Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-05-04
CHRIST IS HIS MODEL.
PROF. WHEELOCK DAZES OLD
TIME PREACHERS.
Relieves, THAT the Teachings OF Jesus
should BE Made the Law OF the
Laud-He Is Consequently Hated by
the Plutocrats.

, Mr.. Sturgeon once said that a SER
mon which neither converted nor an
gered any one was a failure. 1t Is EVIL
dent from the number and earnestness
OF his critics as we'll as the number
who rush TO his defense that Prol.
Heron. the great philosopher OF iowa.
is doing good work. Or. Josiah strong
SAYS he speaks like one OF the ola
prophets, and the intensity with which
packed houses In Chicago hang on MS
words verifes DR.. Strong's statement.
1t is not to be expected that a man
who speaks like that will please every
one. The history of prophets is identi-
cal-stoned by ignorance, by Mammoh
and by ecclesiasticism; welcomed py
common folk and sainted after death.
1t is well that prophets do not live Tor
ever. 1t is well that truth does.
Here is a man who from a poor boy
earning his living on the streets ana
later earning his education with MS
own hands, has come TO be a puplic
teacher, greatly beloved by thousands,
and who actually takes Jesus teach
ings seriously and dares to demand
that all the affairs of human society be
organized and conducted in accordance
with those teachings. (His PROPOSE
tion has dazed many old-line preach
ers.)
Prof. Herron's critics are found in
the usual classes, but a surprising fg-
norance characterizes them all. Many
of them know him only through the
echo which pervades any community
where he speaks-nearly all have heard
him little and read him less, and some
have only the mishappen report of a
religious weekly.
A Kansas preacher pitches into him
for defaming the church-a thing the
professor never did-and for wearing
a good coat-which every man might
do IL the professors teachings pre-
vailed. This minister evidently got his
report of the professors speech at Sec
ond hand (~probably from a Chicago
paper), and is certainly ~unacquainted
with the professors everyday clothes.
Trustee Meyer of Prof. Herron's col
lege uses nearly two columns in what
is intended as a savage attack, but
which in reality speaks loudly in his
praise. The professor could hardly
have a better recommendation than
the distribution of Mr.. Meyers letter.
II he really teaches the things which
Mr.. Meyer says he does, then he should
be heard from one end of the land to
the other. Mr.. Meyer says much about
the college being congregational, but
little about it being Christian. He
goes into the professors financies and
tries to make him out as something of
a plutocrat with his salary of 81, 500,
and falsely says this is increased by
his lecture work. If he knew as much
about Mr.. Herron's work as he should
he would say that a large percentage OF
the salary is used up in the expenses
of a voluminous correspondence from
all parts of the world. Furthermore,
instead of his lecture work adding TO
the professors income. it is a drain
on it, Tor he refuses TO AXE pay for his
lectures, and often does not receive
enough to cover his expenses.
1t is well known that Prof. Heron
does not cost Iowa college a e as
his endowment went to the college
with him and for him, and it is safe
to say that the college is better known
through his work.
Mr.. Meyer goes into statistics to
show the baleful influence of Heron
ISM on Iowa college. He shows that
during the five years ended with 1898
the college lost thirty-five students
from its average for the preceding five
years, which, however, was $50 greater
than the average had ever been be-
fore. IL this is the case, and Mr.. Never
is of course authority on the statistics
OF the college, it proves rHerronism"
to be a strong influence for holding
students. Scarcely a college in the
land has lost so small a percentage of
its students during the last five Years
of hard times. Mr.. Meyers entire let
ter Is such a labored plea from a pure
ly dollars-and-cents standpoint as IN
make it evident even to outsiders hat
Iowa college needs a change OF AT least
one trusteeship more than the profess
sorship of applied Christianity.
Mr.. ]. V. Farwell also had a criticism
in the Record. We must give Mr. Far
well credit for sincerity and for writ
ing less Unexpectedly than some ~
the other critics. / am amazed at HE
ignorance of the meaning of the terms
he uses and the questions he discusses
He speaks OF industries which cor
porate wealth has ~inaugurated for tbo
benefit of the masses" while the mac
es are still earning an average 90 70
cents a day in coal mines or 81 q aov
as skilled woodworkers. He saw our
labor market is overstocked NV The
Importation of foreigners. while 10
noring the fact that .cornorata
wealth continues to restrict lahor
and make 1t a chattel to be bought and
AA