The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-06-17
Sam Jones.

NASHVILLE BANNER.-In his closing
sermon in the Tabernacle Sunday night
Sam Jones took occasion to say OF the
Banner and the American: aft you
were to see really moral editorial in
either of them you would think right
away that the editor had gone away
and left a preacher in charge" He
made further remarks implying that
the editors OF these papers never wrote
any "really moral editorials" because
they were afraid the saloon men would
take out their advertisements.
So far as the Banner is concerned it
matters nothing what MIR. Jones says
about it, but such recklessness of state
ment by a man protesting to preach the
gospel of truth is a very serious matter.
If Sam Jones had tried to inform him
self before he made his specific personal
reflection he would have learned that
many of the ministers whom he has met
In Nashville and hundreds of the best
people have taken the trouble to come in
person TO the editor of the Banner to
thank him for editorials written for the
right and for morality, or have sent him
letters commencing Greatly moral edito-
rails" that have appeared in this paper.
These articles may not have come up to
Mr.. Jones' peculiar standard Ofmorality,
but we have never regarded vulgarity as
an essential factor of moral excellence.
We refer to Mr.. Jones' remark not to
defend the Banner, for the Banner is
real of the public and must be judged
as it is, but we mention it as an illustra-
ton of the evangel:st's method of indis-
criminate assault. He allows few If
any exceptions in his characterizations.
He draws the awful circle of his con-
domination around all professions and
all classes and scarcely tolerates the
suggestion that all are not in the lowest
pit of iniquity.
No matter how intelligent and refined
the people may be in his congregation
he interlards his discourse with the
colloquialisms of the gutter, and says
he is adapting his language to his au-
diencc. OF the ten thousand preachers
whose hands he has shaken, he declares
that not one hundred are thoroughly
consecrated men, and the ministers who
crowd around him on the platform are
left in doubt whether any of them are
included in his inspired list of rare and
radiant exceptions. OF the million OF
christians he has greeted in his rounds
not five hundred have been cOnsecrated
and none had approached in piety a
gentleman in Virginia and one i'll
Mississippi, whom the evangelist pre-
maturely canOnizes in every pulpit.
Is whisky an evil? Then, according
to Sam Jones, every man who takes a
drink is rushing headlOng to hell; every
physician who recognizes the medicinal
qualities of alcohol is piling up souls i'll
perdition. Every woman who takes
wine for the stomach's sake is in dan
ger of hell-fire, and if she take beer as
a tonic in her weakness, she is an "Old
sow cat" who is warned of the wrath to
come. Standing at the sacred desk as
the ambassador of Jesus Christ, whose
marvellous purity of thought and speech
has been the admiration of all ages, and
the model of christian refinement, Sam
Jones emits a recurring stream of Vul-
garity which no other man would dare
to use on the streets who has regard for
his reputation and safety.
Sam Jones is genius. He is unique
and inimitable. He has wonderful
power to sway the multitudes and he
carries his power to the extremist
limit. He has the magnetism OF sudsci-
ty which shocks and repels, then dazes
and draws and enchains. He sways
1.-THE assembled thousands at his will,
and it is his will to make them break
over every accustomed rule of decorum
and habit of thought. He ottends all OF
the proprieties, and at his command tie
multitude approves. He respects nc
station or condition in life, but cOmpels
all classes to acquiesce in his pulpit
abandon. Hoary-headed age forgets
its inflrmity in his presence and es'
teens it privilege to be made the butt
of his course wit. WOmanhood leaves
the circle in which is brooked no address
that is not chaste and differential and
deems it duty to smile approval at his
greeting of "snaggle-tOOthed SIS
Reverend doctors of divinity of other
wise circumspect dignity will unbend tc
the potent spell of Sam JONES and play
attendance upon his nod. These stalo
and sober pastors who would deem II
sacrilege to laugh in their own pulpltE
will sit on the platform before a Vas'
assemblage and roar, and roar, and
roar with laughter over Sam Jones gos
pei jokes until their sides and neck'
ache. A nd when this evangelist, who
has but to speak and he is obeyed, turns
with proud consciousness OF his
power and bids these preachers endorse
his utterances, the wondering people
Ioar than, ShOut q chOruS of HamenS,'