Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-25

notions about what may be done to
draw crowds into the churches. Even
some preachers seem to think that any
thing that will draw is entirely
proper" For example. the evangelist
BILLY Sunday" who is classed among
preachers, is reported to have said
while speaking before the Northern
Methodist General Conference in Min
neapolis that to accomplish success he
would swallow a pole-cat and wash
it down with slop."
Such repulsive speech degrades re-
ligion, however sincere may be the
man who can descend to the level OF
such coarse speech. No moral result
was ever accomplished by any such foul
utterance, nor is it possible for any
impulse of piety to be quickened by
such vile talk.
Again, some time ago the press dis
patches contained an account of a per-
Torrance in a church at Hillsdale. N. j.,
designed to draw, which could not
fail to damage all who were drawn by
1T. The press report said:
Church services. opened with
an excellent imitation of a college
yell and interspersed by music
from a choir Of whistling boys, is
the novel winter program at the
- church here, of which the Rev.
William Burd is pastor. The ex-
pertinent was tried for the first
time last night, and is pronounced
a complete success by the minis
ter.
THE choir of boys lined up on
the platform at the opening of the
services and gave their CLUB yell',
which is as follows:
"'Say. my friend-have you
seen-second Timothy-two if
teen? - first Thessalonians - five
twenty-two-tells you exactly
what to do
Then they whistIed, Stand Up.
Stand UP. for Jesus Wonderful
Words of Life and other popular
hymns"
There can be no question that such
an irreverent performance in a church
will draw a crowd of a certain sort of
sensation-loving people; but it is in
credible that any religious result can
be accomplished by it, If the preacher
had announced beforehand that he
would give an exhibition of gymnastics
in the pulpit that also would have
drawn a gaping crowd; and it would
not have been more irreverent or more
out-of-place.
Crowds in a church, apart from the
religious object which is supposed, to
be sought by them, are no better than
crowds in an opera house; and every
man eager to get a crowd should ask
himself, For what purpose do 1 wish
to draw the people together? May not
the object of their coming to church
be defeated in advance by the method
employed to induce them to come?
To use irreligious methods to achieve
religious results is both silly and sin
full. A farce can never become a re-
ligious force. Like begets like, and
irreverence can yield irreverence only.
A truly successful service can not come
from goddess methods however great
may be the multitude which may at
tend upon II. Indeed, il is quite pos
bic that the evil of sensationalism
arises from a disposition to worship
apparent success rather than to rev.
erently adore the eternal God. That
wretched maxim that nothing sue
ceeds like success" seems to have
found Judgement in the heads of some
preachers even.
Often nothing fails like success" and
this is always the case when apparent
success is won at the cost of what is
right A few such successes end in reme-
diless disaster. All along the course of
history may be observed wrecks of
preachers who won transient applause
and conspicuous attention by meretri-
ciOus methods. In the end they came to
shame and defeat, In Mr.. Wesley's time
there was a certain Doctor Dodd who
was a man of this sort. ? He filled all
London with excitement for a season.
He denounced the Wesleys, and derided
nearly every other serious preacher in
England who fell under his notice. AS
he proceeded on his evil way he found
il necessary to go a little further every
day in the direction of sensation in or
der to satisfy the morbid demands of the
sensation-lovers who We're attracted by
his performances; for this is always the
doom of sensation-mongers. At last he
could go no further; and he found that
he had gone too far to turn back. Mean
while, he had lost his faith, if he had
ever had any genuine faith. His char
acter became base, and his conduct law
less. He committed crime for which he
was convicted and hanged.
Modern sensationalists manage to es-
cape offenses and hanging; but it is an
open question if some of them could not
be justly indicted for disturbing pubic
worship. Certainly they could be, If il
could be proved that the gaping crowds
who go out to hear them went for any
purpose OF worship.
Close akin to this evil, and springing
from the same evil root is the notion
that the churches and preachers should
advertise their wares, as do merchants.
This is called progress. but In what di-
rection is it progressing? Reputable law
yers and physicians regard such methods
as utterly unprofessional and unworthy.
We know what kind of doctors employ
such arts Is II to be seriously be-
lieved that preachers and churches can
fall below the level of conduct upon
which respectable professional men move,
and the cause of christianity suffer no
degradation thereby?
The fact is that Gods gospel can not
be brought to men under the assumption
that the world can patronize christianity
without degrading the sacred cause.
The church is put in a false position
when il appears as needing the favour
of the world and as coming under obli-
cation to the world by accepting it's
patronage. The church mas nothing to
sell She appears in the earth charged
with proclaiming the DEGREES OF heaven,
offering divine mercy to penitents who
will abandon their sins and accept Christ
as their Saviour, and demanding the
submission of every soul to the King of
King and Lord of Lords. To have her
renounce this high position, and assume
Please come into my house. and hear
my man talk, and listen to my singers
sing" is in effect to have her abdicate