Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-26
SAND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE
YOU FREE"
John XIV,

nv
YOU FREE"
John XIV, 6.
The Brooklyn Eagle of Monday last
contained a sermon which will attract
very unusual attention among church
goers and non-members alike because
of the truths contained in it, and the
religious lessons it teaches.
The sermon was in the form of a
paraphrase upon "The Editor in the
Pulpit" and was delivered by Rev.
Jay Benson Hamilton, pastor of the
DeKalb Avenue M. E. Church, and
was p%redicated upon a story related
to the minister by a fellow member
of the cloth, as having occurred. This
minister said he was sitting in his
study one evening, examining a copy
OF a paper lately edited CAS- Jesus
Would" when an editor friend en-
tered. The conversation turned upon
the paper, and the editor said;
You ministers are a queer lot. You get
so accustomed to speak with authority
upon religious matters that you sometimes
yOQI w Gully ~ OlNlilC
inspiration. From the way you tell us
what Jesus would do we might infer you
were We're Fl ful Y acqna;nfed with HIS aisd MIND. YOU You
retail stores, railroads, newspapers, and
everything else should be run as Jesus
would do it, You offer to show us how,
and whenever you get a chance you make
a botch of it. That shows you don't do it
as He would, for He would not fail in any
His life Alright, He did not have much to
do with any earthly business, He was a
He Worked o at HIS is t rseDrd Nov Il s'E iook OF at f 9Ris
paper! 1t is not the equal of any of our
third rate religious weeklies: If | could
not do better than this 1 would never write
another line. Instead of you ministers
meddling in our business, you would do
well to take lessons from US and learn
how to manage your own. l would like
to run your church for one month. If the
editor and the preacher could exchange
once in a while the daily paper would not
be the only gamer"
The minister agreed to exchange
places with the editor for four weeks,
and here the story Of what the "Edi-
tor in the Pulpit did really COM
mences.
The congregation was delighted at
the innovation and the first Sunday
the church was filled to its capacity,
many not usually ch~urch-goers being
present . The text was:
Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites, for ,ye are like unto white. Sc
pulchres. which indeed appear beautiful
outward, but are within full of dead mems
bones and of all uncleanness.'-Matt.
xiii: q.
Then the editor said things which
could not be misunderstood. He CAV
facts and he named names. He told of
one member of the congregation who
owned a piece of property under one
roof of which was a saloon, a gambling
house and a den of vice. THE owner
of this property is the widow of the
late President of your Board of Truss
tees. The agent, who altered the prop
erty to suit these tenants and who col
lects the rent, is Judge Smith. a lead
ing member of this congregation. I
am glad to see both the owner and
agent of the property here this morn
ing" This was a sample. The editor
pointed out that eX-Mayor Jones, a
prominent member of the congrega-
ton, owned four buildings where low
saloons were run, and in one of which
a wife had been murdered by her
drunken husband a few days before.
He was pleased that Mr.. Jones was
within the sound of his voice. He next
told some plain truths about a resort
called "The White Elephant" and
added: 1.-THE owner of the property
is Mr.. Thomas Brown, a class leader
and steward in this church. He is
here this morning, but / see he is about
TO retire. Brother Brown, as you cam
not remain to hear the conclusion of
this address, permit me to suggest that
when you get home it would be well
for you to take your Bible and read
and pray over the text you will find
in Matt. xxiii.-27."
BY this time the congregation was
deeply interested. The editor resumed:
"A college friend of mine who was going
to a foreign field as a missionary watched
with deep interest the loading of a large
ship in which he was to take passage. The
whiskey and the missionary were bound
featured in this city. The distiller is a
trustee in this church and has just assist
ed in taking up the COLLECTION.
The treasurer of this church. who has
just completed counting the collection this
morning and Is about to go home without
+. waiting to hear the sermon, as IS his usual
custom, has wine upon his table every day.
AT the banquet held to celebrate the cleo
ton of the mayor last month, he became so
intoxicated that he had to be carried to his
carriage"
Naturally. a few people did not rel
ish the truth. but most Of the congre
cation did. The editor held a lively
mid-week prayer meeting. at which he
made some remarks from the text:
II We confess our sins, he IS faithful