The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-13
THE INTELLIGENCBR.
wHEELINo. 1LARcn .. 1ooo.
Rav. sheldon'5 Experiment.


Rev. sheldon's Experiment.
The unique experiment Of conducting
Z Newspaper on lines that Jesus would
endorse were he on earth begins with
to-day's issue of tic Topeka tKan.>
Capital. That newspaper for one week
VIM be in charge and every department
under the control Of Rev. Charles u.
Sheldon, who has won some fame as
the author Of -Ta HIS Steps" The
American people, always fond Of nov
city. viii be interested in the expert
ment Just so long as 1t continues TO
be novel, and the gentlemen who are in
the scheme were wise indeed in limit
ing the trial to one week We think
the time will be ~lhicient to convince
Mr.. Sheldon and his sympathizars that
what he has attempted Is impracticable
in many ways. In the first place It Is
something 81 an assumption on Rev.
shaldon's part that he should profess
to know what Jesus would do" Many
thIags were doae when Jesus was on
earth that are not done now. and the
world has advanced some since that
time. None Of the conditions Of life at
the present dine can apply to the times
and manners OF Jesus material exis-
tence. However much in earnest this
Christian editor may be he viii md.
we think. that Christ's wisdom with re-
spect to the obligations Of daily living
on this earth wers crystalllzed In the
words He once uttered, Render to
Caesar the things that are Caesars,
and to God the things that are Gods"
He viii also md that daily paper
is not printed for amusement and that
the owners arc not in the business es-
pecIaIly for their health. To print
successful daily paper It Is requisite to
please many tastes II Mr.. Sheldon
contesds that one class Of readers are
sufficient 10 support paper he win
make a great mistake. That cannot be
done outside OF a church publication,
and many OF those are not self-support-
ing. Mr.. sheldons policy is meagerly
outlined il the following statement
which he made public last week:
/ will not permit any advertisements OF
tobacco. whisky. noGtrums or immodest
things 70 gei into the paper, nor viii l
permit any advertisement OF anything to
be expressed In such manneF ~ 70 de-
ceive the reader or offend the innocent.
will print all the news that - ~ for
q Christian home and test every Item with
the question, What would Jesus dos Ag
the time for beginning the work ap-
breaches begin TO realize the tremendous
responsibility and labor ] have under
tax ! did not at hrst appreciate the
ramihsa!lons OF the bulineas, but am
not discouraged, and with Gods help !
viii succeed.
To show Mr.. sheldon's idea OF i'm
proper things that appear in neWSpa-
pers to-day he Is said to have refused
an advertisement Of a corset maker
which was illustrated by a cut OF that
portion Of a woman'i apparel. On the
same principle would he refuse a tal-
lor's"ad." that exploited pair Of trOus-
ers? But 1t may be that Mr.. Sheldon
did not object so much TO the corset
itself, but what was in tha corset. It Is
possible that this delicate distinction
governed him in his refusal Of the ''ad."
The financial feature Of the schsms Is
assured OF success on account Of its
novelty. the subscription list Of the
Capital increasing for the week 70 over
100000 subscribers But what would the
result be n the end OF the month"; Not
90 GatteFiRg. Besides subscriptions,
even to that amount. do not pay wages,
the cost NJ paper the care Of ma
chinery, the typesettlng and the many
Incidental expenses that lntrude them
selves in the business ONCE Of daily
paper. From an ethical point OF view
Mr.. Sheldon may succeed, but even then
to a limited extent only. At the end Of
the week he will opulent In one thing.
and that Is an experience that VIII be
entirely Now to him.
a personll friend Of tn Rev. shell
don gives the following estimate OF his
character. Which is interesting In con-
nectIon with the task he has assumed:
The predominant features Of sheidon'E
character are simplicity, modeGty and lln-
certify. And II Is to those who have known
him the longest that these characteriEticg
appear the most marked. The stamp OF
occurrences and the seal Of sincerity are
individually upon him. To the people Of
Topeka. 10 whom his life for the past
twelve years has been an open book, no
stands ~ the highest type OF a Christian
gentleman. His life IA probably AZ per-
feet rs n human life can be. He practices
TO 4 marked degree what no breaches.
COnsldernte, reasonable and always open
TO conviction, once ha believes he Ii right
one might as well attempt 70 stay cons
ing storm ms to persuade him 10 change his
mind. His thouRhtH are never Of himself,
but always Of others and his work. With
all the demands upon him no Is never too
busy or too tired to lend the willing ear
or the helpful hand. In his work he 10 as
q quiet, deep-nowing stream.
The Kentucky Situation.