The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-22
DR.. Parkhurst's Method.

Rabbi SILvERMAN spoke thus of DR.. PARK
HURST at the Temple Emanuel on Sunday:
SHOULD he in any way bring about reform where it
Is needed. he deserves monument Of gold erected to
his memory front OF the City Hail. and will you
not all Join in placing on that monument laurel OF
immortal fame -
DR.. PARKHURsr's method OF bringing
about the reform is distinctly his own. 1t
is not borrowed from any words or example
OF the Founder OF Christianity. 1t is rather
at direct variance with the prcccpts and
practice Of JESUS. The Presbyterian preacher
would overcome evil by human means. or
by civil punishment CHRIST would over
como it by good, or by spiritual means.
JESUS went about among sinners. choos-
ing them for his associates. in order that he
might bring them to goodness. DIR. PARK
tectivc. associating himself with them in
order that he might bring them to the
punishment Of the human law.
When he visited some OF their resorts. the
other evening. he made no attempt to lift
them out OF their spiritual darkness and
the wretchedness of their lives. He went
into the places in the disguise of reprobate
seeking tho qualification Of his evil pro-
pensities. He thus encouraged them in
their manner Of life in order that he might
betray them to the law. He sought to
punish them and not to save them. He
went to them as minister of earthly JUS
tice and not as a messenger of heavenly
truth and mercy.
In the Gospel record OF the career OF the
Master on earth We find no instance where
He undertook to hand over these sinners to
the punishment OF human law. We read
only of His efforts to lead them away from
their wickcdncss and cultivate in them the
germs of purity and goodness. He treated
them rather as the victims OF misfortune
than women against whom the hand of
man should be raised. He went to them as
friend. and not as Il detective. He did not
go in disguise and under cover OF the night.
but in His own character as q bringer of
peace and hope; and in the broad daylight.
though thereby He provoked the rcproaches
of the Pharisees as an associate OF publ
cans and sinners.
DR.. PARKHURsr entered the resorts OF
these wretched women under false pre-
fences, and he maintained the fraud during
all the time he remained In them. 1t was
not necessary for him to practise such de-
ceit in order to gain admttance merely. rs
We know by the experience OF the Salvation
Army. for instance. 1t was only necessary
to enable him to play his part as detec-
tive. As minister OF mercy he could have
gone in In his true colols. AS u secret min
lister OF vengeance he had to lie to get in.
1t is reported that the two men who were
joined with him in the detective business
went first to one Of these disreputable re-
sorts, and there announced that later in
the evening they would return with u
"rich old fellow from the West" In that
false character DR.. PARKHURsT accom-
panied them to the house subsequently.
The inmates. it seems. had no suspicion Of
his real function as n Christian minister.
and during an hours conversation and
conviviality with them he never re-
vealed his religious profession. They took
him for very wicked old man. who had
come thither to provoke them to evil and not
to win them from it. Their conduct received
no rebuke from him. He acted his part as
vicious old fellow from first to last and
thoroughly. He did not undertake to bring
good influences into the place. He did not
go preaching salvation. but as disguised
detective. intent only on bringing his en-
tertainers to human Judgment. He wit
messed their shame and paid them for it.
He did not seek to save them from it,
In other words, DR.. PARKHURsr made
himself liar, though his appointed func-
ton is to preach the Gospel Of truth and
mercy. Ho undertook to servo GoD in the
livery OF the devil. He proclaimed to his
followers by the force OF his example that
the end iustifics the means.
Is that method by which the needed re-
form OF which Rabbi SILvERMAN spoke can
be brought about! And does man who
practises it deserve n monument of gold in
his honor? How does it compare with the
method OF CHRIST?
las JESUS sat at meat in the house, behold,
many publicans and sinners came and sat
down with Him and His disciples. And
when the Pharisees saw 1t they said 10
His disciplos WHY osteth your Master . til