Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-04
case would have been entirely differ
ent.

ent.
Censured for its cowardice in failing
to uncork the Walls of its wrath upon
councilmen who are said to have en-
tered saloon and likened unto the
soldier who thrust q spear into the side
of Jesus Christ because the local
press did publish an account of the
crime of Sunday base ball, it would
seem that the newspapers are eXpef-
fencing a case of "be damned If you
do and be damned if you don't" print
the news.
The Marshalltown high school grad
uated its twenty-ninth class this
week and, strange as it may seem.
there We're just twenty-nine membecs,
eleven of whim were young men.
pretty feature of the commencement
was in the fact that Mr.. A. G. Click,
the only member of the first class ever
graduated, presented the diplomas to
the graduates.
Discussing witho one of his brother d.
vines the recent performance OF local
preacher the brother made the remark:
Il can't understand how he does MS
thinking" and this difficulty of under
standing seems to be chronic among
the local ministers. for inquiry fails to
discover a single one of them who cares
to pose as special friend of the broth
er under discussion. 1t seems that the
indiscrctions of a preacher tend To
bring the entire local membership or
the profession into public contempt.
and for this the sensible members do
not feel sufficient Christian forgiveness
to excuse And when a preacher takes
advantage of the courtesies of another
mans pulpit to make public spectacle
of himself the average preacher be-
lieves that unprofessional conduct has
been committed. The belief seems to
be that autobiosraphies of certain
kind should first be delivered from tho
pulpit of the author.
The feelings of the local ministry,
however. inadeauately express public
sentiment. being tempered by the re-
straints of ministerial dignity. 1t is ac-
tually claimed to be true that members
of the school board. and even some of
the teachers. cannot express themselves
without swearing. Members of the
class sputter and fume. They couldn't
say what they think IL they tried But
real indignation does not appear, so
great is the climax of comparison, un-
til one approaches members of the
Presbyterian church. and even some
members of the board Of elders. Re-
sponsibility weighs heavily on them. 1t
seems that their beloved pastor has in
sisted upon debating who should be
elected to the board. that he has
jumped onto the Presbyterian Sunday
school with his characteristic argument
of wholesale accusation. and seemed
surprised when the school officers
struck back: that he began scratching
at the eyes of the choir until they all
ran home never to play again; that he
chose the occasion of funeral Grafton,
at the bier OF an aged and inoffensive
lady, to deliver his TRADE against
golf buffers" and Goldfish aristoc-
racy" for the reformation of the friends
and relatives. most OF whom belonged |
to the golf club; that he waited until |
he got a large crowd into brother
church on Thanksgiving |
morning to deliver a very ill-mannered I
and Incorporate attack upon local vice.
and particularly local politics; and that /
he now uses the pulpit OF his Methodist |
brother to ask sweet girl graduates,
What do You suppose he went into
that dive for? What were those women I
in there for?" These things and others
OF like Christian ministry are RESPONSE
BILE for the un-Christian language Of
members. They largely I
explain the fact that several of the
leading attendants of that church re-
fuse to enter its doors so long as the
present pastor remains; they In part
account for the disrespectful remarks
being made about the local pulpit In
general. It is perhaps, we'll that the
climax came to inform us all and
cause us to be charitable. Relief will
come when the board of elders is
ready to assert it's authority.