The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

Are the Clergymen Of To-day Lacking
I'm That Essential Quality.
New York Press.

Show me ten preachers said a woman
the other day, who have even a suggestion
or sympathy or pathos In their voices or
who read the service with any degree OF
intelligence, and i will show YOU ten
churches filled every Sunday to the doors
and filled with no ephemeral crowd, but
with congregations that are interested and
in thorough accord with their respective
ministers" Surely she is right. So much
for just bit of intelligence, Just one touch
or human sympathy.
Il am wrought up on this subjesni -cop-
tinued the woman. 'becaSx9 q 1s1st-
now returned from the funeral OF a dear
friend held I'm one OF the so-called fashion
able churches. Good Lord. deliver usi n
you could have heard the beautiful service
or the dead sing-songed and drolled out by
.ne rector you would agree with me that
he mistook his calling. AS TO sympathy ana
pathos-they did not enter into the reading
at all There was no fmpressiveness, not
even an infection; just a cold. mechanical.
spoken with tenderness and feeling would
affect the most hardened sinner and lift
the most sordid mind to thoughts OF
heaven. Those words were meant 70 allay
grief and bring comfort to the af7licted
but as read to-day they caused pain II a
schoolboy OF ten should read those words OF
ST. Paul as i heard them read at that
funeral, he would be classed as a hopeless
dullard.
II went to that funeral softened With
sorrow by the loss Of my friend, and dlled>
those near and dear to her. and came
away completely out of sorts with the
world and every one in 1t. and thinking
] would rather be buried as a dog than
have any such heartless sounds uttered
over my poor body. So much for the lack
Of little human sympathy"
preaching Make believe YOU havs Ssee
called. Open your mouth and out loose
The reason why there Is q woridfui OF
m w lVf$
worth their salt. They get their salt bur
the congregation begrudges II. Only the
cloth saves the preacher CT tssis descr1p-
ton. One OF the oldest phases Of human
nature is its acquiescence In matters OF
the church. Here we Will say IS a congre-
cation Of 200 in need of a preacher. One
salary of 500 a year. He is a good fellow,
tells risky stories. plays tennis beautifully
and all that; but I'm the pulpit he IL a num-
mer. But no matter how insane hfs ser
mons. how repulsive his voice. how yacuous
his prayers. how needless and perfuncfory
his readings, the women, God bless their
dear souls. take him UP and provide for
The free-thinking and skepticism OF the
age are due principally TO poor preaching
You VIII find IL TO be the case In the ma
Jority OF churches that the congregation
are far more intelligent than the preacher
therefore. he should make up I'm goodness
sympathy, helpfulness, hopefulness, cheer
snce what he lacks in mere mentl equip
ment. The Sunday newspaper has been
blamed BY the pulpit generally for empty
ing the pews. OF course. II is 50 much bet
ter than the entertainment afforded by
the average preacher that members CT the
congregation cannot help staying at home
10 read IL. The preacher who cannot fll
his church by preaching might do worse
than read the best things from the papers
TO his flock. But few persons take all the
papers; let the preacher do so, clip what il
most entertaining and instructive In each
concerning politics. art. music. buai0czR.
commerce, etc, and call the ola podrids
a sermon. That would be effective.