The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-10-13

IS to know that American women drink
wine. Indubitable figures show that the
pernicious habit Of wine-drinking among
our fair sex IS ~alarfningIy on the increase.
Il will never trouble myself half as much
about the pagan woman, who Is compelled
TO walk behind her husband. az the woman
in this free land of ours who walks with
some other wcman's husband.
Finally I think We have been preaching
long enough to keep people out of hell, and
1t is time 10 go to preaching to keep hell
out Of the people"
This is the creed Of the Reverend II. NJ.
Brooks Of Paris. Ill. who Is the organizer
of what he calls the Undenominational
Church of the World. and VINO has been
conducting meetings in the Courthouse in
this city this week.
NO DOGMAS NEEDED.
Mr.. Brooks declares that 1t is not neces-
sary TO belong to this church. 20 adhere to
any dogma. or to give financial support.
The only requirement. he says. is a belief
In the gospel OF Jesus Christ as taught in
the New Testament. and a life In conforni-
y with the admonitions of the Great
In a remarkable letter 10 the people he
mas stated his purpose and asked the as
sistance .of all who love truth and good
deeds He declares that he is going to
the people with his doctrines and not walt
FOR them to come to him. His hope is to es-
tabllsh a "reiision for plain people-a
'tuItl u ttFe masses.
The church ought to change its tactics.
he says. For hundreds of years II has
been irving TO get the masses to come to
+. and in a great measure has failed. Now
ne thinks the church should go TO the
masses.
Il have been forced out of the large pull
preach a plain gospel" declares MI.
Brooks. Gradually the pressure grew I'M
I'll II was more than 1 could bear.
vice. when ] was conducting revivals
was ] en1oineG to cease because too many
poor people were joining church.
HIS AMBITION.
when my name was suggested for the
pHstorate OF one of these strong, rich and
fashionable congregations one OF the sis
tiers was heard to remark, 1t would never
do In the world: Brother Brooks is the
know of. but Il he becomes pastor all the
poor people will come to church,
This is but one of many similar in
no longer. When l desired to cali atten-
ton to some of the crying evils in the
church of to-day. the religious editors re-
fused to place my utterances before the
people. They said my views We're too radi-
cal The secular press has been kinder.
pers to publish the truth first opened nv
eyes to the rotten condition OF the church.
Then grew upon me the desire to reach
to antagoniZe organized churches. but to
attain results more practical and fruitful"
The career of the founder of the Unde-
az " t"N lIdS t'NtI
picturesque in the extreme. He was first
a wood chopper. then a Texas cowboy and
then a preacher.
And the first sermon he ever delivered |
was n funeral grafton over A dead lamb
found by himself and some companions in
the road as they were coming from church. |
An ADVENTUROUS CAREER.
Mr.. Brooks was born in Meigs County,
Ohio. in 1852. Before he was 9 years old
he was an. orphan. All that was left him |
was a garb of poverty, which he has al
ways worn as an heirloom. He had but !
few educational opportunities. but he had +,
an indomitable desire to acquire knowledge. |
1t was his ambition to become An orator,
and multitudes who have been thrilled by |
his perorations and made to weep by his
pathos testify that he has well conquered
the difficulties that lay In his path. Few
know that this clergyman acquired his pol |
ished delivery after he had reached mans
estate, and that. at an early age. when
most men are graduates OF colleges and en- |
tering the worlds battles, he was but a
Mr.. Brooks ia wholly unique. OF slender
build, he has the strength of three ordinary
men. due to hard labor and open life on \
the plains in his youth. His softly modu-
lated voice has wonderful penetration, and
no clergyman in the State has a more COM
lnanding appearance in public.
From the age OF IS years until he attained
his majority Mr.. Brooks was a wood cut.
ter among the iron furnaces of Ohio. Then
the da01re for adventure drew him to the