Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-05-09
IS
ADVOCATED BY
4 MINISTER
Author of In His Steps" Does
Not Advocate FORGIVENESS
of Sins But Says People
Need to Tell Troubles.

Topeka, Kuns. May a.--Tho Roc
charles NJ sheldon. pastor of the
central Cougr' gationGl church. au-
thor Of I'm It's steps" and several
other widely read books. believes
tnat "y'ry pastor of q Protestant
church should have a confessional.
where the members of his r"ck could
go Go hi, pastor and pour their tr"u-
hlrs into 20 willing ear ana receive
Who'll, some advice He does not IN"
tend that this confession should be-
ia thu nature uf that followed by thc
catholic church. whore forgiveness
, OF sin Us given hy the father confess
sor. II should bee a place where those
h,aVil, laden with cares and trials
ana trIbulations could unload their
burdens
Doctor sheldon discussed his pro-
pnsal briefly AZ "A conference of mir
istcrs aud sunday school workers at
- Louis lie elaborated on his idea
ia % talk with a reporter here.
( "rhe relations IT the minister to
his congregation, Doctor sheldon
said. should bc such thut the mem
hers would be fire., 60 90 To- him ana
cunfrss their troubles hnd receive
advice Do not in IA" least advo-
cat, the doctriuc of the forgiveness
of sins. hat 20 seems 80 m" that the
minister. in order tu fulnll his tull
duty to the church auh to hi- flock.
ought e. make himself So useful that
10. members would feel free Ia con-
I'D, bon him about anything that COM
.cerns them The baptist Emmanuel
church or Boston Is carrying out this
iaea nav | have been working along
thi. limo for many years.
"Thc confessional Is not entirely a
spiritual matter I, * 4 place where
people can carry their troubles "t
whatever Kind ar nature, business,
spiritual aud religious, family anairs
aud purely personal matters. 1t Is
ia, working out of the plan 10 give
more a.lp Ia the congregation. Snm'
ministers WORK with the idea that
their connection with The affairs oi
the congregation ends with the
preaching Of the sermons and tn
cials and the perfunctory routine fol
lowed by all. There II much other
good work that can he and ought e
b" done,
''The Roman Catholic church ha
und .rstood human nature FOR cen
turtles. The protcstants have no, ha
this understanding. The catholI
confessional contcmplates the FOR
sivcuoss of sins hut its chirt hol
has been In aiding the members a
the church bear the burdens the
have 10 carry. Human endurance Wi
. hear up under certain troubles ~
. certain extent and then IL snaps
one tx able 70 tell his troubles TO an
other in whom hc has confidence
and who may he able 10 give advic
and aid, tho troubled ono feels bette
and stronger after the telling, 81
though the trouble may not be solv
od or ightcncd 10 the least That
human nature
"It H. the duty of the minister
~. the close friend OF every memo,
oi his lock. He should do a real So,
Vice and DE real help az all time
Mon ana women come 10 me for af
vice. They tell mo nf their fnmil
nnalrs. thcir business prospects an
royorsos and almost everything In
agin1hl" | Civ" them the best a.
vice | can. counsel with thrm
vonholo with them. and try
hclp them solve the troubles that con
to them. II gives them greater p"a'
of mind They do not break dowl
AFTER conhdiug In me and talkln
over their Worries they go AVA
stronger ana better men ANA Wom'
and children ana become more as
ful 10 themselves. their friends ~
Ia. world
THAT Is the idea ! have in u
confessional for protestant church'
Every church should have one. Eve
minister should have certain hou
when the members of his congrcg
ton could 20 60 his study and I,
him their worries and he given GOO
spiritual business and social advi'
as arr minister should he able
lgivo: advice that no lawyer ana fc
other friends could give"