The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-10

when applause is legitimate. and there
are times and places when it breaks in
as discordantly as laughter at a funeral.
The custom of applauding musical per-
formers and singers is 80 established that
we must regard it as having some solid
ground Of being. But with persons who
perhaps more often attend the concert
than the church, and in such not rare in
stances as the same performers appear in
both places, there is danger that the
usage of the opera house shall be trans-
ferred to the house of prayer. And in
some instances, as when the communion
table is spread, or when the selection is
form of prayer, the incongruity of
the we'll meant clapping of hands is
painful.
The Independent supplied itself by
liberal enterprise with verbatim cable
report sof Gladstone's speech at Liver
pool on the Turkish question. The at.
tention attracted by the speech all over
the civilized world is remarkable tee-
timony to the high and unique position
occupied by this private citizen. The
weight is in the man rather than in his
word. For while the Liverpool speech
is Gladstonian in every paragraph and
betrays no trace of mental decline, it is
an example of what DIR. Hale has called
the science of saying nothing in particu
lar in a great variety of phrases and
with scrupulous respect for the gram
mar. The grand old man was always q
master Of this modern editorial art. And
the evidence which this speech supplies
that the veteran statesman retains the
intellectual suppleness of his prime, lie
found abundantly in the fact that he
never was more enigmatical in his life.
The pastor of the Herkimer church
deserves to have it written against his
name that he was unsparing in his
efforts to make the New York Conven.
tion Of 1896 memorable. He advertised
it thoroughly and conspicuously. He
enlisted the interest of the whole com
munity in the meetings. He planned
loyalty and with an eye to the minutesi
details. His people seconded his efforts
argely; and the result was smooth.
running, satisfying and successful Con.
vention. He might have done less and
escaped without censure; no one could
have done more or in spirit of com.
pleter devotion to the occasion and the
comfort Of his guests.
1t was made apparent again how
much our Conventions fall shortof their
highest usefulness through the absence
from them 80 generally of the men and
women who constitute the strength of
the parishes at home. Excellent people
were there in abundance; but the no.
tion that the modern churches are COM
posed principally of women and minis
ters." received too much confirmation
from the personnel of this assembly.
When, on Thursday evening, Mr.. Belts
took the platform to raise $500 addition
al, to make more effective the mission
work of the Convention, it seemed as if
the minister and the women had mo.
nopoly of Convention interests and re-
sources. Possibly the custom of making
repeated collections and appeals for
funds, to which we eeem to be giving
ourselves with growing cordiality in our
conventions, may have something to do
with the conspicuous absence of men of
means. We cannot resist the convic.
tion that more money raised by the use
of regular and appointed methods in the
parishes at home, and less by special ap.
peals ION the floor of the Convention" !"
would be profitable improvement.