El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-16
SUNDAY WITH
Mr.. SHELDON
A View Of The Man And His
Church
ON TOPEKA'S OUTSKIRTS
pictures On the Walls That Tell OF
the Pastor s Master Thought.

the staff of theCRpital. | attended th e
Sunday morning services at Mr.. Shell
don g church yesterday, and there re
ceivei cordial greeting from some
of the principal members of his congre-
cation. Aftsrward | had the pleasure
OF spending an hour with the now fam
GUS Topeka pastor, whose experiment
on the lines otpractical Christian daily
journalism Is attracting the attention
OF the entire country.
He is n many respects remarkable
man, being exceptionally modest and
, ia no sense one who cares for self-glori-
ficatiOn before the public. He has
thus far resisted all inducements by
intarviewers and photographers, end
it is evidently part of his fixed plan
TO sink his own personality so far as
possible in the great work he has un-
dertsken to accomplish.
Il must not be imagined, however,
that there is any secret about the
unique enterprise, or that a veil of
mystery has been purDosely thrown
about the Christian daily newspaper
which Mr.. Sheldon will begin to issue
on the 18th prox. On the contrary, the
passor-ed editor has invited most heartily
the cooperation of the whole Christian
community. | have received the as
sursnce that the freedom of every de-
pArtm sut OF the CAPITAL will be gladly
granted me as the representative OF
The Christian Herald, in order that its
great army OF readers throughout the
world may learn all about the expert
ment at every stage of it's progress.
They may, therefore, expect TO fad In
these dispatches 8 full and IN biased
presentation OF the story of Pastor
Sheldoa's editorial trials and triumphs,
from the moment he assumes the edl-
torial chair until the novel experiment
is concluded, and he turns over the
G,nitol tO n Mr. pnnanna and
its regular conductors, through whose
courtesy and enterprise he was granted
this great opportunity.
The Sheldon church, which is situat
ed On the outskirts OF Topeka, is a
rather small ediice. instrumental
music is furnished By a small parlor
organ, and the singing is led by IN
aged man, who wields baton. Ia
several places on tho walls of the
church and Sunday school room, the
words what would Jesus do?" are
stenciled, and stand prominently be- |
fore the VISITORS eyes. Pastor Sheldon !
breaches from notes. [ found the little |
church packed, there being az least |
five hundred parsons pres ent. including |
state senators, politicians, the president
OF the Topeka college, and q consider
able spriukling of negroes. The
pastor opened the responsive reading
with the third and fourth
CIdpJSES " FASUos IL LILA
prayer was chsnted, then came the
hymn, ''On God, the Rock OF Ages"
sung by the congregation: then SIM
pc prayer for the guidance OF ALL that
Iney might live as Jesus would have
them do, from the president of the ma
ton down to the humbiest citizen.
Another hymn, when Morning
Gilds the skies" was sung. Mr.. Shell
don then read a single notice-that of
the Thursday night pra er meeting at
which he never mentions his coming
newspaper experiment. Then follow
ed prayer for help, strength and light.
Next the offering vita liberal contri
buttons.
Pastor Sheldon took the text for his
sermon from Acts 4:I2: Aud in mona
other is there salvation" The SER
mon was a simple plain talk, as ii to q
Bible class. 1 am Forwarding you by
this mail the notes IN the pastors own
hand writing, so that you may publish !
them in full, ii desired: After the
Loved the World of Sinners LOST" !
then a short prayer that all present
who had not yet come into the King :
1om, might be brought in. The last
hymn, Jesus, Lover of my Soul" was l
by the beaeiicsiOn. after
which the congregation speedily dis
oersed.
Mr.. Sheldon's delivery showed no
attempt at dramatic effect. He fire.
@uently repeats phrases and express ,
,ions for the sake OF emphasis. He ;
up all the essentials and nom s
essentials of salvation. Non-es=entials
hat do nos count are race, {
'ank, riches, church membership and
he assent to certain dogmas, none of
which however, are actually necessary
% our salvation. The essentials are
aith in God, repentance, humility, the
lev birth, and the daily living and ;
Ioing as Jesus would do. Let US carry :
slvation to all who need. There is :
10 such things SIS secular life, =" said !,
he pastor. "All life is life into which :
We are to put our Christianity. He
i'd not love the multitude. Good
works alone will not save US, but we
% good because we are saved. {
Pastor Sheldon's Sunday routine is !
Interesting. He rose at seven, partook q
# simple breakfast, and then had +
Iome prayers and bible reading with e
lis family. including his wife and 2
ear-old baby and also his father and
nother, who live in another part OF
be town, but visit him on Sundays. G
hen came half an hours preparation S
Or pulpit work. Sunday school followed
y a short bible class lesson, was next
o order, and then the regular morning
erVlce, WHICH nave 3lFeduy ueo- .
ribed. Dinner over, the first half
the afternoon was spent in
ouse visits in the negro
uarter of the town, and dur
10 this outing he looked in for
few moments at the negro chapel. q
he remainder of the afternoon was
evoted to the funeral of white par I.
;bioper and a church committee meet
1g. Next, supper, after which came =
be only evening service at the church, {