Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-10
BY BISHOP
w. 4. GAMBLER
WANTED: SOME GOOD PREACHING
WITHOUT AGRICULTURAL ATTACHMENT

We have had enough quackery In
the pulpit, and while IT has been
yielding a vast crop of political, social,
and moral freaks. 1t has done much
also to empty the churches of wor-
shippers. We need a reaction in the d.
rection OF bringing sure-enough
preaching back into those pulpits from
which 1t has been disappearing. The
people will be found in the pews when
this sort of preaching re-appears in
these pulpits.
There is probably more good
preaching in the rural churches
than there is in the urban churches;
but If the preachers who are sent
to the country are to go as anna
teur farmers. there will soon be
dearth OF the gospel there too Let
these seIf-constituted committees Of
urban ''problen- solvers" keep their
hands off the country churches, II
they have nothing better to propose
than that the pastors of country
churches shall be given courses in
agriculture. When a farmer sends
for a doctor he sends for him to
get medical treatment, not for adj
vice about sowing peas. draining
land, and raising pigs; and when he
desires a preacher he wants spirit
ual help, not agricultural counsel.
There is just as much sense in re-
quiring preachers for country
there would be in requiring such
knowledge Of the doctors and law
yers who serve clients engaged in
farming.
Some days ago the papers report
- - II Il
sey who engaged her pastor to spank
her naughty boy for her; and 1t is
said the parson did a good and eff
fective job on the obstreperous lad.
Shall we now have spanking courses
introduced into our theological semi
naries? Surely the farmers wife
needs as much help in rearing boys
as the farmer needs in raising pigs;
for Is not a boy Of more value than
many pigs? BY all means let our
Executive Committee of the Uni
verse Managing Movement" arrange,
without delay. for spanking courses
for candidates for the ministry.
Perhaps Mr. Carnegie might be in
duced to furnish the money for an
experimental beginning OF such
work i'm connection with some of
his libraries. or in a room of the
Peace Palace at the Hague; for
some time ago he expressed the de-
sire to spank Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.
Taft for falling out with each other.
or. Mr.. Rockefeller,s hooS-worin
commission might be induced to in
clude spanking courses in their pro-
gramme of redemption for the land.
But whether any or all of these be-
nign individuals or corporations,
will undertake the work, Il is per-
fectly clear that the spanking
courses must he provided to run
parallel with the agricultural
courses for preachers. The agricui-
tural courses are designed for
preachers who are TO spend their
lives as pastors of country church,
es; and that may make such courses
somewhat unpopular. But the
spanking courses will be required OF
all preachers; the city man need
ing them, perhaps. even more than
his rural brother.
Once he spanking courses are ac-
quired, the tailors, perhaps, will de-
wise a pocket in clerical cut coats
for a paddle to be carried by the
urban pastors in their daily rounds.
so that they may discharge their
spanking functions on short notice.
without having 10 return home for
suitable instrument. or having to
use soiled shinkle brought from
the back-alley. jstg v
Meanwhile, II is to be hoped that
there will be left somewhere an old
fashioned preacher Of the gospel,
who will not undertake to farm for
the farmer, bank for the banker.
doctor for the doctor. nor ntigate
for the lawyer. but who will preach
to the sorrow-stricken the solaces
OF the Saviour's tender love and who
will proclaim to conscience-smitten
sinners the salvation that atonins
Grace offers for the redemption or
the lost. And he will not want for
a hearing. Mark that!