The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-18
Jesus Wouldn't
Advertise or Hire Out to
Preach or Edit a Paper.

This serious criticism Of Rev. SheIdon's
proposal 10 run q newspaper as Jesus
world IS contributed 70 the Eagle by a
local reader or me Eagle:
The Rev. Chas NJ Sheldon, who will
| take a week OF. next month 10 tell Us
what Jesus would do If He were EDITOR Of
a daily paper, is no doubt an honest man,
| but he starts out seriously Handicapped
in his great work. by lending himself to
/ an advertising scl1eme-a work which
/ Jesus would probably not be engaged in
were He now upon earth
| UldouotedIy Mr.. Sheldon would tell Us
/ the truth and give US the information all
| the world would ike 70 hear-if he only
| knew. Everybody Especially believers in
I the Christi. would be pleased TO know
/ what Jesus would do were he TO appear
next month and remain upon earth for
| one week. But can Mr.. Sheldon tell Us?
II SO. where did he gain his information,
| and 0y what authority does ne presume
70 act?
| Every reader OF Scripture has the same
source % information from which Mr..
| Sheldon gathers his, and in the light of
Holy Writ Mr. SheI6oa appears ridiculous.
There is very little sentimentality in the
Bible. It IS ali reality. We have no way
Of determining what Jesus would do now.
except we Judge by what Jesus did when
upon earth as the Man OF Galilee- Meas
Ered by this example Mr. Sheldon is not
only handicapped by what he intends TO
do but likewise by his life In the past.
In the first place it might be well 10
note that Mr.. Sheldon has for years been
Z
Reverend" attached 70 his name. Now
the title Of Reverend denotes one 10
&c revered, a holy man, and carries with
it the idea Of superiority in Divine things.
Did Mr.. Sheldon ever protest against
such title? And yet Jesus Of Nazareth,
as the Son of Man, would not permit His
own disciples to apply that dte 10 Him
self why caHest thou me good?' He
asked, when the title had been applied to
Him, and then He instructed His disciples
that there was none good except His
Father in Heaven. BY this it is evident
that Jesus did not mean 10 teach that He
Himself was not perfect, as the Son OF
God, but that He was not 10 be exalted
as God.
The title of Reverend" in Scripture
is applied only to God: belongs to God;
and Jesus. who exalted Himself to be
equal with God" protested that the
disciples should not call Him Reverend
Yet ii is announced that Rev" Charles
NJ Sheldon will tell Us what Jesus would
DO.
IN the second place it may be noted that
the Rev" Charles NJ. Sheldon has been
preaching for a number of years at the
Congrega tionaI church in Topeka In that
time, it may De safely said. that his
salary has been regularly forthcoming for
his work. Perhaps while Mr.. Sheldon Is
pointing cut TO US by example how Jesus (
would conduct newspaper ne wiz not
object TO enighten US as 10 the time and
place when Jesus sold his talents for
money, and accepted salary for spread
ing the glad tidIngs Of great joy" In His |
divine wisdom, as He looked down the I
ages TO come, 10 the time when the So
called shepherds of the flock received /
wages for their work, Jesus said the /!
hireIng fieeth, because he is a hireling /
and careth not for the sheep" Did any |
body ever hear the Rev" Sheldon pro- I
claim against a saIaried ministry?
Thirdly, it may be noted that the Rev"
many years, and he is a very popu ar /
man there yet. Now it is recorded that I
Jesus went into the synagogues TO preach /
in Jerusalem, but how many times was I
He permitted to I'LL the same pulpit? |
The only collection" we ever read Of His /
having received after one Of His sermons I
was a collection Of stones and clubs and /
epithets Did Rev" Sheldon, who knows /
how Jesus would run a newspaper, ever [
preach in Topeka and Kansas as Jesus /
preached in Jerusalem and Judea. or are 1
the people Of Topeka so much better than I
were the intensely religious people Of /
jerusalem?
Those who have read Scripture closely |
have no doubt failed to find where Jesus |
ever wrote a novel and yet Rev" Shell |
don did not gain his reputation in the /
world by preaching as Jesus preached, but /
by writing a novel; a fiction IN His |
Steps" Is as much a romance as Nick /
Carter's inustrious ''yellow-bacKs.' and |
as void OF actual truth as anything con- |
tanned in the famous Monroe Library" |
Perhaps the Rev" Sheldon might be per- |
suaded TO quote Scripture IN The Daily /
Capital and tell Us the kind Of people I
who are described as not getting ms de /
the New Jerusalem. And there shall in l
no wise enter into it anything that deil- |
eth or maketh a lie" The !
making Of a novel may not be making 1
a lie" exactIy-if the novel IS based upon !
truth, and mas nothing out truth IN 1t. /
But IN that event it wouldn't be q novel /
Fourthly, the Rev" Mr. Sheldon has /
desire to establish a daily paper TO be I
conducted along the lines laid down IN /
his famous novel. IN His Steps" At /
the recent Christian EAdeavor convention /
il Delroit he asked for some one 10 come !
to his aid with d million dollars TO back 4
the enterprise. Is that following IN HIS I
steps,? Is thai what Jesus would do? I
Why are ye fearful; on We Of HCtle I
fafth2" Il such an undertaking would I
have the approval OF Heaven. why wait /
FOR worldly means 70 start il? Why lean 4
upon the world for support 10 do a /
Heavens work. Does not the gold and 4
the silver and the cattle that feed upon d /
THOUSAND hills belong 70 God When I
Jesus wanted 20 feed the five thousand +
hungry people in the wilderness. did He /
cal fer some rich Jew 70 come forth with I
cash TO buy a bakery or did he fssd /
them anti they were satisfied. and used /
only ne FIVE Ioaves and two fishes?
i : easier. perhaps. 10 determine what 4
Jesus would not 90 than 10 conjecture /
xhat he would do Z he were on earth i
again. WHAT II NJ Sheldon could Demon /
s-Iate 70 Us how Jesus would conduct the 4
Topeka Capitsls The fact would s,il Te- 4
main thai Jesus would nos sdlJ the /
Topeka CariaI II he Rere here. and thus 1