Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-15
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW

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! OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW}
It's a debatable question, whether 1t
is the greatest good to the greatest
number to use Christian pulpit on
the Sabbath day for the discussion OF
what may be properly called secular
subjects, No one will dispute but what
we call questions of morality, good
government, temperance, Enforcement
Of law and kindred subjects OF all
kinds. need much discussion, not only
on the part Of our preachers, but also
the press, and all professional speak
ers and lecturers. But just the same,
the Sabbath and the preacher, to the
General church attendant, whether said
attendant Is church member or oth-
erwise, seems to belong exclusively on
one day in the week to religion and re-
liguious subjects. To state 1t another
way. The is something incongruous
in a preacher discussing on the Sab
bath. in a Christian pulpit, the sub
iect of the needed reform, to preserve
the purity of the ballot box.
In other words there's a time and
place for all things. Many OF us tor
instance make point of attending
THANKSGIVING services. Last year IN
the place Of a thankful" sermon IN
one church the audience had to listen
rerforce to the sins Gin that town, from
the preachers point of view OF the
druggists In disregarding the provls-
ions of the liquor laws of Iowa. MOI
to discuss here the subject of this re-
ferred to especial Thanksgiving SER
mon. it can be said that revival SER
mon on that occasion would have been
equally out of place. Not long ago one
Of our able Iowa preachers In a poll
tical sermon on Sunday evening touch
ed on the morality, or non morality,
of the tariff. He cited as fact that
the duty on diamonds was 13 per cent
and on underwear over 100 per cent,
drawing the conclusion that the poor
were thus abused and the rich favored;
and almost before the audience reached
the side walks we could hear excited
discussions on the tariff. This on
Sunday night.
And while one is In a carping MOOD,
does street preaching pay7 In our cities
it was become quite the thing, Tor
certain sects and denominations to oc-
cupy prominent corners Of main trav-
eled streets, and preach and pray and
sing from one to two hours on Sunday
afternoons and evenings. To many this
publicity of sacred things seems as
much out of place, on public street, as
a political sermon inside the sacred
walls of a church. Men lying at full
length on the grass, (Gen feet from a
kneeling woman engaged In prayer,
pipes and cigars, uttering pro-
fame words and more vulgar Language
counting couples on the benches, boys
selling peanuts and pop corn, electric
cars going by sounding the bell, fol-
lowed by automobiles footing their
horns, street walkers on heir'evening
parade followed by the "toughs" Of the
town. restaurants, drug stores and ci-
gar stores doing big business all this
in sound and sight Of the woman on
her knees. and worse than all if the
happens to possess strong lungs
limited ideas, and an utter lack of VEN
GRAFTON for the name Of the Almighty
all these things seem to support that
what we call religion is being cheaper
ed, is in the hands Of second hand deal
ers. on the bargain counters as it
were.
The pope has recently promulgated
an order which promises much trouble
for the priests. This is to the effect
that the Catholic church must reform
it's style Of music, and only use male
voices in their service. And again not
to discuss the merits Of this question:
isn't it furtunate thing that in one
church at least someone has power to
control the singing part Of religious
services. It is credited to high Off
Gals in the Salvation Army the saying
that they don't propose to allow the dew
IL a monopoly of the best songs, and so
this church organization proceeds to
take some grand old hymn and sing It
to the tune Of Yankee Doodle, Sweet
Marie, or Marching Thru Georgia. One
can almost forgive such things. as
sermons on whisky drug stores on
day, can listen with
equanimity to tariff sermons. besides
such terrible sacrilige as singing Of
Christ's agony on the cross to some
rag time, popular air. homogeneous :?
There isn't word in the English
language to fit this case. And worse,
far worse, is the mental condition of
the members of this useful and worthy
that makes it possible to
thus join the sublime and the ridiculous.
"Oh Lord, thou knowest when
was in Europe" prayed good man
once in a Congregational pulpit. And
this talented preacher never knew, had
not the capacity. to realize the effect
on his audience. In his heart he was
on familiar terms with the Almighty.
We have many such preachers. Sacred