Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-04
Pretty Girls as Church Ushers.

Hfetty Girls AS church Ushero.
From the Detroit Free Press
Tho pretty girl is a universal factor in modern
life. She possesses the advantage not only Of
ornament. but OF utility. She has been utilized
in an endless variety of ways. She has become
a bowling success ir the operate ballet, and is
as conspicuous and as original in front of a
typewriter or behind a counter as she is on
dress parade III new spring suit or lux uriously
lolllng ina big easy chair. But it has remained
for an enterprising Connecticut minister of
the gospel to introduce the pretty girl in a new
sphere as church usher. We have no trust
worthy information to the effect of the in va
ton upon the size Of the reverend gentleman .
congregations. but We surmise reasoning both
by analogy and from preconceived theories on
this subject. that there was a somewhat sudden
revival OF religious interest among the young
men OF the community when the pretty girls
went on duty. We were, therefore consider
ably surprised on reading that at o meeting of
Chicago minister's the other day the Connecti-
cut divine clever idea was severely commented
upon. One of them for instance. made the
rather unfeeling remark that "a young man
who came to church because there were young
women ushers had better stay away"
1t appears, however, to our mind at least
that this pastor efectually disposed Of his own
argument in a subsequent discussion upon the
matter OF church entertainments He then
declared his belief that "a man was pretty near
salvation when he could screw up his courage
to the point of giving 70 cents for the ordinary
church oyster stew. Then, too he continued
lit does my heart good to, see some old millioa-
aire skinfint who wouldni 81 give 40, eepts for
charity wheedled into speadinGo25 eents for q
stew with one oyster in it." Al aT,dy y a0C >
This language, we make free to say, is entirely
inconsistent with that used in Opposition 70
pretty girl ushers. Why is an old millionaire
skinfint, or anybody else, for that matter,
wheedled into giving rs cents for uni-bivalyulsr
| soup? Is it not because there is somebody to
do the wheedling, and is it not that somebody
the pretty girl? How many people could be got
to buy, pay for and eat one-oyster stew II the
pretty girl did not sell the stew with delicious
affec tation of ignorance Of the oysters lone
someness? Again, if the purchase Of such .
stew for % cents indicates that man is pretty
near salvation, why Is he not great deal nearer
salvation when he risks hearing uncomfortable
truths. from the pulpit in order to be ushered
to his seat by pretty girl? At the church So
cial he encounters no such risk. He might, il
| is true. be run into a corner by the preacher
and gently urged to mend his ways, but
contretemps of this kind can easily be
avoided with Q little skill. Once in church
however, there is no alternative but to alum
Der. This is impossible, because one would
lose caste with the pretty girl Al . matter Of
fact, then, there is alternative at ALL and the
preacher must be listened TO. Just why the
pretty girl usher system, II il results thus. 10
not as efficacious q means Of salvation e. the
uni-bivalvular stew social we confess We can.
not understand. Should 1t come into extern
sive use, we confidently predict q revolution in
the churches which Briggs and Newton and
Brooks combined could not accomplish Per-
haps when the brethren have got through gun
ming for heretics they will devote some atten-
ton to this new plan OF salvation.