The Forrest City times., 1893-11-17
Brass ys. Pure Gold.

The noted eyangelists, sam Jones and Sam Small, have completed their work and left Memphis for Birmingham. Ala, where they will repeat their usual programme rounding up the excitement seeker I 1 have read the sermons from day to day which these two noted evangeiists 1 have just finished preaching in Memphis. ! and ask my self if his Is the way in which Jesus Christ and his disciples preached i to and led sinners to repentance. Did that meek and lowly man draw crowd into 1 his presence and then hurl such epithets and unseemly names at them, to force, or coerce. or frighten them into embracing i the doctrines he taught
 On the contrary, gentleness and modera- ton of speech, charity and humility, char acteriZed all his sermons.
 1 have seen much of the course pursued by almost all evangelists. l have seen the worthy pastor of a church labor on for years. He or his church committee despair ing of any conversions In the church, at last accept the services of some profession al evangelist to get up hurrah, an excite ment to draw a crowd, to glorify not God, but to add another big meeting to the list of successes for the professional eyange- list to boast of as conducted by him. And everybody has heard him tell of the con- versions he, not God. had made at such place and such place. And at these meet ngs what becomes Of the poor, faithful pastor Is he part or factor of the meet ing? Has he any share in bringing these souls to Christ? According to the usual plan of the professional evangelist, the pastor becomes hgurehead-sits aimess- lY in the pulpit. sees his people accept such language Sometimes coarse and au- gentemanIyl that they would resent by eayiug the church if the language was used by him.
 But the professional draws the crowd, buliies, threatens and drives his congrega- ton into rising in their seats and express ing themselves any way he wants them to in order to red0snd to his glory. The pas tor, once in a while, is allowed to open or close services with a prayer, but he be- comes a nonenity and is kept conspicuous Iy in the background.
 After awhile the harvest is ripe for the reaper. and he gathers the grain. He has little collection taken laha, see?) for his benefit. A comIsitiee collects from busi- ness men, froIa everyone they can draw 1t out of, the tens, the lives, the ones, the fifty cents, and they hand the professional evangelist sual, for two weeks services, equal to half a years salary O3 the regular pastor. Good tling-beats belonging tO any regular synod or conference foot loose, tramp anywhere you please. IT regular pastor don [ want you, crowd your self on him anyway and open up meet Ing. The essential feature of aiI is do not forget to get big collection taken up for yourseif-may be a side present Of gold watch or goId-headed cane-and dspa1 1 gratefully for pastures new and helc, green very green - and people still greeusT.
 Does this look little like their methods, gentle reader? Jog your memory little The writer is no church member IF christian. and since boy hoods day. at his mothers knee, has no word of prayer passed his lips; but he respects the re- ligi0n of many good and true christians whom he has met, and above all, believes iu the sincerity bf the many regular pas tors. He has known many giving of their meageT salaries to the support of the many church charities. Hearts always open to cases of distress, always generous and the most imposed upon class of men iu the land. and It must cut to the quick tO see their studied, finely wOfded discourses fall unappreciated upon their listeners ears, while the ooarse, brutal language of some professional wanderer draws full houses and wins applause. But for the proof Of the pudding. Watch Memphis Note the result of her next election. and then answer what good have the eVange- lists accomplished. J.H.