The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-18
Irreyerence In the Pulpit.

One CT the unpleasant phenomena of the
present day is IRE yerence In the pulpit
The dark ages of superstition were bad
| enough. and there was some disregard for
the dignity of sacred things in those days
but the general attitude of the clergy. at
least. was dignifed and reverent. The old
fashioned minister OF Puritan times, with
his frowning piety. his stern Ideals. and his
iron rule over the sentiments of the COM
munity. was not always agreeable, nor was
his influence altogether good; but he is
considerably more admirable, all things
considered. than some of his successors.
1t is well that the clergy of today have
laid aside some of the unnecessary formal
ity which hedged them in former times.
but there is such a thing as fiamboyant
irreverence in preaching, and il has be-
come so evident within the last ten or fif-
teen years as to disgust every right-think-
ing person. The latest and most no.
torious instance of this is the Rev. Mr..
Sheldori's experiment in conducting a daily
paper las Jesus would do it" That
phrase, TO a sensitive ear, is offensive In
the extreme and no one of ordinary in
telligence can fail to see that to make such
an expression byword from one end OF
the country to the other, is productive OF
anything but reverence On the part of the
general public. The "Atchison Globe, -
which is apt to be reckless in it's speech.
even without provocatien. evolved this
headline for its account of the Sne.don ex-
pertinent:
''.Iesus III Harness.
When Mr.. Sheldon comes to reflect that
he has provoked comments Of this sort. to
the disgust of really serious and earnest
people of his own faith. he may conclude
that his experiment has been one OF those
things which one would rather not have
tried.
Aside from the fact that a new slang
phrase will be added to the profane vocab
ulary Of street urchins, this theatrical pr
fOrmance will prove anew the value of
advertising, and it may create re-
action from the vaudeville style of
preaching and relegate the sensational
pulpit orator to the oblivion where lie
belongs incidentally, it will establish
incontestahle proof OF the value of
the unsectarian and secular daily news
paper, since the perusal Of Nj. Sheldon
edition of the Topeka Capital creates in
the subscriber an immediate thirst for in
formation as 10 what is going on in the
world at the present day. II is reported
that most of the regular subscribers of
the Capital have gone forth and bought
other newspapers in order to find out what
the news really was, and the proprietors
of Topeka journals are consequently
complaisant toward the Sheldon expert
ment. They would not mind if the cereal
editor were to continue his reign in
definitely. since in that way their rival
would bepractically wiped out Of existence
So far as competition was concerned.
But Mr.. Sheldon is only the latest and
most sensational offender against the laws
of religious decorum. DR.. Parkhursts ex-
letter to District Attorney
Gardiner. the publication of such books as
IF Christ Came &c Chicago" and the syn
dictate sermons of the only DR.. Talmage.
are all part and parcel of the same sensa-
tionai development In addition to this,
there is a cult OF evangelical believers who
make il a point TO speak OF sacred thinss
in a familiar and sometimes almost jocu ar
way, dragging into the dust of common
speech thoughts and feelings which re-
served people do not discuss lightly even
with their intimate. friends 1t is about
time for sensible people to express them
selves forcibly on the necessity of refine
ment and reverence in dealing with rel
gious subjects