The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-05
SMALL AND JONES.
The Letter in the New York Independent
Which Raised DIR. Jeffery's Ire.

The Letter in the New York Independent
Which Raised DIR. Jeffery's Ire.
The protest read by DR.. Reuben Jeffery at the
First Baptist Church, last Sunday. was based
upon letter in the Independent by Rev. DR.. G.
e. W. Dobbs, describing the work of Messrs.
Jones and Small at Columbus. Miss. The fol-
lowing is the account:
GAS look around me and see and hear evil
dences of the great good our visitors accom-
plished hesitate before | write word of
criticism. lest it DO misunderstood But others
have right to know the whole truth, and VEN
ture to freely and candidly express my opinion.
shared by many thoughtful Christian men and
women who vet rejoice with me in all the good
done. Sam Jones and Sam Small are unoues
tionably great preachers They are not the
greatest evaugelsts of this age as some foolish
and gushing admirers have said But they are
great preachers. They are very unlike. Mr.
Small is the polished gentleman in dress style and
language. The most fastidious Christian can find
scarcely anything TO object to in his sermons.
To my mind he is much the superior man and
preacher. | am aware, however. that very few
who heard them in Columbus will agree with
me. The multitudes place the crown the
head of the other Sam. Still Mr.. Small moved
my intellect, my emotions, and my zeal, Mr..
Jones never did. Contrary to my fears, both of
them preached the gospel. Their sermons had
much of evangelic truth in them They pointed
the convicted soul to the cross. / write this
testimony all the more rejoicingy because l
had been led to fear their coming to my people.
From published reports and criticisms, l had
supposed they moral lecturers,
dealing heavy blows indeed, at sin. but neglect
ing to preach repentance toward God and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ / am happy
to say that, in Columbus, at least, they did
preach Jesus the only way of life True,
they aim mostly at awakening the conscences
of men by the most fearful denunciation and
exposure of the exceeding snfulness of sin,"
but, at the same time, the penitent is warned
not to trust in mere outward or temporary
reformation.
When all this is said, candor comnels nv pro-
test against much that is peculiar to Mr. Jones's
preaching. In my Judgment nothing can justify
the coarse (almosJ profane) sentences which
abound in most Of his dscourses Surely there
can be no extenuating excuse for the pulpit to
employ such terms as ''puslanmous puppy"
"pusillanimous coward" dirty dog" Lying
hound" and similar phrases, some too indecent
to ask place in the Independent With fearful
nvective and harsh vituperation he hurled such
words directly at his auditors. Never have
| heard any one so fercely or so bitterly
denounce an enemy did Mr. Jones assail
a ''little editor of our city, who had
criticised some of his charges against
certain forms of fashionable foibles as unjust
and unmaniy." Granting the editors mistake,
certainly the preacher was very far from follow
ing His example, ''who, when He was revied,
revled not again" And what can be said Of his
insult to the more than three millions Of INNER
sionists of America? Speaking about baptism,
he hurled this foolish sentence at heads:
'1f any man says only immersion is baptism,
tell him / say he is liar etc. This silly.
Was it not also sinfuli Such things are the
dead flies" in the ointment
But he has gone, and notwithstanding all of
these drawbacks, under God great good has been
wrought and Columbus rejoices God grant to
him and his elegant and eloquent co-laporer
and to US all. that wisdom which shall guide
into all the truth and make US Sufficient as
ministers of the New Testament"