The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-06
PULPIT PLAGIARISM.

IN Il Cbildin ICllkiOuo
there has been a considerable stir OF late
because a close resemblance has been
detected between sermon delivered
by particularly young minister and
sermon preached some years ago by an
other minister. As usual the secular
press has taken up the subject, and so
far as we nave observed, the views OF
the secular press have been very rea-
sOnable.
There is plagiarism and plagiarism,
and plagiarism of one sort Is az de-
spicable and pernicious as another sort
of plagiarism is necessary and even
laudable.
The ass parading in the lions skin
and the rock dressed in peacock's
feathers are merely ridiculous. The
preacher who delivers a sermon Of Mel
ville's or of Lddon's or Of Beecher' s
or of Spurgeon' as if ii were his own
is a good deal woree than ridiculous;
he acts a lie in pretending TO preach
God 5 truth. No words can adequately
express the unwortkiness OF such self.
confessed hypocrisy.
Other men. however. shall go to the
pulpit and follow the outline Of some
great preachers discourse, using. II
NAV be. not a feT of his very words
and phrases. and yet their plagiarism
shall be innocent. and even laudable.
How does this case differ from the
former Simply enough it seems 10 Ia.
To take any other mans work and
use it as ones own is to claim it as one
own. Toe preacher who uses another
3. n A. III N he
congregation to which he delivers IT
that the sermon is his own. No man has
ever. on any occasion whatsoever. the
least excuse for acting such falsehoo5.
On the other hand. however, 1t would
DE absurd to expect the average preach
er. and particularly the young preacher.
TO make up two sermons week alto
gether out of his own head; and we
should be sorry for his congregation If
he tried to do so. Preachers, ike other
professional men. must study. II they
do net study, they will preach non
sense: and if they would learn the art
of preaching they must make a special
study of the discOurses Of good preach
ers. Now, some men have a strong
verbal memory; others, who never for
get a thought, have no verbal memory
mt all One of the later who has
been deeply impressed by discourse
which he has studied will be able TO
nreach the substance Of thas discourse,
or to work some of it, very best matter
into a sermon of his own, and no one
will suspect him Of plagiarism. while
the man who has the disadvantage of
too retentlve verbal memory will be
charged with plagiarism because he un-
consciously retains and uses not Only
The ideas but the very words OF
anv discourse which he has at
tentively read. la point of fact
the one man is no more
plagiarist than the other; and II
both of them have so studied TIER gu
thor as to make his thoughts really
their own, that is to say, Il what they
have learned from him has become an
honest part of their own intellectual
wealth. neither of them Is a plJgiarist
in anv bad sense of the word. II II pre-
cisely this process that makes the liv-
ing preacher valuable. His very func-
ton is 10 feed his own mind and heart
with divine truth, and then out OF bis
ACQUIRED fulness to bring forth things
new aud old in form adapted to the
state and requirement of his flock.
Nothing is more despicable than dis
honest plagiarism in the pulpit. We
nave known some curious cases of 1t,
but not many, and we do not believe
that there are many. the charge OF
plagiarism which is so often and reck-
essly made we believe to be generally
as unjust as 1t is inconsiderate. Every
preacher ought of course to guard his
own moral and intellectual iutegrityi
but with that understanding we openly
express the wish that what is often
called by the name OF plagiarism were
were much more common than 1t Is.
There is no difficulty in distinguishing
toe two things. The preacher who sell
hshly apppropriates the work OF other
men in order to shine IN borrowed
plumes is an unworthy pretender; the
man who diligently gathers food for
1 his flock from all available sources and
uses it for their advantage. not his own,
! is a faithful preacher, though be may at
/ times chance to use not only The
thoughts but the words of other men.
: The Churchman.