New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-18

PEW DIR RABOTEAU's CAUsTIC SERMON
on a NEW INDUSTRY.
,,r c,,Is TT A DISGUSTING TRAFFIC AND EN-
HoRTs CHRISTIANS TO REFUSE TO EN-
COURAGE TITS NoN-ADAPTABIL1rY
I-SF T. DAPTISTS.
TO Use BY BAPTIsTs.

In nre,ude 10 his sermon a, Parm.y Memorial
Banrist Church IN Jersey CITY. last night. the Rev
Claude Raboteau, the pastor. made some poignant
remarks on the subject Of 'Botted Wafer from '"e
River Jordan
ancient domains of the conservative East SAID
Mr.. Raboteau. "ani American thrift has taken
hold Of the apathet tic civilization Of the ORIENT
Like Alexander has the industrial life OF America
sighed for new worlds to conquer ana al Ia'' lou'
one in the far-off realm of Palestine. i must DC
a moor place where a Yankee cant get ivinS'
and while the overcrowded natives of the last are
suffering the Ills of poverty behold the enterprsinS
American takes up his abode there, ana D! Ms
wits makes fortune where the natives are s'aiN-
ing The latest brilliant scheme on record IN lhe
Orient is the establishment OF hrm III Td'eS'l.'o
~ SUNNY water from the River JORDAN 10 'he
churches of the world. 1t is put up IN seai'd DOL
Ties and sold by the like medicinal waters
from the great springs. For briliiancy OF concep-
ton and daring in accomplishment this shre"u
scheme beats the wooden nutmeg OF the war ulHeS
or the patent clothes-wringer Of the present II
is MAGNIFICENT stroke of business policy, ana must
have emanated from brain that IKE IdinOuS
Colonel Selers's, could see millions IN H.
"It Is astonishing how the sphere Of religion mas
become a constant source Of pecuniary proht even
when II fails TO benefit spiritually. great many
men care no more for the Church ana Inc "ospel
,han they do for the doctrines Of Buddha, but they
"A
"An alliance with the church where he comes
TO take his weekly nap has extended the trade ana
established the social position OF many a Keen
sighted man of business. The church mas peeh
found handy to help him in business way "he'"ei
1t has ever done anything for his soul or not
Ingersou. who processes to hate Christianity as ne
does the mythical devil it uphoids. doesn't hest
tate to use the Gospel as a means 10 gather Inc
shelcls his pocket
"And lust so with the Palestine Boiling COM
many 1t has determined that the cut-and-dIleo
doctrines Of Christianity ought TO be source oil
revenue as wei, as q source Of sentimental ecsiacy
N tho cre1ulols believer and the members OF the
company very content to nave this seh''-
mentality perpetuated. In the circular which the
company has issued. they make a clever poh'
in committing testimonials from the royal fam!nes
Of Europe who have had thelr children bapt@el
in this bottled Jordan water ,,-. e....,,,.
with all the shrewdness ana business ioresigni
Of this boitiing company. they have overooken a.
very vital point In or countIy: . @
three million Bapsis am as9n'sh is's ea1 i9gy
nav tne Ge seen they have ef, terrible haH
their plans II is all very well for the infant nap-
me TO patronzo the Jordan water but h3w
does the botiias company imagine o u 5c,o ~
so small that can b. so easily o. rocker Docs
tis;s in the United States? There may be com
naratively few IN Palestine. but the firm surely
country for the most Of Their trade.
II would like to suggest All immediate remedy for
this fatal mistake. If they expect to md tnclr
patrons in every church, they must supply an artc
Gle fitted to the special needs o. every class o.
the Baptist churches they must import the water
on this subject The existence or such a lldlcG
IONS echenS As this only indicates the senti-
mentality among Christian people II only show
how n broad and ferv.d faith in the personality OF
jesus Christ has been replaced by a supersutoui
ana narrow reverence for eXternals Of religion ami
II is this sham piety at root mere weakly senii-
rnent which has afforded these commercial. para
eites a cnance TO hang the Church ana SUCK
some Of its pecunary strength away shou.d ms
ridiculous thing become I'm vogue, We could scare ~
estrnatc its injurious effects. And II TINS hing
should become Il fad where would il stop? sooner
or later we would become overwhelmed with all
sarts of rrfraff from the Holy Land, from The
| Powerv and be setting up glass cases IN our
churches to preserve and magnify them.
let US keep al such wisly-washy sentiment
from our churches Let Us show the Palestine Bot
ring Company that they have made mistake II
they eSpec; the enlightened American Christians
10 become party 10 any such disgusting tra!hc;
I ct thern confne their business 10 the crowned
heads OF Europe, and the superstitious churches
Of the far East but let in the name Of all thar
s true and holy keep before the world the spiritual
7 Character and the religion Of Jesus. striving 70
teach men tHat the way into The Kingdom Of God
s not in the use OF external forms. or being b1r-
TIED in Jordan's water. but by having "A hclrt
accessible to the influence OF the Holy spirit, and
/ ffe