Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-15


Prize Fight.
CHICAGO, February IA Topeka,
Kas., special to the Inter-Ocean says:
There is fun ahead for Topeka. The
Rev. Mr.. Sheldon will not have things
all his own way when he assumes the
role OF editor of the Topeka Capital
for the next week beginning March
12 next. ed" Howe, of the Atchison
Globe, will enter the lists as an oppon-
ent of Mr.. Sheldon, and, Mr.. Howe be-
ing a sort of human buzz-saw. the
ministerial fur is pretty sure to fly.
Howe has been engaged by the own
ers of the Topeka Journal to conduct
a department in that paper the same
week that the Rev. Mr.. Sheldon will
edit the Topeka Capital. While Mr..
Sheldon will show newspaper men
how newspapers should be run, Mr..
Howe will educate ministers on the
true way to preach the gospel-in
fact, his department will bear the cap
ton, Glow Ministers Should Preach
the Gospel"
e. w. Howe is known as the Kan
sas philosopher and iconoclast. Be-
sides being the editor and proprietor
of the Atchison Daily Globe, which is
one of the best paying newspaper
plants in Kansas, he is an author and
lecturer of considerable note. Among
his books which have attracted wide
attention are THE Story of a Country
Town. why | Am an Exile" "Tne
Story of a Rich Man." 1.-THE Confess
sions of John Whitlock, Late Preacher
Of the Gospel" etc.
The controversy between Mr.. Howe
and the Rev. Mr.. Sheldon arose in this
way: When the announcement was
first made that MI. Sheldon would edit
the Topeka Capital for one week "as
Jesus would" he gave out an inter-
view, in which he declared that the av-
erage newspaper Of to-day was i'm
moral, harmful, and was not being
managed on a Christian basis. His
idea in editing the Topeka Capital "as
Jesus would" he said was to demon
strate to the editors of this country
that a Christian" newspaper would
be a success. Mr.. Howe took excep-
lions to both the Rev. Mr.. Sheldon's
statements regarding the newspapers
and to his attitude in assuming to be
the judge of
What Jesus Would Do.
In an editorial in his paper Howe
severely arraigned Mr.. Sheldon. "By
what right or authority" he said,
docs Sheldon assume to sit in judg-
ment upon the editors of this coun-
try? Did Jesus commission him to do
1t? 1t looks to me like a piece of con-
summate gall for him to presume to
know more about the newspaper pro-
fession than those who have spent the
greater part of their lives learning it.
l deny the statement that the average
newspaper, is immoral and exerts a
harmful influence in the home. The
newspapers of standing are managed
along Christian lines. They are con-
scientious, truthful, enterprising and
progressive. The progress of journal
ism during the past century has been
one of the wonders of the age. Can
Sheldon say as much for the clergy?
/ assert that the newspapers nave
welded mere beneficial influence up
IN civilization than has the clergy. In
stead Of attempting to run a newspa-
per as Jesus would, Sheldon should
spend his time in learning how Jesus
would preach the gospel. l can demon
strate that he has not only failed in
this, but that he has preached doc
trines which Jesus specifically forbid"
Mr.. Sheldon replied mildly, and one
word brought or another until F. P.
MacLennan, editor of the Topeka State
Journal, requested Mr.. Howe to write
for the Journal, during the same week
the Rev. Mr.. Sheldon would be editing
the Topeka Capital, a series of lay SER
mons, giving at length his ideas on
how the ministers should preach the
gospel. The invitation has been &C
copied by Mr.. Howe. 1t is believed
that the clash between the two men
during that week will be full Of fire
and force.
By a peculiar coincidence it hap
pens that both men have written
books giving their views ON the work
which they will follow during the
week. In his book, in His Steps,"