The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-07-11
Tulsa Preachers Tell How
They Preached First
Sermons.
FROM LAW TO PULPIT
Swan a Stream to Deliver
Fourth Of July Grafton and
Made Eagle Scream.
BY PAULINE LAYMAN.

llhn alAdIg III ~ tNIFA lfINAfAs lIlN
very first sermons delivered by
Tulsa pastors were accompanied 10y
Incidents humorous in character.
Reoollections given by local min
!s,ors OF their first sermons are
strlkingly similar. The majority
preached for the first time when In
their late teens or carry twcntles.
while they were still In attendance
AT theological seminaries with one
exception the churches which were
the settings for tho first sermons
were either in the country or In
small rural towns. Often they wero
the home town" churches OF the
Young mon, where they were bap-
tized and became members. In
these cases, the congregations were
unusually large, including the fond
parents, frionds, and aCpuaintanCes
Of the ministers-to be.
Though they have preached from
literally hundreds Of texts since. ev-
ody Tulsa pastor remembers that
first text. Another similarity re-
vcalcd Is that practically all Of the
ministers were active In oratory and
public speaking in school before
deciding to follow the calling OF the
ministry.
A degree OF stngc fright when
uttering tho first sermon is gem
orally confessed. Rev Rolfc Pom
eroy Crum. rector of the Trinity
Episcopal church, who was a stu
dent in the Cambridge Episcopal
school at Cambridge when he
preached his first sermon. said that
he was thankful that the clergy Of
the Episcopal church wore cassoclls,
as The congregation could not see his
knees shaking. However he was
Dot thankful for the fact that when
he concluded his sermon. tho solo
list in the choir sang sometime We
Shall Understand"
The first sermon Of Rev. w. A.
Todd. pastor of the NoEalcs Avenue
Baptist church, began with the ere
alton and came down tho ages to
the present age, though 1t did not
consume much time in delivery. 81
was attending William Jewel col
lege at Liberty, Mo, at tho time,
Mr.. Todd said. II specialized in
the sciences before adopting the
ministry as my life profession. SO
my sermon was really an accumula-
ton Of notes obtained In scientific
courses II was preached at La
Bell, Mo, in tho church whore
was converted and baptized. I was
not at all frightened. In fact.
have never been frightened at any
thing In my life except my wife"
Rev. Hugh a. Creswell, assistant
pastor OF the First Presbyterian
church. has vivid recollections Of
his first sermon. "In composing the
sermon | had difficulty in finding
enough to talk about" he said last
week. 81 could not write more than
seven minutes worth though later 1t
proved that Il took longer than that
TO deliver. After settling in the ac-
commodations which had been se-
cured for me I'm the little town to
which | was sent, I learned TO my
horror that the family was Mormon.
That first sermon was delivered In
small home mission church before
an audience OF 20. | had my notes
all ready for use. but there was no
pulpit stand, SO I had to put them
In my Gihlo and hold u before me.
There was no pulpit stand 60 hold
my hand on when | closed my eyes
TO pray so when | opened my eyes
~ tho conclusion of the prayer |
found that ! had turned complctcl
around ana was facing the hack
snll OF the church"
said Rev. Mendc Dutt, pastor OF
the First Christian church, my
irst sermon was delivered 20 years
ago 50 long ago that have for
gotten the sermon subject it was
given In tho small village church
near Knoxville, Tenn. from whieh
wont forth to the seminary after I
had finished my course. II was dif-
ton"
l'ov J. W Abel. pastor OF the
IlFst Methodist Episcopal crurch,
maze his pulpit uttcrance I'm his six
l'ehth year, 81 was active In church
Wofk, but had not decided to follow
lht m nistry." Mr.. Abel said. Il was
called upon with only n few hours
Ho'Ioc to fill the pulpit during the
absence Of my pastor, and hur-
n,d.y choose as text II Chronicles
had on "A now pair Of shoes
NN'ch added TO my natural emhar-
id~Incnt. and was 30 weak IN tho
NW's mat | leaned heavily on the
punt stand, almost standing on my
nlHds Instead Of my feet. During
lho sermon when ! started to make
weeping gesture the pulpit stand.
winch was top-heavy. topplcd for
ward, my feet in the slick now
Suors slipped. and 7 came near fol-
OWING the stand into the main aisle
vi lhe church. II l had ! might
nave taken II as an omen that I was
mistaken in my calling" II was i'm
L,olately after this that Mr. Abel
IIteI'inhely decided for the ministry.