Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-05-22

The Judgment "I a southern Preacher Tron
Jones aud small.
Tho two famous Georgia cvangelt~ts re
Gently concluded meeting in Columbus,
Miss, and Rev. g. II. Dobhs, OF that town,
writes to the InJpycu,IrHt what seems to be
far account of their operations. Since their
visit all the churches have had accession to
their membership. The Methodist church
received about ninety, the Preshyteriaus
forty, the EpiscoptlianS thirty-hvo, the
Baptl~t~ seventy-iive, while the Cumberland
Presbyterians and Disciples will probably
welcome ten or twelve each. The Temperance
cause has been much strengthened and,
upon tho whole, Mr.. DphbI says:
sam Jones and sam Small are UnquO-liOn-
ably great preachers They are not "ths
greatest evlngelistS Of this age" as some
foolish and gushing admirers have said.
But they aro great preachers. They are
very unlike. MIR. Small IS the polished
gentleman IN dress, style, and language.
The most rtstidiOus christian can find scarce
lv anything to object to in his Sermons 10
my mind he j. 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 on the head Ot the other sam. Still
Mr.. Small moved my intellect, my emotions
and my zeal As Mr.. Jones never did. CON
triry to my fears, both ot them preached the
Gospel Their sermons had much Of evan
gelic truth in them. They pointed the con-
NiCted soul to the cross | write this tsSti-
mpny all the more rejoiringly because | had
been led to fear their coming To my people.
From published reports and criticisms, | had
supposed they were mere moral lectures,
dealing heavy :blOws, indeed, at sin, but
neglectng to preach " repentance toward
tod and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ"
! IN happy to say that in Columbus at
least, they did preach Jesus as the only way
OF lie. True they aim mostly at awakening z
the cOnSciences OF men by the most fearful
denunCiatiOn and exposure of the exceed
ind NintulneSS OF sin" but at the same time
the Penitent is warned not 10 trust in mere
outward or temporary reformation.
hen all this IL SAID, candOr cOmpels my
protest against mitch that ~ peculiar to NJ r.
Jones preaching. In my Judgment moth
ing can justify tho coarse (almOst profaue)
sentences which abound in most Of his dis,
courses. Surely there can be no extenuating
excuse for the pulpit to employ such terms
as " pusillanimous puppy" "pusilanimous
coward" "dirty dog, Lying hound" and
similar phrases, some too indecent to ask a
place in the IpdcPcHdeHh With fearful in
vectve and harsh Vituperation, no hurled
such words directly at his auditors. Never
have heard anyone so tiercsly or so bitterly
denOnnCe An enemy aS did Mr.. Jones assail
a " little editor" Of our city, who had criti-
ciSed some OF his charges against certain
forms OF fashionable fOibles as unjust and
unmanly." Granting the editors mistake
certainly the preacher was very lar from
following his example "who when hs was
reylIed revilsd not again" And what can
he said OF his Insult to the more than three
millions of ImmersiOnistS Of America
Speaking about baptism he hurled his foolish
sentence at our heads " II any man says
only immersion is baptism, toll him say he
Is liar" etc. This was silly. Was IL not
also sinful? Such things are the dead
flies" in the ointment.