The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-03-23
OUR LOCAL
DIYINES
Give Their Views on Rev. Shell
dOn'S Experiment
An Interview With a Number of
Morrlstown Ministers The Pro-
priety of the Scheme Doubted by
Some Others took no Interest.


When it was announced that Rev.
Chas. Sheldon intended to attempt for
one week to edit the Topeka Daily
Capital, and run the newspaper as
"Jesus would" Chronicle reporter in
terviewed several Morristown minis
ters and obtained their opinions ON the
journalistic adventure of Mr.. Sheldon,
which were published in the Chronicle
of January 26.
In order to ascertain the views of
the Morristown clergymen on Mr..
Sheldon's experiment, a Chronicle re-
porter interviewed several with the
following results;
Rev. DR.. Erdman, of the South
Street Presbyterian Church :-"It is
difficult to see wherein Mr.. Sheldon
has helped the cause of religion and
righteousness by his one weeks ex-
pertinent, any more than any decently
conducted newspaper On the other
hand the attempt to show What
Jesus would do" in this line is either
mawkish sentimentalism or ap-
proaches close to downright bias
phemy. A Christian editor will con-
duct his paper on the same principle
on which every sincere Christian
must carry ON his business and con-
duct of life, viz: as one VINO feels
his responsibility to God, to whom
everyone of us must give account -
Rev. DR.. Taylor, of st. Peter
Church :-"I have not read Mr.. Shell
don's paper and therefore am not en-
titled to an opinion,
Rev. S. o. Batten, of the Baptist
Church 81 think it capital paper,
but slightly defective in not giving
enough news. Other news items
should have appeared. 1t is slightly
socialistic in that it has a disportion-
ate number of articles bearing on
the aspect of social life. He should
make more mention of good deeds
that are being done through out the
world. think the experiment was
we'll worth trying and it will have a
lasting influence. Whether this par
ticular experiment succeeds or not, it
has brought the matter to the atten-
tion of the people and it will cause
papers throughout the country to have
| a little more conscience on some
things. The experiment was success
full in one respect at least; the count
ing room end of the paper did not
determine the opinion of the editorial
section. I saw nothing Objectionable
in the advertisements and | hope that
out of this adventure will spring a
great daily that will in all respects be
Christian. l understand that some
objections were made to the expert
ment on the grounds that it was a
presumption and some said blasphemy,
but every man who calls himself a
Christian has taken upon himself to
do what Jesus would do. Mr.. Shell
don has read his New Testament and
has taken it seriously. The saddest
thing about the whole discussion is,
however, that at the close of the
nineteenth century the attempt to
initiate Christ seems to men to be
something new or strange. Mr.. Shell
don has simply been trying to state
the A B @ of the Gospel and it seems
that many people don't know the
alphabet Although both his book and
paper are faulty in detail, Mr.. Shell
don's motive is supremely right.
Rev. T. l. Coultas, pastor of Metho-
dist Church 81 have seen but one
copy of Mr.. Sheldon's s paper and then
only glanced at it. l believe in
general way that Christian principles
ought to attain to every newspaper,
but doubt the propriety of this ex-
pertinent. First, because of the in
sufficiency of the time. Second, the
lack of special qualifications on Mr..
Sheldon's part to edit the paper.
hope that the outcome of it will be
tendency to make newspapers of
higher moral and Christian charac-
ter, but believe one week insufficient
time for anyone to demonstrate what
a Christian paper ought to be. l
don't doubt Mr.. Sheldon's sim
cerity and admire his motive of put
ting Christian principles into every
thing; but do doubt the expediency
of the experiment. z"
Rev. G. H. Hibbard, rector of st.
Peters Church :-''I have been out
of town and have not seen the paper,
and therefore have no knowledge of
the plan outlined. Hence, I would
not care to express an opinion. -
Rev. Dean Flynn, of the Church of
the Assumption, smiled when the re-
porter asked him for his opinion on
Mr.. Sheldon's enterprise. He said -
81 have not seen the paper; have too
many other things to think about and
am not interested in it. -
DIR. VIM. M. Hughes, of the Church
Of the Redeemer ;-"I have read one
copy but really have not formed much
opinion. should say that the idea
in itself is good enough but on the
whole / believe that newspaper men
should be allowed to manage their
Continued on Fifth Page.