The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-15

| Baltimore April 14-At the commence
meur exercises of the Baltimore universit,
| School of Medicine Thursday night ths
| Reverend Doctor r. Harcourt delivered az
! address to the graduates which has caused
4 sensation among the clergy of all de-
| nominations. IN the course of his address
| he said:
| ..Yonng men. I'm advising yOu about
your future worl> I urge you to be
careful about nl:owin. clerEymen In
| the sicl1rOOm. They are great cause
| of alnrm. tip-tOeinE about with q
| little black book under their arm and
! Whispering to the sick or dying per-
| son: Are you ready.
| 1.-The sickbed is not q place for the
| transformation i'm the life of the In
| divfiuaI. 1t fs character that tells
| here and hereafter. and not the little
I nun of prayer at the last few mo-
/ ments. which goes up when n minis
ter is called TO prepare man for
death. So, while you may think thnt
! 1 am suea king radically. remember
! that there are many who put OH
! the. nre pa rn tfon for death to the end.
! So. ] say. keep the ministers out OF
the sickroom; the bedside Il not
| their place.
St. Louis clergymen disagree with the
views of Doctor Harcourt Several minis
! ters of various denominations were inter-
| viewed on the subject by Republic report
ers Sunday.
PASTOR PALMER SAYS
THE THING IS ABSURD.
The Reverend Samuel c. Palmer. pastor
| of the Lafayette Park Presbyterian Church,
said
1.-The whole thing is absurd. foolish un-
called for and unworthy of notice by any
minister. The duty of the clergy at the
sick bed or death bed is too responsible to
be made the subject Of such harangue.
Oftentimes we are called in by persons
who have lived a goddess life and who feel
the need Of spiritual comfort at the last
hour. II Is a minister's duty to visit the
sick and comfort them. This course is
clearly set forth in the Bible, and no
amount of violent. spasmodic, or blind at
tacks will ever destroy that precedent"
HOW MINISTER'S
MEET THE SICK.
The Reverend Henry Stelzle Of the Menard
Mission said: ''The speaker surely must
have had little experience in visiting the
sick and dying If he bases his assertions
on personal observation. Very few min
listers carry Bible with them when making
a sick call, and if they do 1t is generally
a small testament which reposes in their
vest pockets. The exceptions are few where
a man on his deathbed, even though he
has lived a goddess life. does not turn to
thoughts of eternal life. In such cases he
is often at loss to know how to make his
peace with God and welcomes the earthly
aid and those who will pray with him and
intervene for him."
CLERGYMAN CHEERS
THE SUFFERER.
The Reverend Frederick o. Seamans of
the Compton Hill Presbyterian Chapel said:
1T is an uncontrovertib!e fact that the
presence of a minister who cheers and COM
forts the sufferer is always welcome. AS
for the class of clergymen who tip-toe about
with long faces. asking the sick one il he
is ready to die, he Is in such a minority
that he is scarcely worth mentioning 1t
is an unusual occurrence to see minister
of the gospel setting forth such absurd
statements as are attributed to the Reyer-
end Mr.. Harcourt."
RIGHTS OF PATIENTS
AND RELATIVES.
The Reverend Robert Z. Lee Craig, pastor
OF the Church of the Holy Communion at
Washington and Leffinswell avenues, said:
Il should like to see the physician who
when member Of my flock was sick or
dying and needed and desired what solace
could give. could keep me from the bedside:
it is not for the physician to decide nv
right to be there; that lies with the afflicted
one and his family. 1t is just as much the
province of the faithful pastor to minister