The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-12-11
A NEW CHURCH.
Chicago Record.


Applause and Kisses punctuated
the initial service of the free-silver
church in the Grand opera house
Sunday, Dec. 8, 1896. The Rev.
Flavius j. Brobst preached the SER
mon under the auspices of what is
to be. known as the "Union Church
Association. /" A fair sized audi
ence listened to the prelude and the
sermon, encouraging the preacher
with rounds of applause when his
statements reached a climax. At
the close of the services an appeal
was made for funds and additional
members. Several made applica-
ton for membership, and few
pledged a permanent subscription.
"Henry Ward Beecher's fight
against slavery, with reference to
present conditions," was the theme
of the prelude. The Rev. Mr..
Brobst compared the cause of free
silver to that of the abolition of
slavery, and eulogized the part
played by Henry Ward Beecher in
securing freedom for the negro.
He then took occasion to attack
the preachers who had supported
the gold standard from their pulpits,
and turned on Lyman Abbott, the
successor of the great Beecher. He
said that in the out look Mr.. Alb
bott had lent his influence and
strength to the "most monstrous OF
all monopolies the gold standard.
Mr.. Brobst assailed the consist
ency of DR.. Parkhurst's teachings.
He complained Of him for his as
, sistance to the gold power be-
tore election, and for last Sunday
turning on the women of his congre-
CATION and denouncing them for
seeking bargains because it starved
the sewing girl. When the speak
er made that declaration there was
hiss in concert from the audience.
Continuing his prelude he attack
ed west side minister for his words
in favor of the "gold monopoly
. before election and his recent pop
gun" oratory turned loose against
the trusts. He commended the be-
levers in "Christ and humanity
that "in defeat they spoke and act
ed as victors." He prophesied tina,
, by such behavior on the part Of his
followers great growth to the cause
of humanity would result and later
they would show to the world THAT
God Almighty was behind the
movement.
! That ended the prelude. While
a hymn was being sung ushers
passed around the hat, and silver
quar,ers, dimes and dollars jingled
together in the collection. Then
the Rev. Mr.. Brobst began his SER
mon, speaking on the theme,
Comrades of the Almighty" His
discourse was an attempt to show
that the principles held by himself
and his followers were approved Of
God, or, as he expressed it, "the
manager Of the universe.
Mr.. Brobst said the attitude Of
a minister who had supported the
gold standard, and because it was
victorious lad announced the cause
as divine, was downright hereti-
cal" 1--WE are asked" he said,
"to spew out of our hearts and
imaginations our principles because
the opposition triumphed, but one
day they shall see the monopoly Of
greed struck by the cause Of human
ity, and it shall go down, never to
rise again" Then the audience
applauded. He closed his sermon
with a plea for strength of purpose
and adhesion to the principles for
which the people had so lately
fought, and when he sat down the
people clapped their hands.
! J. T. Sutherland announced the
purpose of the church, and closed
by saying it would be a political
power. He said services would be
held Sunday mornings in the Grand
Opera House.