The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-01-23

other-the editor from his sanctum speaking
through these columns, the preacher from his
pulpit, speaking directly to his hearers
The Ardmoreite, we repeat, does not hold 2
brief for Dr.. Neth, but it would be the most
unchrlStlan unfairneSs were we to content our.
selves to sit idly by and permit to pass, un.
challenged, the vituperative misrepresenta
tions which are contained in the article ap.
pearing in the Southeast Oklahoman.
The article in question purports to be a
reply to sermon recently delivered by DR.
Weith, as stated above, and says. in the main
that when the gentleman few Sundays since
speaking from the pulpit touched upon the
sordid details of the tragic life story of Clara
Smith and the man whose death she stands
charged with having encompassed, he prost
tuted the holiness Of the church, besmircheG
the name Of Christ, stained the sacredness OF
the Bible, and impaired to the religion of the
Christian all the luridness which character
ICES yellow journalism.
The writer in the Southeast Oklahomar
says, in one place in his article:
The pulpit is not the place from
which to peddle sensationalism. Men
and women come in contact with sin
through the week by association, and
they become burdened with it. To them
the church is the sign-board which points
the way to the better life beyond, and
they go to the church each Sunday carry
ing their burden that they may be re-
lleved of its great weight Through the
pulpit-from the man who occupies it
they expect the message of encourage
ment that will cheer them through an
other week. But they receive instead a
lot of sensationalEm about some murder
drama, hatched and participated in by
popular principals, or hear q suggestive
sermon on adultery, they become either
scornful or curious to know how one
would feel after similar experience.
Unquestionably sensational preaching
fosters sin in the lives of men and
women"
We agree with the writer in the above SEN
timents, taken literally, but we do not agree
with him in the implication contained in those
sentiments, that sermon of warning. a mes
sage declaiming against sin, as was the SER
mon delivered by DR.. Weith and the message
he sought to convey to his hearers, smacks
of sensationalism and tempts innocent young
women to depart from the path of virtue to
lie, smiling with glowing eyes and parted
lips, in the lecherous embraces of the adul-
terer.
The writer of the criticism says, as you
VIII note above, "Unquestionably, sensational
preaching fosters sin in the lives of men and
women True, beyond cavil or debate None
can or will question this statement. But can
a message of warning against the moral, the
eternal, the lasting death which comes to
those who drink the cup of sin to its last
bitter dregs be called sensational preaching u
If it can, then the Christ who warned
against all sin, was sensationalist, while
Almighty God, when he chseled on tablets
of indestructible stone the decree, "Thou shalt
not commit adultery" succeeded only in
awakening burning desires in the breasts oil
virgins, and instigating men to deeds of rapne
and beastialty, while the inspired penman
who told the sordid tale Of the destruction OF
Sodom and Gomorrah and wrote the story oi
the incestuous love of Lot and his daughters
did not convey warning to other communi.
ties, to other men and women, but succeeded
only in causing the painting preath to gasp
for that satiation of erotic passions which
leads to aeons of centuries spent in an atone
ment which can never expate.
Further on the author of the criticism
makes this astounding statement:
What weak doctrine, and how in
securely founded, is that propounded by
the Ardmore preacher That woman
can't come back after having committed
the sin of which Clara Smith Hamon
is accused! Were it true, what futile
thing would be the religion which Christ
founded, and how utterly without hope it
leaves man. Such doctrine is both
weak and false, dangerous and deceptive,
and is an enormity which would put to
blush heatheniSm itself"
IF the self-appointed defender of the pul.
pit from "sensationalism," really believes this
then he entertains sentiments which are un
righteous, unholy, unworthy and which are
well calculated to lead the daughters of Eve