The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-01-18
COSTLY PREACHING.

We have heard OF bridegroom giving
the minister who officiated in tying the
nuptial knot fee of $25, 900, and fees
VARYING from $500 to $1,000 are By no
means uncommon, but perhaps the high
est price ever paid for a funeral sermon
IS $4,000, which sum was lately handed
to the Rev. John P. Newman, of Levitt
ieus XVIII, IS fame and of other noto-
riety. DIR. Newman is the pious gentle
man who gave a national charter to the
Metropolitan church and chimes, Wash
ington D.. C. 1t was as pastor of that
church fGrant's) that he first came
prominently before the public. He it
was who challenged the late iamented
0rson Pratt to a discussion of the ques-
ton Does the Bible Sanction Polygamy?
and who came all the way across the
mains and over the mountains, to be
theologicaHy banged about and stood on
his head as no other preacher had been
banged or inverted. Hewent away con-
WINGED that the Bible not only sane
tons polyganly, but also that the good
book is mighty weapon in the hands
of those who know better how to use it
than he did. Grant wanted to do some
thing handsome for his parson, and
sent him around the world in govern
ment ships, ostensibly to inspect
consulates which needed no inspection,
but in reality to have jolly time sight
seeing with salary of $1,000 year
which he didn't have to spend. When
Grant came home from his iaunt, and
settled in New York, Newman followed
him to the metropolis, where he sue
ceeded in having himself chosen pastor
of Congregational Church, though he
was Methodist in religion. The par
son was always more politician than
preacher, and naturally enough he was
selected as chaplain of that famous
Delmonico dinner given to Steve Dorsey
in 1880, on which occasion he offended
many of his fock by declaring that he
was a Republican, because religion. for
bid man 10 belongto any other party.
The readers of newspapers are familiar
with the fight that has been going on
in the church for two or three years
past, majority faction trying to
get rid of the parson, who how
ever chung to the pulpit in spite
of resolutions, Examinations, threats
and even force. The court even had to
be called upon to enioin him from
further continuance in that particular
vineyard, and only last week the very
large majority OF the church society
voted to have no more of him.
But we were going to tell of the $40 ,0O(
sermon. Net long ago the parsor
turned up ia San Francisco, where he
preached the funeral sermon over the
remains of tlae sixteen-year-old son o.
Governor Stanford, and now it is stated
that he was hired for this work, the
price agreed upon being $4,000. O
course it was impossible that he could
earn the money; nothing that he eoulc
say could possibly be worth $1,000
10 the living or the dead. But it must b,
confessed that Newman worked hard t.
satisfy his employer that the price wa
not too high. The following is an ex
tract from the Grafton:
Although so young, he was tall ant
graceful as some Apollo Belvidere, witt
classic features some masters woult
have chosen to chisel in marble or cas-
in bronze; with eyes soft and gentle as Al
angels, yet dreamy as the visions of
seer; with broad, white forehead, hom.
of radiant soul. He reminds US OF tn
beautiful Joseph, a cody person ant
well favored" Think of him as rap
listener to the mature conversation o
such men as Sir Joseph Hooker, ST
William Jenner, Baron Rothschild DR.
Schliemann, General di Cesnolo, etc.
asking or answering questions. 1t wa
the reproduction OF Christ among tn
doctors at the age of Twelve Our youtl
should read his biography, which vii
ibe more fascinating than romance anC
more edi[ving than the creations of tn
imagination. The public shooI schola
and the college student would b
.entranced by the epic of his life, ant
the Life of LelandsStanford, Jr.,
would become as familiar as Fenelon'
aTalemachus'' or Riehmond's DAIRY
mans Daughter" His tomb wiz be !
shrine to which our youth will go a
on a sacred pilgrimage, and from !
they will gather grasses and flower
as mementoes of whas he was t
them
Newman must be congratulated OF
his noble effort not togdisappoint tn
father. At the same time, poor Chris
tians are to be congratulated that al
our preachers are nst ;Jbhh 4e<Ne&
mans and that very fair and atisfac
tory b6a0d fGAsra skAbF4n b,
had for the esking