The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Many of Them Also Engage in I'm
dertakers' Work.
Their advertisements Appear on the
Doors OF the Churches - Some
Preachers Not Inclined to Favor
the Combinntion-srrcas Com
ments of the Late Dwight l.. Moody.

The late Dwight l.. Moody used to tell
how on Sunday. finding himself in Brook
lyn without an engagement to preach
anywhere. he looked about for some
church where he might go and be
preached to for once. He saw many
churches, he said, where large black
boards announced in gilt letters that he
which advertised themselves for the bust
ness of saving his soul
This was one Of Mr.. Moody's own char
acteristic strokes of wit at a prevalent
practice which may have appeared to his
spiritual mind as out of keeping with the
purpose of Gods houses. The date of his
experience must have been many years
ago. or else he did not go far through The
outskirts of the City of Churches for il is
not difiieuit nowadays to find Brooklyn
churches where the sign Sexton and I'm
dertaker' Is not to be seen. The combi-
nation, however, is still common enough
in both the principal boroughs of New
York City, and religious pape. recently
contained a protest against it, In sum-
ming up the ideal church sexton. the
writer. leading Methodist doctor OF d.
vinity, SAYS: Il have yet to mention his
chief claim to my admiration He never
mad plus to his title; he was PLAIN SEX
ton-never sexton and undertaken"
From this, as well as from negative indi-
cations to be gathered in some of the
newer and wealthier suburbs, il would
appear that feeling is growing up
against the custom o. making the church
office. humble though IL may be, con-
tribute to thrift in a purely secular en-
terprise. II myself don't like it," said
the Rev. DR.. A. C. Dixon. II don's see why
any man should have the right to use the
church building to display advertisements
of his outside business
Dr. Dixon's objections seem to have the
force of analogy to support them. II the
sexton may announce himself as carrying
on an undertaking business at such a
number, such street, telephone -, the
trustees or deaeons might claim with
some show of reason an equal right to
plaeard all their names, business ad-
dresses, and telephone calls in some
prominent place near the church door.
Certainly any medical brother connected
with the administration OF the church
ought to have precedence of the under
taker, and between the two might be in
trodnced John Blank, Senior Churchwar-
den and Counselor at Law. Wills drawn
with expedition at all hours
But, On the other hand. the sexton-un-
d
arising out of the peculiar conditions of
the largest American cities. He is not to
be found-at least. not advertised on
church doors-in Europe. He is usual in
New York, and known in Chicago, but not
in most other American cities, SO far as
the writer's experience goes. Here.
where undertakers are more numerous
and individually less important than in
smaller cities, there are always many
worshipers in the church who would not
know, in the sad emergency, where to find
trained assistance for the last offices to
their dead. The rich may rely upon the
business acumen of irst-class under
takers to supply the needed information,
put deaths among the less well-to-do are
oy no means so sure to bring to the be-
'eaved respectfully condoling business
,ards. Naturally, the first person to
whom church member would turn for
guidance in such matter would be the
sexton of his own church. 1t is not
hat the undertaken seeks employment as
sexton, but the sexton gets tired of
the services Of other peo-
lie, and awakens to the opportunities of
lis position.
Then, as a rule, while the office of sex
on does not impose work enough to occu-
y all of a healthy mans time and energy.
gives him too much to do, in a vigor-
usiy conducted city church, to leave him
rec for any business entirely uBeonneet-
with the church. From the sections
ONT Of view there is every reason why
e should go into the undertaking BUSH
ess, though there may be very little
crldly inducement for an already pros
erous undertaken to become a sexton.
s for the trustees or other Temporal. reg
lators of the churchs affairs. they find
hard enough to secure the services OF
hcient sections at reasonable rates, and
lie privilege OF using the church door for
lie display of a lugubrious professional
lingle is a matter to be reckoned toward
lie abatement of salaries-to say nothing
its wholesome effect on all Corners as a
mort. The New York Tribune.