Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-23
SENSATION ALISM
IN THE PULPIT
From the Springfield Republican


Rev. DR.. MacArthurs dlsapproval
of the pulpit ways of Rev. Dr. Straton.
who succeeded him i'm the active pas
torate of the Calvary Baptist Church
New York, has brought out the fact
that a large number of members OF
the church and congregation share
In the dissatisfaction and that they
may even bring about formal re-
quest for the pastors resignation.
The issue thus raised OF pulpit SEN
sationalism, or perhaps rather the
special kind of sensationalisu, which
Or. Straton has practiced. Is one OF
general interest. since the preacher
has uuasi-public standing.
AS DIR. Straton is quoted as saying,
David could not wear Saul's arnor
and yet he did manage 20 put Goliath
out of business I'm his own way" SEN
sationalism has always been an effec-
tsye weapon In the right hands.
Jonathan Edwards, preaching on "Sin.
ners in the Hands of an Angry God !"
4. Dewitt Talmage. arousing kindred
| terrors and appealing theatrically to
the depths of religious emotion, job !
! II. Gof, impressing his temperance
argument by resort to vaudeville, and
Billy" Sunday, calling upon aero
hatics and slang to reinforce his de-
nunciation of vice and appeal for vir-
tue and religion, are among the SUI
cessful employers of sensational
methods whose names readily occur !;
and all of whom doubtless have been
denounced by certain wellmeaning
contemporaries. Nor is dealing with
concrete evils by the modern Ameri-
can clergy without distinguished pre-
cedent. Most OF the preachers Just
Preferred to dealt with them. The titles
lof DIR. Talmage's volumes, "Abomina-
tions OF Modern Society,"" Sports That
XIII" and Might Side Of City Life" re-
call his activity as a reformer.
DIR. Parkhurst's personal investiga-
tions in New York as president of the
Society for Prevention of Crime and
his vivid reports of his discoveries be-
long TO the history OF the city. They
will inevitably be recalled in connec-
tion with DIR. Straton's similar ven
lures. Indeed il may be that the lat
ter has been inspired TO his course, by
the distinguished example. But DIR
lStraton has hardly been so successful
as these others in avoiding the pitfall.
lying in such a course. There seems
to be real reason TO fear that his
realistic pictures OF vice as he has seer
or heard of il, have attracted peOpl,
TO his church for the same kind oi
thrill that is given by the yellow
literary realist; at worst that he hai
even made the monster of frightfu
mien so familiar as to encourage tn,
weak to its embrace.
And aside from the reactions o
those who are attracted by his ser
mons the effects upon others are to bl
considered. A member of his church
is quoted as saying, "Dr, Straton con
stantly tells how disgusting thes
things are which he is denouncing il
his sermons. They are disgusting, AM
no preacher should discuss disgusting
things in public that way" That i
one point of view. Another is that O
good citizens who see danger u NOR
ais in exaggerated or pessimisti
representation of evil tendencies il
society; who would not shut their eye
to truth, but who would be careful
not to encourage a feeling that hu
; manity is of base material and tina
the world is going to the demnitlo
bow-wows; who fear, in short, tina
sensationalism of the kind that ID
Straton is being criticized for indulg
ing in tends to prove too much.