The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-01-26
REVEREND
SHELDON
Author Of "What Would Jesus
Do" Edits Sunday Paper

DO,' Edits Sunday Paper
An Interview With Number of the
Leading Divines of Morristown-
Their Views on the Consistency
of MIR. SheIdon's Action A Money
Getter for the Topeka Capital.
The, report that Rev Charles Shell
don, author of "What would Jesus
do, y and other books along the same
lines, was to take charge of the publ
cation of the Topeka Capital, {" a
daily newspaper published at Topeka,
Kan, for one week of seven days has
caused much discussion.
The clerical novelist explains that
he will conduct the Capital on Chris
tian basis and he further says that the
success of the enterprise cannot be
jeopordized by omitting the usual
Sunday edition.
The Chronicle in order to ascertain
the views of the clergymen of this
city relative to Mr.. Sheldon IS journal
istic departure, interviewed them
with the following result:
DR.. MacNaughton-"I don't read
Sunday papers and have not heard of
DR.. Sheldon's new idea. I have read
all his books as they came out and
have found them utterly impractic-
able, 1t is doubtful whether his own
church or himself attain the ideals he
sets forth. | don't know his motives
in this matter and therefore do not
wish to make any Judgment concern
ing him. In my opinion the great OBJ
lection to Sunday papers lies in the
distraction they cause from the true
use of the Sabbath -
The Rev. S. q. Batten, of the Bap-
tist Church-Dr. Sheldon is acting in
consistently with himself when he
says he will not jeopordize the bust
ness of the paper by suspending publ
cation on Sunday. In his book In
His Steps, he has man in the news.
paper business, who is placed in 6
position to follow conscience at the
risk of the business or to ignore con.
science And Mr. Sheldon makes his
hero do right at all risk It doesn't
matter whether the paper is printed
Saturday or Sunday. It's sold ani
read Sunday. Besides can he make il
an entirely religious paper and sue
ceed?" He is inconsistent. -
DIR. I. /. Coultas-tI am sorry
that the Sunday publication has come
into the discussion. look with mucl
interest upon the enterprise of running
a newspaper on strictly Christian
principles, but when the Sunday
publication comes into the discussion
there is another element introduced
which complicates the question
don't know what arguments he use6
to persuade himself. They may be
sufficient to lead him to publish on
Sunday. But he is inconsistent with
himself when he does something
which he does not uphold as right.
For he only says he cannot jeopor-
die the business by suspending pub
lication on Sunday.
The Sunday newspaper is opposed
to the ideal of the church as an or
ganization. 1t lessons the social side
of the church and so DIR. Sheldon is
inconsistent, also, with his calling as
minister. -
The Rev. Mr. Kershaw-"I think
he can make a success of the enter
prise if the Christian public support
him. In his books Mr.. Sheldon strives
to apply the ethics of Our Master in
the sermon on the Mount. Is there
any reason why he should not succeed
OF course in the newspaper business
he will encounter much that he has
never met before. Still think that
with Christian support he can succeed
and if he does succeed shall call it
applied Christianity.
Rev. Mr.. Anderson, of the A. M.
E. Church: 81 have not heard of this
idea of newspaper work as yet. I
have not thought about it and so can
not say anything. -
Rev. Mr.. Morris of Calvary Baptist
Church: ''I read of Mr. Sheldon S
enterprise. He may make success
of it but he cannot make it an alto
gether religious paper. Still do not
like to judge Mr.. Sheldon.
DR.. Hibbard had just returned from
Atlantic City and said II know moth
ing more of the matter than the bare
fact that DR.. Sheldon will have CON
troll of the paper. And without more
careful thought cannot give any
opinion on the matter