The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-19
IIAH's ooxMENrs ON FALsn
PASTORS.


and temperance. has set fearful ex-
ample Of intemperance in the use OF
his tongue.
This time IL is Rev. Bob Jones. the
well known Methodist evangelist. who
Tor some years has conducted series
Of meetings In various parts of the
State. At one time he held a revival
s@rvice In Montgomery. and The Ad-
vertiser helped him get large crowds
for his meetings by reporting them lib
orally. OF course, that did not put
him under any obligation 20 this pa
per. but the fact might have opened
his eyes to the possibility that the
paper was not wholly bad.
Lately. however. the Reverend Bob
seems to have had his senses blinded
by the emotional atmosphere in which
he has been moving. He Is reported
to have said In his speeches that The
Advertiser was "a dirty, sinking.
iow-down sheet" not fit to be read By
any Christian. Furthermore. he Is
said to. have made vivid illustration
Of this view by tearing up copy Of
the paper. throwing 1t down. splitting
on 1t and stamping 1t under his feet.
Now that may be a highly moral arr
gument by highly moral leader for
a highly moral end Or II may be
simply a carefully calculated piece of
dramatic work. intended to make
cold chill Of disgust run down the
backbones Of his hearers. Or II may
be a part Of the boycotting program
so many ministers Of the state have
instituted against The Advertiser, be-
cause they have not been able to DOM
mate IT or to Brighten It,, No matter
from what standpoint the utterance
and the action Of the Reverend Bob
may be viewed. they win not appeal to
many sensible. fair-minded people as
disnified. just or. wise. II il cer-
tainly calculated to undermine his In
fluence as q preacher of the gospel.
1t will not help him win crowds of
the unconverted in the future.
The more The Advertiser sees of the
present situation in Alabama. ana the
relation OF many unwise. incorporate.
hot-headed ministers thereto. the
more Is 1t reminded of the situation
which existed In Israel In the days
OF jeremiah. That cody man was
tremendously wrought Up on account
Of the biunders OF the preachers OF
his day All through his book he ar
raigns them for their misdoings. In
the End chapter he reports the Lord
as saying:
,o The priest. saie not Where WI, is !, the
knew me not: tho pastors also trans
crossed against me. and the. prophets
prcphesied. by Baai. and walked after
things that do not profit"
In the srd chapter. he reports the
Lord as saying:
eord ds Ti szs VIZ TcS ga .sa s ss
you with knowledge and understand
ing" ~ .S.x..ss 80
! In thssiatb rshdses ats ii ii A ssaaiia:
"wos is me for my hurtl Ny
this is a grief. and must bear IT,
Ny tabernacle Is spoiled, and all
my cords are broken: MY children
not: there Is none to Stretch forth ss n my
tent any more. and to set up my cur
~. ana 'h s.g Rs ss . sss become sgp
ali their fiocks shall be scattered"
Again in the lath chapter the Lord
has Jeremiah say:
Many pastors have destroyed my
vineyard. they have trodden my por-
pleasant portion desoiate wilder
ness"
Again in the gard chapter 1t is writ
ten:
''woe unto the pastors that destroy
and scatter the sheep Of my pasture
saith the Lord.
of Israel against the pastors that feed
my people: Ye have scattered my
flock, and driven them away. and
have not visited them: behold, will
visit upon you the evil Of your do
ings, saith the Lord"
There can be no question that many
ministers in Alabama are uttering
things which are scattering their
flecks. that Gods tabernacle is fire.
quentIy spoiled. that they are prophe-
sying by the Baal Of politics, that
they are walking after things that do
not profit tho church.
Many of the churches in Alabama
will not recover from this campaign
In ten years. and the harm has been
done by preachers whose zeal for the
things Of Caesar has made them neg
lect the things Of God. They have
frequently forgotten Chrsst"s repeat
ed injunction to Peter, Feed my
sheep" Men, like sheep. are very
foolish. and they must be won into
the fold. They can't be sneered,
stoned or driven into the churches.
-S-s-~--
A CORN CARNIVAL.
Tho s,oo6 old town oF Alhanv "a