Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-03-25
Outside Point of View

One satisfactory thing that occa-
casionally comes to all who furnish
| copy is to unexpectedly read of a
man who expresses ideas entirely In
| line with those the newspaper man has
previously advocated Sometimes such
men go farther and are more radical
in views and utterances. All this came
TO this scribe when he read in the
| Record Herald recently:
81 myself have known of a number
of most disubolical plots to entrap and
ruin men OF God who were doing in
entire Innocence what they deemed to
be their duty. These plots are by no
means uncommon in downtown
churches"
This statement was made yesterday
by Rev W. f. Barton. pastor of the
Congregational church at Oak Park, in
explaining certain remarks which he
had made earlier in the day on the
ministry and women" before the Pres
byterian ministers conference in the
Ohio building.
Rev Mr.. Barton had drawn at the
conference such q picture of preachers
without guile beset by designing wo-
men seeking whom they may devour
as made his hearers tremble. He pic
tured the average minister a lamb for
purity and a child so far as knowledge
of the world was concerned.
For this innocent lamb. he said.
countless women were lying in wait,
ready as instruments of the evil one.
to shear him of his robe of righteous
L. u 1t 10 n a
the SOOTHING public as wolf in Sleeps
clothing.
The pastors, study. he said, was a
favorite field OF these designing instru-
ments of his satanic majesty and, as "a
warning. he told of an experience of
his own in his study which caused him
a shock.
81 should like to say that I believe
most clergymen to he good mon. but
many good men are indiscreet, SAID
Rev. Mr.. Barton in further explanation
of his remarks. THE same may be said
of many women church members. A
clergyman should so order his life and
so safeguard his relations with the
women of his congregation that no
breath of suspicion should ever be
heard"
At the conference OF clergymen.
Rev. Mr. Barton laid down certain
rules for the guidance of ministers IN
their dealings with women. One OF
these rules, which, he said, should be
rigi1ly observed, was never to see wo-
men alone in the church study Always
have the janitor or the wife to serve
as buffer at such conferences.
After developing this 90 nT at 'a.ge.
Mr. Barton ga re the concrats instance
II his own life which had embarrass-
ing results.
al recall a circumstance he said IN
respe nse to "A question put by another
minister, (which vas decidedly emba--
raising to ME. One of my congrega-
ton, a young woman. remained after
service and asked to speak to me pri-
vatelv in my church study. Her father
and mother had both come to me and
urged me to see her.
.T went into that conference with
mistaken innocence and with the spirit
of God in my heart, and yet before L
emerged from my study I was mex
pressibly shocked and grieved to find
that the woman had an unworthy mo-
tive.
In opening his talk Rev. Mr.. Barton
spoke of the value of a wife to min
lister.
"a minister" he said, SHOULD have
wife and only one wife, and he SHOULD
be absolutely loyal to her; he should
never remain for one minute alone in
the church study with the street door
unlocked, and neither should he lie
seen coming from or going to any
place of which his wife or his board
of elders would disapprove.
"Clergymen are probably subjected
to more temptation than any other
public men, and they should be so.
surrounded that temptation cannot
possibly enter their doors. If the study
door is left unlocked there is no telling
at what moment some one may enter
whose presence there might give rise
to suspicion, nor is there any telling
what may come of an interview.
seThe minister should not lay HIM
self open to temptations by remaining
in his study after the janitor has Left
the church When the janitor leaves,
the clergyman should close his study.
take your wives with you on min
1SteflQl VISITS. Du Hol ~ W liie HoiHoS
of women unaccompanied.
One of the ministers said that he in
yariably had his wife answer the tele-
phone because a woman can spy out
evil motives in another woman more
rapidly than man.
About all this writer has dared to
say on this subject heretofore was that
it would be an excellent plan if all
ministers lived in an adjoining town,
this because we would thus avoid a
knowledge of the weaknesses ain men
have. and furthermore, that all clergy
men in making pastoral calls should
invariably be accompanied by their
wives this to- prevent Mrs. Grundy ex-
ercising her 1orerogative. But this Rev.
Barton goes still further. Having the
ianitor as a bodyguard is good sug-
gestion With a good stout janitor
such men as Barton would be safe.
Again. never leave that study door I'M
locked. Think what might happen to
Barton if left alone in his study. And
all this suggests the theme for new,
up-to date, modern novel. Newspapers
have been filled with accounts of the
evil works of gay deceivers. Novels
have been written, showing how some
villain deliberately determined on RUM
ing some innocent girl but here's
something new. Emerson Hough can
handle it. A suggestive title would be.
'sThe Innocent Pastor and the Woman"