New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-13
PULPIT PLAGIARISM.
A CLERGYMAN PLEADS FOR HIGHER STANDARD
OF LITERARY HONESTY.

To N. Editor OF The Tribune.
81. Permit me az a minister. 20 commend your
exposure In this mornings Tribune OF no'aoe IN
stance % pulpit plagiarism The otherwise n'sn
character and general usefulness % the eminent
divine together WITH the Fact tina, he would prop
,,iv r.v.- have fallen into such error. except
vh., specially crowded and overwcrked. makes II
the more neeiful to view the subject IN us proper
light The greater outward activity OK cierEymsh IN
modern times makes the temptation strong ohe'
eyer 90 ,-a pablo in seasons OF leisure OF A''~h-
,,r A hish standard OF pulpit excellence. Not se"
n N. pews men who would not steal cent OF an
,her. rS,rev look TOO lightly he literary pi'er-
ix< or ,he pulpit, and ~ the sermon Is good and edi-
wing. they are not much concerned with question
inS that may arise concerning its mode 81 procuc-
tor
Tn. ,u,p,t. however. should cad in setting high
standard OF literary honesty. Times o. equally
severe pressure come 10 journalists. campaign ora
tors And Others Notable exposures have been made
% The psucty Of original IDEAS on certain subjects
IN ren highly honorei IN public Ne eu, such revela-
lions are not creii;ahle - those Immediately con-
cerr-t The value OF A mos, readable history OF
E-siish literature few years ago seriously
3,fr n sd by Tire TrtSunss exposure q the origin
u many % IL lillian, paragraphs and one % me
most popular % r-c-n, American novels lAoo-s under
A similar iisatvantass
The crudest ext~rporaneous EFFORT % which such a
POLISHED divine was capable would have been more
other. Il Is not possible 70 read with true JUNCTION
- ones own. With a view OF having Il received -
such the phras-olosy q brother minister II Il 40
easy task % rad effectively one's Own manuscript
after lapse OF Few years. ~tthoa; important mod
iacauons s,u. such course would have been pre-
ferabie 20 the followed last sunday Few con-
r-~xatons would - censcrious ~ this vas done wiki
p.~haps A word Il explanation 70 the special
pressure % dudes the week before IL would not
have been an urp1ri0uable sin 10 have read with
out alteration ano;hers sermon. provided clear an
nouncerlsnt had been made % ne fact
The habit Of piasi~rizinx - too easily formed
Il - ct,en ;csteret ~ the aarsasonAoie demand by
many congregations OF hundred and four tn!shsd
orat9Hs each year ani the placing Of too small An
emphasis On ne m3r And spiritual factors. IN COM
part,on With the literary features Of the sermon.
Preachers are 81 sep BY step into this perncious
practice ~ iear y noerihs ,heir iscours-s WIN
taken. many % whom are unknown 70 nine-terths OF
tn-lr auditors. They sometimes neglect 70 give due
credit for apt quotation Tor tear that their
hearers viii think hey too dependent outside
pr~ci.te tre true character OF the literary
ten This -. however. f1ta mistake. No preacher
ever lost reputation s9r originality and force by
honestly acknowledging nj, indebtedness The Fac,
that he regards a sentence or paragraph - worth
q4ltlas A once calls renewed Attention 10 Il. con-
tents I, = Ike ne quotation u standard l-gal
authority In an advocate plea before Judge or fury
pressed . more than merely personal view. What
~ oses N oeiax thought less original or brilliant he
rad what others have said upon N. subject
Honesty Is here elsewhere only the best prn-
clp.-. but IN. S-st policy
The plea O, The eminent tivine that unsckrow-
edged. wholesale use Of others tiscourses De
justified ~ special emergencies would II admitted
% - valid IN The ethics OF homil.tics. speedily
crowd The clerical profession with q horde Of less
earnest. ussrui and Industrious preachers than the
rector OF the Church OF the Heavenly Rest The
ministry would become sinecur- ,or tn. mentally
irdcsnt. ard legtoie pennanship and effective read
irx powers would De sufficient qualifications FOR
license preach gospel 81 intellectual sloth and
confused moral distinctions.
GEORGE e. COLLIER
Alexandria Bay. v Y. April g. 1895