New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-20
Can Pastor Be Fearless
And Retain His Pulpit?
Church Officers Keep Him Muzzed' Is One Preacher S
Plaint-Others Say to Make Good Man
Must Be Unafraid

I their congregations. No minister has
a right TO take advantage Of his posi-
| ton and become d common scold.
Every minister that is true TO Christ
will proclaim the truth as IT applies
20 the conditions Of the people TO
whom he ministers, and he VIII 30 10
without fear or favor
Preacher Must he Fearless
"My conviction is that preacher
to-day cannot possibly make good un-
less he is independent and fearless
was the answer Of the Rev. DR.. Charles
A. Eaton as he sat in his study at the
wealthy and aristocratic Madison Ave
nue. Baptist Church and reviewed ms
coming sermon on "The Question OF
the Moral Snob." "Thc 'pussy-f0ot-
ing time-serving minister, when occa-
sionally he appears. is melancholy
spectacle" continued DR.. Eaton. the
greatest blessing that could happen
TO the Christian religion would be
wholesale shaking up OF the dry bones
in pulpit and pew alike. If we minis
tiers would declare our willingness TO
take any punishment or pay any price
rather than play the part of hire-
lings, it would usher in the greatest
revival known since Pentecost.'
Dr.. Eaton maintains that the great
est calamity that ever fell upon the
Church was when the idea lodged 1t
self in the minds of ministers that
they must refrain from speaking the
truth for fear of disturbing the peace
Of their congregations.
"The fact is that that is what
minister is for" said DR., Eaton. His
lob is to be disturber of the peace.
He comes not to bring peace, but a
sword He is a soldier first. last and
always. lie cannot be soldier with
out facing the fortunes of war. If he
does his duty he will be insulted,
wounded, and sometimes in danger OF
starvation, but he will command the
respect even Of his enemies. and he
will count for something as a positive
force for righteousness.
Where Power Lies
If he does his duty God will take
care Of him. He mas greater resources
than any millionaire in the world
His power lies in his fidelity 10 truth,
his high code of honor his simple
manhood, his courage, and mis- belief
i'm his proposition.
God is no respecter of persons. The
minister who is ought TO get out OF
the pulpit and become a butler, or get
some safe job which requires small
courage. / would utter one warning:
the minister who speaks with author
itv must know what he is talking
about If he has been reared in
cloister. petted and flattered, fed with
technical religiosity. his words fall
either upon deaf ears or else they
grieve the judicious IT, however, he
knows by actual experience and con-
tact what most face every day in the
market, and in the struggle for eXls-
tence; if he understands what il IS
to be tempted. to be beaten as we'll as
TO be victorious; il he believes in the
broad, fundamental principles Of mo-
rality and spirituality which underlie
the individual. the church, the nation
and mankind, then when he speaks he
NAV evoke criticism, antagonism and
hate, but he will win his fight every
time. The real minister Of Jess
Christ knows that the disciple is not
above his Master. and that If they
crucifed the Lord they will also cru
city the minister. This. however.
does not mean that the minister has
not made good. For there is no fail
ure i'm life but moral failure. and
there is no success but moral achieve
ment."