotional appeals, but based upon
victory over evil in high places as well
as low, may make for the city Il new
social organism.
This strange preacher walked into
our city and attacked the vices and
immoralities of social life and the evil
practices of church members like
frontiersman would fight fire that
threatened his fences and barns He
He spares nobody; he palliates moth
ing because respectable people do it.
Social amenities and growing friend
ship between the church and people
with doubtful practices are held up
and exposed as the devils handiwork.
In less than one week he has brought
all the churches together and for the
time, at least made the preachers for
get their creeds; he has made bankers
and merchants and lawyers and doc
atheists have retired. He has so I'M |
community that the moral tone OF |
public sentiment and business life has
been stimulated. The ioibIes OF wom-
en- and the faults OF men have been |
spread out so that no one can go round /
them. The good wife, the kind hus-
band, the loving children and the
Christian neighbors have been held up
as one would hold up and show a grand
painting.
The genius and power OF the man
enable him to make sin absolutely /
hideOus, from which one feels like
running rs he would from dreaded
leprosy. While he makes religion so
inviting that the husband and the wife
join hands and accept it, the children
fly to it as to the play grounds. men of
many vices turn to it as Il relief and as
a resting place. This strange man, by t
an electric current which he creates
between himself and his audience, and
by imparting the spirit of love To ev-
eryb .dy, gets so near the hearts of all
his hearers that he makes friends OF
the last one of them, even in telling
them OF all the mean things they ever
did.
lie dashes to pieces all the theories
OF the politician and the demagogue:
he proves moral cowardice To be itself
il humbug, and stands out every min
ute as a living witness that truth is the
best policy.
Looking at him alone from n tempo
raj standpoint it is well for the people
OF Nashville to hold up his hands As
Il teacher of life's virtues, as an exam
pie of moral courage, he will long be
by the young men Of our
city and surrounding country. TO
speak or not to speak the whole truth
is often question of policy. Under
The teachings of pubic and political
life the young man debates the policy
Df telling the truth. Mr.. Jones is
proving to the young men of the coun-
Lry that policy goes TO pieces be ore !.
truth, and that with good motive
md friendly feeling the severest con
iemnation of a wrong gives no offense.
TO be Il coward before an audience
and pander to Il vicious public senti-
ment is weakness, and when il be-
comes common it is IL calamity.
There can be no hope for people
whose public men are cowardly.
We do not wish to be understood as
sitting in Judgment on the courage OF .
he pulpit. We mean simply to sly
hat Mr.. Jones is displaying sound ,
Judgment and great courage, and at !
he same time truly Christian spirit,
n telling people plainly and bluntly of i
heir shortcomings. i
The people in this country are om-
in one sense, and their united !
loce properly expressed is law; but !
he people at large or the church may !
get wrong, and if public men and =
Christian teachers are all towards a !
wrong will not soon be sighted.
If this brave preacher had come
nto this city with faltering step and
hen preached against the popular J
1ices as Ae does he would have been
run out of town, HIS courage and his
honest purpose gave him the victory, Z
md now the good women OF this city !
ire prepared, if not to fight his battles, !,
1t least to stand between hun and all i
ianger.
Courage to tell the truth to the pub
ic, and before the public, and about
he public is high virtue. i