The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-27
SMALL AND JONES.

GmAIi AMI JONbOs
The visit Of Sam Small and Sam Jones to
indianapolis has not been without good 1t
has brought thousands of people into personal
contact with the men of whom they had read so
much, and possibly formed very decided. and,
may be, erroneous opinions A great many
prejudices were brushed away in the light OF
the presence of the evangelists, and judg-
ments were formed on better information and.
therefore, on correcter bases The subject Of
religion was talked about by thousands as it
had not been talked of before, and as it would
not have been talked Of but for the visit of
these men. In this respect their coming was
good, for there cannot be harm in hav-
ing peoples thought aroused upon the
subject of religion. In all these regards the
visit Of these two men was valuable. The peo-
pie of indianapolis saw and heard earnest, SIN
eere, devoted preachers. There can be no
doubt of this fact. Whatever be the objec
lions to their methods, and particularly to the
methods of Mr.. Jones, no one can fairly say
that they are not honest and earnest men. AS
Mr.. Jones' it is just to say specially for him
that he is 1evout, earnest man. wearing his
life out in what he conceives to be the Lords
work. He is not mountebank. He must
be relieved of that, no matter what may be
said as to the propriety and effect of the pecul-
iarities and extravagances that have given
him his fame or notorety.
Now, all of this said, and gladly said, what
of the work Of these men in Indianapolis,
and what the effect of their visit to the city.
and what the tendency of such methods as
they employ! 1t would be fairer to confine
any discussion of these thoughts to Mr.. Jones,
for there is so little that can be possibly OBJ
ejcted to in Mr. Small, that he may be taken
ont Of the scope of criticism. Mr.. Small is a
scholarly man, with we'll trained and disci-
plined mind The fiber of his nature is fine,
and his intellect works in no eccentric
orbit, except when he weakly at
tempts to initiate Jones. And he is
never so weak as then; and he is never SO
strong as when he allows the full natural play
of his own individuality. Mr.. Jones is
stronger man than Small, intellectually He
is of intense nervousness. His mind is origi-
nal, quick, eccentric, always at work, running
off into all manner of by-paths in his discour-
Bes He is an alert, intense, original and pow
erful thinker and talker. But we cannot rid
ourselves of the impression, nay, belief, that
the things upon which he prides himself and
which he regards as his peculiar strength, are
dead weights to his work, and handicap his most
earnest efforts. Weare satisfied that he must
drop them absolutely, or he will find that
his influence upon the world is reduced to the
minimum for good, if it be not positively on
the wrong side. Mr.. Jones is not amenable to
criticism on this point. He is conceited and
egotstc here to the repulsion of the most
Kindly meant and honest advice He insists
that it is his extravagances of language that
gain him hearing, and he puts this in the
most offensive manner Wherever he goes he
Bays that people do not go to church because
Che preachers are Smooth bores" In Indian
apolis he said: why, I've pleased more
people in Indianapolis than any other
preacher in it. If I'd announced that Brother
Mcconnell was to preach here there wouldn't
have been half the people here there are.
He used Mr.. McConnells name not personally,
but representatiyely OF course negative
cannot be maintained with Mr.. Jones; but the |
iact remains, notwithstanding, that if reason
Is worth anything at all. the extravagances in |
which be INDUCES do not help his work, do
not draw his audiences or produce the impress
Non he seeks to make. The sermons talked
sbont Ia Indianapolis. and which produced an |