The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-23
"WHO WILL SHOW US ANY GOOD"
Editorial correspondence

find anywhere, though the thing you
ought to find may have to be sought
after, while the thing you ought not
to seek after is often very near YOU
/ asked the clerk in the hotel this
morning if he could tell me whether
Rev G.. Morgan Campbell, the cele-
brated London preacher, who has been
preaching in New York, would preach
here today, and if so at what church.
He could not furnish me the infor-
nation, though he could doubtless
have told me exactly how to go to
Coney Island or to any other pleasure
resort in the city or nearby.
| Not learning whether the London
divine was here and having been told
by a North Carolinian, long resident
here, that since the days of Beecher
and Talmage, there was really no
great preacher in New York, l thought
! might "snap" church today, but
shortly before eleven / took the ear
and decided to go to hear DR.. Park
hurst. He is in Europe, his church
not only closed but the iron gates
! locked, so there was no hope of hear
| ing the gospel there. When in New
| York | nearly always go to hear DR..
Parkhurst because he says something
| to make you think. He is no mere
sensation monger though he is often
very sational--sensational to a
point beyond conservative North
Carolina ways" but in New York a
man to get a hearing must be out of
the ordinary. Unless he does some
thing spectacular. he is lost in the
onward rush here where, as in Athens
in the old times, many people employ
their time desiring to see or hear
"some new thing
But DR.. Parkhursts church was
closed. The very next building is oc-
cupied by the Republican National
Headquarters. That was not closed,
though l do not know whether Mr..
Cortelyou was at work inside or had
gone to church.
l then took a car and went up to
the Madison Avenue Methodist church
and thought to hear the gospel there
But it was closed tight and nobody
could get in. The preacher was off
on his vacation with no supply.
Despairing then of going to church,
| sauntered on toward my hotel. and
walking up Fifth Avenue, was at
tracted by sign on Fifth Avenue
church saying that REV G. Morgan
Campbell will preach in this church,
morning and night, August 21st." 1t
was late but crowds were pouring in
and there was only standing room.
stairs and down stairs, was occupied,
and many were standing. There was
only one voice in the choir-a man
who sung with the spirit and the
understanding" whose solo prepared
one for the gospel sermon that fol-
lowed. The distinguished London di-
vine has what you would call a car
rying voice. 1t does not seem to be
any effort for him to be heard in the
furthest recess of the church. He is
clean shaven, not tall, and has none of
the physical power that is sure first
to win favor with those who behold
him. But his voice in prayer has a
note that is full of entreaty and per-
suasion-sincere and earnest notes
that fall upon your ears like benedic-
ton. 1t is just such a simple and up
lifting prayer as you've heard from
some humble preacher-unknown
outside his small circle-in country or
village church, plea for help ami
for strength and for guidance. You
do not feel, as he uses the words of
invocation you have heard all your
life, that you have come to hear some
divine of international reputation.
Rather you feel that you are far re-
moved from the rush and hurry and
worldliness of city life, and trans
ported into some quiet place where
men and women are seeking for the
divine guidance. What did he say in
his prayer? I do not know, but
know that as he offered up his petit
ton he seemed to carry the burdens
and the longings Of every condition of
mankind, and there was strange
stiffness and hush that made you feel
that you were eon holy ground.
"Who will show us any good?" was
the text of his sermon. 1T was not
great in any sense except the true
sense. No show of learning or pc
dantry no defamation, no worked up
climaxes--just a sermon for the times
and one that was calculated to an
swer the ennui of the idle rich and
the hopelessness of the disappointed
poor. He declared that there could
be no ennui among Christians-that
they saw in Gods gifts of light, of
earth, of sky, of flowers, of sea, of all
that he had made. such blessings that
they could not be pesSmistic and
could not cry out "Who will show us
any good?" He declared that
Christian could not kill birds for their
wanton destruction, and that no Chris
tan woman could wear the slaughter
ed feathered songsters on their hats.
That was a rather sweeping declara-
ton, l thought, but he has a way of