The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-08-22
Hit or Miss.
WilIiston, Tenn. August IL 1919
To the Editor of the Falcon.
SomerviIle, Tennessee.

beaF Dir
According to press dispatches, the
Rev. DR.. Eaton. q rather prominent
Baptist minister within the city resign
ed the pastorate of q church in New
York city, qnite recently to devote his
best efforts in behalf of society from
without the church. in the south,
especially in Baptist circles. DR.. Eaton
is widely known because Of his Theo-
logical Seminary activities.
Once upon time wss a near pupil
of Or. Eaton's in this field. What his
new field of special uplift work will be
was not stated but the point / want to
make clear If he is to be considered to
be sicnere in that whatever field he
elects to enter it is one the pulpit did
not seem to him to lend any aid. He
sees a great work to be done and he
thinks he has to get outside the church
to do it. To say the least of it, this is
a sad state of affairs. if not reflection
on church machinery all over the coun-,
try. Neither is it result of the par
ticular sect TO which he belonged. If
another sect pulpit had offered the
ideal field he no doubt would have gone
to it. He understands the situation
thoroughly, have no dJubt Of IL, yet
be virtually says. II have 10 quit the
pulpit because the field for the great
est need is to be reached outside the
church." 1t may be organized greed
among city members or it could be
many other things that weigh so heav-
lily upon his conscience. anyway some-
thing keeps the mouth closed to the
things his soul is beaming over TO say
and do. Ii proves more than this. 1t
shows he thinks there IS little of
Christ-likeness in the church. In this
case, city church, mean.
The pulpit should be not one of the
great but the greatest source, medium
or point for the diversion of practical.
wholesome helpfulness to the people
al over the country in existence at this
time. One reason is because the
church organizations, however unjoint-
ed and otherwise crippled in many To-
calites could be reassembled and soon.
er put into going concern than a new
organization. But Wilt? Some people
90 to chnrch more or less regularly and
could not be drawn out to attend any
other sort of meeting. And people
have to gettogether and their minds
: into an attitude at least to be willing to
learn before much good ia broad way
can be obtained. Hence the church
and the pulpit as the field'for good
One reason why talented men along
many lines have to get outside the
church to bit the devil, the same gener-
ally being ignorance, strong jab
from the shoulders is, think. because
of the errors of orthodoxy which seem
to contract rather than unfold
the full measure of man. Ii is
a fact few break out of the confines
of narrow, almost isolated life and
strike for something worth while. and
occasionally one like DR.. Eaton aban-
dons the pulpit altogether in order to
be free to proclaim boldly acloser creed
to man than theological dogma. but
they are the exceptions and not the
rule.
How so many so.called pleachers
circulating among all classes of people
can 70 about with eyes closed and ears
stopped to most of the vital things in
this world is mystery past my under
standingl
Strange to me. il 10. the minister
when he looks into the faces of bis aud
fences he fails to see with the minds
eve In their faces at the same time
bread and water meals. disease, the
posentialities Of Wasting race, wash
ed and quilted lands. exploitation, sgri-
cultural ignorance, these and other
conditions from which our countrymen
are suffering now, and to reflect that
they must continue to suffer therefrom
until the scales fall from their eyes so
thew may see. But be openeth not his
mouth as touching these things; 1t is
no wonder that "Simon's wife's mother |
Law sick of fever"
carefully look over number of
farm papers every week including the
Country Gentlemen and more has been
aid In them within the past six or
eight months regarding what the
church and pulpit or preacher could and
sh,uld do towards human progress
In this country but are not doing it.
and always express themselves In
words Of misgiving and doubt than
have seen in years before. Without
exception the writers referred to. state
that 1t l. . great opportunity indeed.
tbs minister has. to lend the best there
be In him in everything that would or
could make for healthy. happy. pros
porous. efficient people. II be 10 not
posted In these matters be. should be.
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