The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-16
SENSATIONAL PREACHING IN
ASHE.

Ashe county is breaking records these
days, as the following from the Baldwin
correspondent of the Jefferson Recorder
shows:
After Rev. E. Phillips had delivered his
sermon at the Houck school house the
second Sunday in July, Prof. John Bower,
of Jefferson. made a short but sensational
talk. He then took up a collection for
Rev. Phillips, which was the first in the
history of this locality that every one
present contributed
What is sensational preaching? There
are different opinions, almost as many as
there are preachers and hearers. There
is, for example, the view of Ptv. Dry As
Dust, who breaches in the stereoptyped
style of firstly, secondly, thirdly fourth
ly, filthy" ETC., adding half an hour co
his sermon by such addendas as 'in con-
clusion,'' lastly" Finally breathren.' He
hasn't read a new book in a dozen years,
reads over and over the theological works
and arguments of an hundred years ago,
and seems to study how to make his SER
mons as monotonous and tiresome and un-
interesting as possible. Ask him for def
milton of sensationalism in the pulpit and
he will inveigh against those preachers
who essay to be popular by trying to
please the ears of men. His idea
of sensationalism is any preaching
that evokes enthusiasm, that wakes
UP the people. He believes that
the solemn truths of the gospel
should be solemnly, aye funereally, pro-
claimed. He regards his message some
what like the old time physician regarded
medicine, and believes that calomel, quinine
and castor oil ought to be taken without
capsule or other modern device to make
it palatable. To him any preacher is SEN
sational who studi the temperament of
his people and tries to make the gospel
attractive by presenting it in different
ways to different people,. He does not be-
that all men are sinners and will be saved
only by giving the same medicine, in It's
bitter plainness, to every fallen son OF
Adam. He does not make distinctions in
sin but proceeds upon the idea that in
preaching what will reach one man will
reach the other. Holding this solemn and
procrustean view of the plan of salvation,
is it any wonder that he regards the YER
satile preacher, who applies varying
methods, as a sensationalist?
Then there is the view of Deacon Sleep
Amen-Corner. He was brought up
under the ministry of Rev. Dry AS Dust
and has been accustomed to go to sleep
under his preaching regularly for a quar-
ter of a century. He regards as sensa
tional any man who speaks loud enough
TO deprive him of his nap and who in
PRODUCES anything in his sermon that il
new or novel.
What Is sensationalsm? If the prevail
ing view of Rev. Dry AS Dust and the
Deacon is correct, Martin Luther was q
sensationalist of the most marked type
and so was every religious reformer and
evangelist from John the Baptist, Sa
vonarola, Luther, Knox, Wesley to thu
present day. Happily that opinion does
not control. A little while back it looked
like the pendulum had swung from Rev
Dry-as-Dust's standpoint to the opposite
extreme of the buffoonery of Evangelis
Just-out- ofthe-Gutter lwho RECALLED hi
congregations with graphic stories of hi
garish wickedness-ofte1 spreading NOR,