The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-05
PREACHERS IN THE SICK ROOM.

At the recent commencement exercises
of the Baltimore University School of
Medicine held last month, Rev. Dr..
Harcourt. who delivered the address to
the graduating class gave this remarka-
bic advice to the young doctors:
Young men, in advising you about your
future work urge you TO be careful about
allowing clergymen in the sck-room.
They are a great cause of alarm, tip
toeing about with a little black book un-
de- their arm and whispering TO the sick
or dying person: Are you ready?' The
sick led is not place for the transfer
nation in the life of the individual 1t is
character that tells here and hereafter,
and not the little puff of prayer at the
last few moments which goes up when
minister is called TO prepare man for
death So, while you may think that |
am speaking radically, remember that
there are so many who put off the prepar-
alton for death to the end. So, i say,
keep the ministers out of the sick-room;
the bedside is not their place.
1t is remarkable that a minister of the
gospel should give such advice in any
case, and more remarkable still if not
positively shocking. that he should refer
TO the Bible as "a little black book,
and reflect upon the good sense and dis
erection of the great army Of earnest and
wise CHRISTIAN ministers whose ministra-
tions have for all time frightened and
eheered the sick chamber If preachers go
10 See sick men in the sepulchral spirit de-
scrioed by Dr. Harcourt. they ought to be
excluded No iron clad rule can be laid
down, The intelligent doctor must be the
Judge whether the presence of the minis
ter will help or hurt his patient. There are
times in certain diseases when nobody but
a physician and nurse ought TO be admit
ted 60 see sick people; there are times
when the cheerful, inspiring presence of
q sunny man of God will do more than
medicine II is FOR the doctor TO say,
and he can lay down no iron clad rule.
When DR.. Harcourt gave the above
advice to the young doctors, Rev. DR..
Crawford Frost. an Episcopal minister,
rose in the audience and did not hest
tate on the spot to denounce this minis
terial utterance in the strongest terms.
Commenting on the advice given oy Dr.
Harcourt the Richmond Christian Advo
cate says--and it states the case truly:
None of us believe that the sick bed,
much less the deathbed, is the proper
place for repentance or preparation for
the life 10 come. But who would deny
TO the sick or dying person the possible
opportunity which the last moments of
probationary life might afford? Gods
grace may abound not only to the chief
OF sinners but in the extreme hour. We
have an instance of this in the case of
the penitent thief; and as Mathew Henry
auaintIy remarks But one such case is
gwen in the Bible that none may pre-.
sumo, and that one is given that none
may despair.
sit is s mistaken idea that the pres
ence OF the minister in the sick room is
ant unduly to excite the patient and ag-
gravate The disease. An experience of
many wears in the pastorate convinces us
that the opposite is the case. The very
presence. OF the man Of God in the sick
chamber has a soothing effect while his
consoling words and PRAYER at the bedside
tend 10 compose the nerves and pave the
way for calm reflection and spiritual ex-
ereise There are very few ministers
who will not have discretion enough in
their visits 10 the sick to abstain from
any word or act that would dangerously
excite or alarm them. We take it for
granted that DR.. Harcourt's experience
as pastor has been very limited in this
connection, or that he is one of those un-
fortunate clergymen that do not know
how 10 deport themselves as occasion
may require.
"ais career in Baltimore has not been
such as to commend him to the conserva-
tive and sober thinking class of citizens.
While in charge of Grace Methodist Epis-
copal church he rendered himself motor
ious by his sensational sermons and &C.
centric methods. Fer a time he virtually
withdrew from his own denomination and
Instituted series of services at the
Opera House in Baltimore, with a view
To organizing an independent church on
the basis of his own unorthodox vaga-
ries Ii was, Of course, a fiat failure
So that. after ALL but very little weight
IS to be attached to what this erratic
brother may say. He is 10 be pitied
rather than blamed.