Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-08-19
THURSDAY EVENING AUG. 10. 1909.

Rev. DR.. w. E. EVANS, formerly
rector Of the Monumental Church, OF
Richmond, but now rector of the Church
of the Advent at birmingham, preached
a sermon on Sunday last in st. PauPs
Church, Richmond, in which he made
an extended and approving comment
upon that portion of the recent address
of Capt. Micsjah Woods, before the Viz
Qinia Bar Association at Hot Springs,
which criticised the introduction OF poll
tics into the pulpit. Capt. Woods said;
Unfortunately there has arisen a
fashion in many places and churches Tor
the ministers no longer to teach the pure
and elevatiDg gospel, but to arrogate to
themselves the right, snd to assume 1t
"a their prerogative, to proclaim from
their pulpits dOgmsS on economic and
political subjects, which tend to poison
the minds of their innocent auditors,
and at the same time disgust all inde-
pendent and right-thinkiDg men.
Rev. DR.. Evans, among other things,
said:
| believe this indictment to be per-
feclly right. A minister, as citiz'n,
has a perfect right to hold such political
economic, OF sociological views as COM
mend themselves to him; as q citizen he
has right to discuss his views, but l
affirm That he has no right to air his
opinions on such subjects in his pulpit
for the reason that he hiss been appoint
ed to preach the gospel and by bringing
politics into the pulpit he Is taking sd'
vantage of ttoe who differ from him,
aad have right 81 to do. he knows
that many persons before him would jOiu
issue with him, if they only dared to
speak their views ia the church as freely
as be has spoken his. Hepreaches with
scsnty knowledge or none, and With no
authority or commandment behind him,
and because of his pulpit statements has
occasionally been summoned before
grand jures and commissions, and with
shame and blame confessed that he did
not know the things asserted, but
csught them az current rumoTs, though
he spoke of them at the first az facts.
The minister who persists in substitut-
ing these topics for the gospel in little
while will be asking the question,
why men do not attend church.
Why, indeed Why should they? They
can stay at home and read the opinions
of able exp'rts and the views of men
whose specially in colleges and univer'
stiles is the teaching of these subjects.
Ministers sometimes complain that the
people have deserted the churches, when
the truth il, they have deserted the
people, they have deserted them At
points 10 their souls and characters
where their need is the sOrest. There
Is talk in the world of the church losing
its hold on the people; much of this
charge is false, but il it be at All true,
is net the ministry to be blamed Tor
Transforming the pulpit into a forum
where everything is expOunded except
the very thing for which they we're
called? 1t is not that the people have
deserted the church, but that the church
has deserted the people. All such ques.
tons So / have alluded to the world
hears six days out of the seven, and
the ministry is 10 be blamed If 1t shall
lose its opportunity on the seventh day
to try to help men btar their burdens,
TO comfort them in their sOrrows and
to point them to g Saviour who can
pluck the sting from an accusing con-
science.