The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-25
SHELDON IN WEST
Topeka Minister Attracts Much
Attention in Denver.
The Newspapers Comment Upon
His Bashfulness.
TALKS TO THE LADIES.
Afterwards Appears Before the
Ministerial Alliance.
Talks About His Work in Ten
nesseetOWn.

Charles NJ. Sheldon'S visit TO denver %
told by the News Of that city;
Mr.. Sheldon arrived in the city in the
forenoon, and is the guest of Rev. DAVID
n. Beach, warm personal frleno OIL
the author of In His Steps," In the
afternoon he met with the Ladies aux
iliary of the First Congregational church
at the residence of Mrs. George D
Woodside. 1914 Emerson street
Mr. Sheldon read a short story or MS
own. entitled Lend a Hand" His aud
fence consisted entirely of ladies and
they paid such close and earnest atten-
ton that the man who is noted for nav
ing the courage of his conVlcCons was
ViSibly embarrassed
He reads like a man who has the
habits of the student, considering only
the matter and not at all the beauties
of articulation and expression ra T
pauses for dramatic effect on
the other hand he is charmingly tree
from anything approaching pulpit up ora ora
acter of a gruff old judge in his story
he warmed up to his work
When the hour approached Tor ms
departure he sided to the door as
though looking for an avenue or escape
and said half apologetically and IN a
timid manner that he really thought ne
must be going.
lance at the First Congregational
church at 8 o'clock, being introduced py
DR.. David n. Beach Mr. Sheidon
manner in speaking is especially pleas
ant and of the conversational order he
has generous features and a certain NJ
biIity in the formation of the head'
which, joined to the almost intense sym
pathy in pair of gray eyes, makes MIN
very attractive
Il always feel that it is a great ad-
vantage to ministers in a city to meet
in conference" he said. Tonlght am
going to give you some of my IDEAS OF
good citizenship and want you TO JOIN
me in prayer this afternoon in the plea
for better things in the line OF good gov
eminent. Let me tell you some OF the
things in my experience which nave
helped me and are helping me TO-DAY.
although our circumstances dlffer,
our experiences, if true, will help one
another. I will speak of four things
this afternoon
First. we have reached a point where
we feel there is no longer such a great
| need of preaching That Is SO IN my
| home OF course there are local condl-
| lions everywhere and we cannot always
| speak for another man. However, SIX
/ years ago I told my people plainly that
/ could not prepare two sermons
| week If I write one I tell all / know
| for that week. Our people are preached
/ to too much. A young minister snould
| preach one good, strong sermon on
| Sunday and preach it in the morning
| The people enjoy preaching, but don
require too much.
| Secondly, we should not talk TO the
| old so much. It is the young people
| who need US. 1t would pay you all to
| say next Sunday: For three months
| now 1 ana going to preach to the sun
| day school and the younger members OF
| the congregation.' We talk, as rule,
| to the cream of our congregation and
| forget that the average man is like a
| child Again, we need to preach the
/ truths of applied doctrine. For IN
- 1or.c
property by God. That doctrine has
| not been preached for the last 20 years
| The bulk of the business men have not
| gotten hold of the great truth that the
earth is the Lords and the 1ulness
| thereof. They usually say the eartn
| is the Lords except my corner lot, ana
| that is mine We ought to preach to
our people that everything of the earth
| belongs to God. If we take man In
| everyday life and teach this doctrine
for ten or fifteen years we will find that
| we will have an easier time to get mon
| ey for our charities. Men will regard
| their wealth as consecrated and them
selves as merely stewards.
I'VE should break down sectarian
| boundaries We can assist the great
| principle of unification- The Congrega-
tional and Presbyterian brothers should
canvass their parishes together"
When Mr.. Sheldon had concluded he
| answered questions which his brothers
| of the cloth DuC TO Q1IQ- LIE lQcd u Lie
fraternity of brothers of different
faith evidently did not appeal to all
| present and Mr. Sheldon was asked
what Christ would be likely to say If
all His children were so united.
ct think" he answered. that He
would say the millennium was here
There are cheering signs of the times
too. MY father was not on speaking
| terms with his contemporary, who held
different views. and today a Methodist
preacher prayed for me- l have never
had SO many letters from Congrega-
| tionalists as 1 have had from Baptists
| and Methodists. I do not think. how
ever. it is desirable to work toward un-
ity of creed but unity of work
Mr.. Sheldon thinks we are over-or-
ganizing-that the work should be simp-
Ter that there should be fewer churcr
meetings. that there should only be one
meeting a Sunday, and that it should
center around the young peoples meet
ings.
the work or should simply be source
of inspiration to others to work He
however, put strong veto to this pro
| position
In speaking of street meetings, he
said: IF the masses don't come to us
we must go to them. The best thins
that can happen to America is that hel
ministers shall go out on the street ane
| thus reach those who need help
He spoke strongly in favor of the in
stitutionai church. I'VE have got tt
show the people how to cook thei
food, how to clean their houses W.
must establish kindergartens. We ough
also to have something systematic IL
the line of insurance Where the IN
stitutiona1 church has failed heretofor'
is that we've stopped short with tn
physical and failed to put the spiritua
| in We need the physical, of course
1 THAT is the principal hold have OF
} | nv darlxies in Tennessee town.
| teach them how to live. ] believe Their
| never was a time when the America
l people were more religious The lat
: demonstration over the death of tn
rresidaut allowed this. We become dis