Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-12
A Reply to DR.. Adler.
To the Editor OF The Star

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AS one OF your subscribers and lay
man of the church, respectfully request
sufficient space for a positive denial Of
the statement Of DR.. Felix Adler, printed
in The Star of Monday, which he is
credited to have made, to the effect that
the pulpit is obsolete" that an influx
of inferior men into the pulpit has dimin-
ished regard for it. DR.. Adler's state
ment, according to his narrow personal
view, of the so-termed failure of the
pulpit brings out as evidence Of this
fact that while formerly views on i'm
portant subjects were voiced by the
clergy, the people now read the views Of
bankers. 1t is just such men as this
speaker to whom falling church attend
the case, can be attributed. If DR.. Adler.
with his preference for more ethics and
less theology, and Prof. Eliot with his
new religion" would reread the sayings
of the Savior in His talks with His
chosen disciples. in which He gives them
authority to spread His gospel. and where
He. the Son of God (unto Whom every
single living man. woman or child owes
the very life within their bodies), spoke
the powerful words that the gates of hell
church" and further that He would be
with the ordained ministers of His gospel
even to the ends of the world, there would
be less belittling Of the pulpit" there
under the term of 'ethics." and there
would be more sincere respect and sin
cerely truer acceptance Of the faith once
delivered to the saints.
1t is true that people are reading views
of bankers, judges and men of Official
life. but hardly can this be called a less
regard for the pulpit. Every one at all
learned in history knows that learning
was in early days most confined to the
church. and, therefore, the people looked
subjects. With the distinct separation Of
church and nation In our country Of to-
day. l take it that the argument put
forth by DIR. Adler is not we'll founded,
since education is now open to all walks
in life.
i dispute absolutely the speakers state
ment relative to Influx Of inferior men
in the pulpit" l will not so outside of
our own city, but will first of all ask il
an inferior quality of man. can possess
the self-sacriticing spirit which he is alb
solutely called upon to embrace to take
up the call to his Masters service"?-a
self-sacrificing spirit not required because
of the duties alone, but loaded upon the
skepticism OF the world at large. by
"free-thinking people (who embrace
such teachings because of the balm 1t af-
fords too-strong conscience) withhold
ing their offerings 10 Zoo 8 work. IL the
men who want visible results would
look about them and see these visible
results in everything about them in to-
days life, which demonstrate an AL
mighty intellect ruling over all. revealed
in not only the old subject of wonderful
creation, but in modern science, and in
SO looking about realize the vast space
which exists between their own insignif-
icant intellect and the mind of Him who
created them themselves. the noble lives
which are consecrated to the call of
Christ would be accepted as having a
message from the Almighty. of whom
mere man will not see visible results
until they shall stand face to face
l point to the following men occupying
the pulpit in our city. combining myself
to our city. and ask if the speakers re-
marks are upheld as to "inferiority":
Bishop Harding. DR.. Randolph McKim,
DIR. Roland Cotton Smith, DR.. Richard r.
Williams. G. Calvert Carter. Cardinal
Gibbons. Mgr. Mackin. Rev. Joseph J.
Himmel, Rev DR.. Russell, Samuel II.
Greene, d. D.; J. j. Muir. j. Compton
Ball. Donald c. Macleod, Wallace Rad
cl!ffe and Charles Wood.
VIM. OSCAR ROOME, Jr.