Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-10-17
QUIT A PULPIT FOR
real JOB AND
ROASTS THE MINISTRY

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Schenectady, N. Y.-The Rev. Rob-
ert R. Brakeman, Of this city, commit
ted ecclesiastical hari-kari before a
congregation that packed the United
Peoples church last Sunday morn
ing, Mr.. Brakeman not only resigned
his Passionate but quit the ministry
forever to take a place as q laorer
under the Socialist Superintendent of
bStreets.
Il am sick of standing in an I'M
| challenged and unchallengable fort
ress," he said. "The ministry of this
city seems to have no other function
than to cry against Sunday baseball
or to show it's indifference or hos
tlity to the great movement of the
WORKING people represented in our
local administration. Such q nnIpit
Is out of touch with humanity. Like
the ministry Of Lawrence, it leaves
the great work of taking care Of the
people to those whom they call an
archists."
I'D rather be an anarchist and
ministering unto the least of these.
my brethren, than to be the so-called
minister OF the greatest and largest
church in the United Safes.
Despite the time and the place, the
radical declaration was greeted with
a storm Of applause. 1T was an odd
thing In church, especially on a
Sunday morning. But odd things are
the rule in Schenectady these days.
The membership of the United
Peoples church has never been in en-
tire harmony with Mr.. Brakeman s
views since he came to this city last
January to become assistant to DR..
George R. Lunn. Mr.. Brakeman is
| classed as an extreme radical, and
many of those whodid not object to
| the preacher-Mayor's socialism have
| baked at Bakeman's attitude from
time to time. On the other hand, his
many sympathizers have been gen.
! orally of such radical turn of mind
that they could not become members
l of even this most liberal church. The
pastors resignation therefore does
not mark a split in thechurch, but il
is the sensation of the week in
Schenectady.
"PuIpit Is Not FIRE."
eve talk bout a free pulpit" sale
Mr.. Brakeman, "but the pulpit is no
free. It is pledged to certain ideas
from the start. A minister canno
discuss a single act or word of Je
tsus. He must start with the assump
ton that Jesus was right. The pulpit
has no place for the open mind IL
it's search for truth. Jesus himself
said: The truth shall make you free.
But we who call ourselves his follow
ers must begin with some dogmati'
assertion.
"A minister cannot discuss immor
tally. Heis bound to believe in 1t
He cannot talk with an open mine
about Coed. He is bound to assume
His existence. AS q minister FOL
several years I have hidden behint
the fact that you could not prove
that there is a God, land wan
something positive on which to base
any future ministry. -r
There may still be a place for the
Church, but there is no room in lift
for professional ministry. I have
just awakened to the effect it was
Having On me. have preached i'm
mortality every Easter, not because
was fired with a conviction of i'm
mortality, but because it was Easter
4 have made my pastoral calls ever
day, not because had some special
messageto bring, but because there
were SO many names on my list.
have visited the sick and the dying
| not because I knew anything more
than they about what lies beyond, but
because ! was a professional minis
ter.
Do Away With All Of It.
IT want to see it all done away
with. want to speak hereafter only
where my fellow man can call me to
account. I want to visit only where
there is some actual ministry to be
done. want to break away from
the special code of conduct which
you have woven for ministers, too.
And when am on my dethbed / do
not want any professional minister
around. want men-real men
about me then: men who fought out
the battle Of life first-hand, and who
can do for me the only thing /
can do for others-take their hand,
T tell them I don't know what is be-
yond, bid them to be brave and re-
member that we are comrades to the
end"
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