The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-27

out: SO where there is no tale bearer, the
strife ceaseth. Proverbs xxvi:2o
! An Illuminating instance Of the dis
tressing strife which is caused by the
tale-bearer and the divulger of secrets
has been happening in Chicago during
/ the past few weeks. During that
/ period the church circles OF the city
have been deeply stirred over the eff
forts of a clergyman to oust promf-
nent woman member from his church
because of an alleged confession she
made to him that she had been guilty
! of a grievous wrongdoing.
He first made public this confession
and then brought the proceedings to
have the woman unchurched. The
trial of these charges has been going
on for some time before church
court with more or less publicity at
tached to the proceedings. AS they
approached the end the clergyman
who instituted them has admitted that
he is unable to substantiate them with
proper evidence.
He relied solely on the strength of
the confession which he alleged that
the woman made to him as he re-
peated it, but which she denied en-
phatically. Necessarily the charges
have fallen fiat, for even church
court could not accept such uncor-
roborated evidence as conclusive. Evil
dence of that sort would hardly be so
much as admitted in a court of law
and justice, aside from being given
any weight.
That these proceedings have caused
a lot of suffering to the woman in the
case and the members of her family,
that they have been the means of
practically disrupting the congrega-
tions of two of the foremost churches
of Chicago and that they have at least
discredited a clergyman, the one in
stigating them, who was formerly held
in high regard, are the only things
which have been accomplished. That's
something, to be sure. but it is not of
the sort to which the finger of pride
can be pointed.
In these proceedings though is the
lesson for everyone to keep a close
tongue in his head, to be careful not
to misinterpret statements which are
made to him, and to be Jealous in
guarding secrets which may be en-
trusted to him, even if they place the
person giving voice to them in an
unenviable light or position. This
would seem to apply with peculiar
IOTCe TO C16ISyI1Su. 1t WOulO appear
to be their duty to help a sinner on
the way to repentance and reforma-
ton rather than to expose his sins
to the public eye and subject him to
contumely and degradation. And how
much more care should be taken in
this respect when they revolve around
a woman, whose possible misdeeds are
always looked upon with greater scorn
than are similar ones committed by
men for some reason which is the way
of the world.
AS a Chicago preacher drastically
said recently in discussing the scandal
referred to, and evidently having in
mind the efforts of certain Chicago
church folks to reform the notorious
Pat Grove and make a temperance
lecturer and evangelist of him, only
to have him indulge in a drunken
orgy after a few months of rectitude:
'It is peculiar how the church fairly
tumbles over itself to save the soul
of a drunkard, thief and liar, send
him out to save other souls at a salary
of 500 a week, and then pins the
scarlet letter on the breast of the |
woman who may have led a blameless |
life for thirty or forty years and sin |
ned only once. A church that will |
do that is as near perdition as the |
devil is delighted to have It,"