The sun., 1892-01-14
Charges Against Ministers.

the people Is the best government.
Charges Against Minister'S.
During the last few days very serious
charges of immoral or improper conduct
have been made against several ministers
of the Gospel, though, doubtless. In some
OF the instances they would not have been
preferred II the accused were not members
Of tho clerical profession.
The Rev. Mr.. DILL is undergoing trial by
the Presbytery Of Morristown on charges
that he has been guilty OF immoral and in
delicate conversation with the members OF
his rural flock, and moro especially the
Young women. How far the criticism Of
him Is due to mere village gossip. or
whether he has afforded any just occasion
for it, cannot be determined until the evil
dence is all before the ecclesiastical court.
He seems to be young man OF good
antecedents. and his distinction as an
athlete while he was student Of
Yale College is certainly in his favor.
Healthful and vigorous exercise and NOR
bid Imagination ought not to go together.
It would be altogether improper and very
unjust to express an opinion as to his
guilt or innocence OF the offences
charged against him at this stage Of
his trial. Whether he has been merely
iniudicious in his subjects Of conversation
or has spoken with really corrupt motives.
his case is very extraordinary. We do not
recall the like Of it in the history of the
trials Of ministers. though. We regret to
say. charges of immoral practices have been
proved against many Of them numerically.
though, greatly to the honor of the sacred
profession. tho convicted have been few
proportionately to the whole number in its
ranks.
Another case Is that of the Rev. Mr.. Nor
ROW. and it is not so unusual. It seems that
he has felt it to be his duty to introduce the
practice Of giving the "holy kiss " to the
women inmates Of the Bethany Faith Home
at Pittsburgh. OF which institution he Is the
chaplain, and more especially to those who
are young and comely. His theory is that
as a Christian he should love every
body. and that he should not demon
strate his affection more warmly to
his own family than to the girls OF
the Bethany Home. AS a proof that his
kisses were bestowed because Of religious
principle only. he calls attention to the
fact that he did not discriminate against
even Aunt LAvHNIA. the colored attendant
OF the institution. but kissed her also. The
presumption is that she has passed the
period OF youth else she would not be called
aunt: and the Rev. Mr.. MORROW evidently
acknowledges his affectionate salutation
OF her as a defence against the old charge
that the brethren who feel under religious
obligation to give the holy kiss invariably
bestow 1t on youth and beauty only. 1t
seems however. that usually he discharged
the duty by kissing the more beautiful sis
ters. and his occasional salutations OF Aunt
LAvINIA were merely perfunctory. At
any rate. the officers Of the Bethany Home
have decided that the period OF Mr.. NOR
ROWS usefulness in that institution has
come to an end. It was proved also that
the young women were as much opposed to
his holy kisses as he was convinced Of his
obligation to bestow them.
Among the primitive Christians the aga
PIE. or love feasts. closed with the holy
kiss. The Christians were community by
themselves. shut off from sympathy with
tho rest Of society. prosecuted and reviled:
and consequently there grew up feeling
of brotherhood among them as II they We're
united by natural and not merely spiritual
ties. AS the new faith gained adherents.
and more especially when it became dolni-
nant. these demonstrations were put
under greater and greater restrictions
because OF the license they permitted. un-
til at last the observance OF tho early Gus
tom died out In the Church. except among
n few bodies OF the faithful. like the
Moravians and some OF the Methodist
family. It was observed that tleshly beauty,
rather than spiritual. attracted the brcth-
rem who were anxious to keep up the
practice. So it seems to have been with the
Rev. Mr.. MORROW. In spite of his sacrifice
to conviction in the case OF Aunt LAvINIA.
The case OF the Rev. Mr.. SHoBER OF
Barrytown. deposed by Bishop POTTER for
intempcrance. is very sad II the young mans
vice or disease was. as reported. the conse-
quence OF the use OF stimulants as medi-
cal prescription. Such habits. it is only
Just to say. are not as frequent among
clergymen as we might expect. considering
the temperament of those who are most
likely to be attracted to the holy calling.
Yet the number OF clerical drunkards has
been many. and some of them have been
men in high places in the Church. Vic
Tins Of the terrible opium or morphine
habit arc numerous among the clergy.
some Of whom have suffered disgrace in
consequence. We understand that repre-
sentatives OF the clergy are always included
in the multitudes under treatment at DIR.
KEELEYs; but the great body Of ministers
are temperate In their use OF alcohol.
though they are proverbially fond Of the
pleasures OF the table. The actual number
OF clerical drunkards may be much larger
than the public suspect. but proportionately
they are few.
The prevalent moral purity OF the clergy
is indicated by tho scandal to which such
cases as those we have recited are sure to
give rise. The people demand OF Christian
ministers. and reasonably demand that
they shall be more scrupulous than other
lail. Il