The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-01-31
ARTHUR ROPES. General Editor.
4 Sketch of Mr.. Sheldon.

Over against the average press COM
ment on the Rev. Charles M. Sheldon |
and his now widely-advertised news
paper project, place the subjoined |
character sketch by one who knows him
well, who is competent both to judge |
and wildly declare his.judgment, Bish-
op John II. Vincent:
1t is not every eminent man who has
honor in his own city. Men of wide repu-
tation are often discounted by too intimate
acquaintance. AS 1 travel over this contl-
nent am asked again and again; you
are from Topeka. What about that man
Sheldon OF In His Steps2 How does he
stand at homer" 1t Is always a source OF
great satisfaction to be able to say: "Shel-
don is as he writes. He practices what he
breaches He is universally respected in
the town where he is known the best" II
any man is exposed to the "woe" pro-
nounced upon those of whom all men speak
well, our friend Sheldon is subject to that
peril His fellow citizens OF all classes aud
his Christian brethren of all churches do
say concerning him. "Well done, good and
faithful servant" Strong as this statement
of the case is, it is not by any means an
over-statement Mr.. Sheldon has a strong,
original and prolific imagination He is
genius. Thus endowed, he is OF necessity
an idealist. His speciality is in the direc-
ton of philanthropy. While scholars in
seminaries are specializing concerning So
Geological prob ems, Mr.. Sheldon is expert
menting; and as he dreams of the ideal
possibility, he puts pen to paper and pro-
duces sanctified romance. AS his standard
of life is the Christ who assumed humanity
to show man what to be and how to live,
he naturally applies his Christian faith and
power of idealizaton to the practical ap-
plication OF Christ and His ideas to the age
in which we live.
Charles M. Sheldon, the inventive, the
philanthropic, the sympathetic Christian
minister, was thoroughly educated in a
godly home, then in Phillips Academy,
Brown University and Andover Theologi-
cal Seminary. He has been somewhat of a
traveller and spent some time in the grea
metropolis OF London engaged in social
studies. He has been pastor for several
years in the city of Topeka, where, with
out hindrance, he has been able to carry
out several experiments in religious teach.
ing, in social organization and in practical
reform, which have demonstrated the prac-
ticability and wisdom Of his schemes. Like
the dreamer, Joseph, he has proved an eff.
fective administrator. The sheaves which
he saw in his dream have bowed to him
and placed at his command for the good Of
others, the treasures they produced.
Mr.. Sheldon is humble, gentle, unselfish
declines public recognition, and, .notwith
standing the wide reputation which he has
fairly won, is the same candid, simple
hearted, earnest Christian that he has beer
through all the years.
1t was like him to dream of an idea
Christian paper. And it is fortunate
thing that the proprietors and editors O.
one of the greatest of our dailies this side
of the Mississippi, the Topeka Capital, have
consented to give Mr.. Sheldon ample OPP
portunity to make new experiment il
journalism
Nj. Sheldon is providential man. III,
has good sense, ample and genuine liter
airy TASTE knowledge of human nature,
profound conviction of.social need, and hal
honestly and without any purpose or ex
pectation of his own, gained the widest ant
best possible public hearing of any man o
his time.
We all, therefore, look with great interes
to the experiment of week of Christian
wisdom and spirit put into the secular jour
nalism of the age.
All this is very wholesome. 1t sup
plies grateful antidote to the poison
of misrepresentation and flippant ant
unsympathetc comment by writer
ignorant of the man and filed with tn
conceit that what they don't know
abolt edi.ing and publishing news
paper is not worth acquiring. MI
Sheldon may not be ga trained news
paper man." and this may be to hi
advantage. He will not have 80 man
things to unlearn. In what respec
newspaper training will help his proiec
he will undoubtedly have skilled assist
ance. In the practical application {
his ideas to newspaper publication b
will be managing editor and in som
large degree a producer of "copy.
For the development of his ideas h
has had the requisite "training," an
he has the mental and moral equiv
ment. The newspaper world missed
powerful acquisition when Mr.. Sheldo
turned his face toward the ministry {
Christ.