The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-13
SUNDAY WITH SHELDON
What the Christian Herald Core
spondent Has to Say.

staff of the Capital. I attended the
Sunday morning services at Mr.. Shell
don's church yesterday. and there re-
ceived a cordial greeting from some OF
the principal members of his congrega-
ton. Afterward had the pleasure of
spending an hour with the now famous
Topeka pastor, whose experiment on
the lines of practical Christian daily
Journalism is attracting the attention
of the entire country.
He is in many respects remarkable
man, being exceptionally modest and IN
no sense one who cares for self glorifi-
cation before the public. He has thus
far resisted all inducements by inter
viewers and photographers, and it is
evidently a part of his fixed plan to
sink his own personality so far as possi-
BILE in the great work he has under
taken to accomplish.
It must not be imagined, however,
that there is any secret about the
unique enterprise, or that a veil OF
mystery has been purpoSely thrown
about the Christian daily newspaper
which Mr.. Sheldon will begin to issue
on the 18th prox. On the contrary, the
pastor editor has invited most heartily
the cooperation of the whole Christian
Surance that the freedom of every de-
partment of The Capital will be gladly
granted me as the representative OF
The Christian Herald, in order that It's
great army of readers throughout the
world may learn all about the expert
ment at every stage of its progress.
They may, therefore, expect to IND IN
| these dispatches a full and unbiased
presentation of the story of Pastor
| Sheldons editorial trials and triumphs,
from the moment he assumes the edi-
| torial chair until the novel experiment
| is concluded, and he turns over The
NTr a
| it's regular conductors, through whose
| courtesy and enterprise he was granted
| this great opportunity.
| lMr. Popenoe is only one Of the own
ers of the Capital, which is owned by
| company of which Dell keizer is preSi-
dent, Harold Chase, vice president; c.
| L. Holman, secretary and treasurer,
| and Mr.. PopenOe and others are direc-
tors, Mr.. PopenOe being chairman OF
| the board. Major J. K. Hudson editor
in chief.-Editor State Journal
In view of the anticipated widespread
| demand for The Capital during Mr..
Sheldon's editorship, it is proposed to
! print part of the edition in Topeka and
! the balance in Chicago, with the posi-
bility that necessity may make it ad-
visable to print supplementary editions
| also in New York and London. Thou
sands of subscriptions are coming In
every day.
The Sheldon church, which is sit
| uated on the outskirts of Topeka, is
a rather small edifice. Instrumental
| music is furnished by a small parlor
| organ, and the singing is led by an
| aged man, who yields a baton. In sew
eral places on the walls of the church
and Sunday school room, the words
| What would Jesus do?" are stenciled,
and stand prominently before the VS.
| itor's eyes. Pastor Sheldon breaches
from notes found the little church
packed, there being at least five hun
| dred persons present, including state
| senators, politicians, the president OF
; - 1n11 nT nd q a
| sprinkling of negroes. The pastor open
| ed the responsive reading with the thirc
| and fourth chapters of Acts. The LORD s
| prayer was chanted, then came the
| hymn, ION God. the Rock of Ages,
| sung by the congregation; then sim
pie prayer for the guidance of all, that
they might live as Jesus would have
| them do, from the president of the ma
| ton down to the humblest citizen. An
other hymn, when Morning GildS the
| Skies was sung. Mr.. Sheldon then
| read a single notice-thas of the Thurs
| dav night PRAYER meeting, this being
| the only public meeting at which he
| ever mentions his coming newspaper
experiment Then followed a prayer for
help, strength and light. Next the Of
| fering with liberal contributions
| Pastor Sheldon took the text for his
sermon from Acts Alp: And in none
other is there salvation" The sermon
was simple plain talk. as if to a BIZ
bic class. am forwarding you by this
mail the notes in the pastors own
handwriting, so that you may publish
them in full. if desired After the ser
mon, came another hymn, God Loved
| the World OF Sinners Lost; then
short prayer that all present who had
not yet come into the kingdom, might
be brought in. The last hymn, Jesus
Lover of my SOUL was followed by the
| benediction, after which the congrega-
ton speedily dispersed.
Mr.. Sheldon's delivery showed no at
tempt at dramatic effect. He frequent
ly repeats phrases and expressions for
the sake of emphasis. He summed up
all the essentials and non-essentialS of
salvation. n-essentials that do not
count are race, rank, riches, church
membership and the assent to certain
dOgmaS, none of which however, are
actually necessary to our salvation. The
essentials are faith in God, repentance,
humility, the new birth, and the daily
living and doing as Jesus would do.
Let us carry salvation to all who need.
There is no such thing as secular life,'
said the pastor. t.Au life is life into
which we are to put our Christianity =
He should doubt his own salvation If
he did not love the multitude. Good
works alone will not save US, but We
do good because we are saved.
Pastor Sheldon's Sunday routine is
interesting. He rose at seven, partook
of a simple breakfast, and then had
home prayers and Bible reading with
his family including his wife and 2
year-old baby and also his father and
mother, who live in another part OF the
town. but visit him on Sundays. Then
| came half an hours preparation for
pulpit work Sunday school, followed
by a short Bible class lesson, was next
in order, and then the regular morning
service, which have already described.
Dinner over, the first half of the after
noon was spent in houSe-to-house Wis
its in the negro quarter of the town,
and during this outing he looked in for
a few moments at the negro chapel
, 7ai 1ff ha af do
voted to the funeral of a white parish
Toner and a church committee meeting
Next, supper, after which came the
only evening service at the church,
which was of the nature of a People
Christian Endeavor meeting. At this
service MI. Sheldon gave a short, char
acteristic talk on humility, and this
was by all means the most interesting
| If 10 eli inn