New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-09-05
RABBI DE|VOUNCES
Whispered SLURS
IN BALLOT DRIVE
Continued from First Pare)

CONTINUED from First Pase)
spiration In a life above them tina,
makes them feel different than the
beast Of the held. They want re,
pose, Inspiration and ideals.
III people want this inspiration
and guidance. how do you account
for that large sect. The Seventh Day
Absentees?'
Empty Faces and Empty Heads
How do you account for the fact
that men who are called to give
their best, their very life's blood,
often broken hearted talk to lumbe,
yards Of empty pews. or worse still
congregations Of empty faces and
empty heads?
Many of you 30 to church these
days with the vaudeville theater at.
titude. You come in and pay your
IS cents, get comfortable and when
tho minister starts your attitude
says, Here I am, I've paid by fec
Now It's up to you to entertain me.
You adopt the attitude Of 4 dare.
! dare you 10 win me over 1t 10
an attitude of resistance.
Why Should She?
There are many Elmer Gantrys
in the ministry, but not every min
lister is an Elmer Gantry. The min
lister who speaks on Sensational sub
jects such as Why should grand
mother roll her own stockings
breaches to a crowded church, while
the minister who gives you the real
word Of inspiration 10 left standing
alone.
Laynen Create Elmer Gantrys
Elmer Gantry is not an indict-
ment of the ministry; 1t 10 an indict-
mcnt Of the layman. If the laymen
did not want what Elmer Gantry
gave them, they would not dock to
hear him. Sinclair Lewis in the
same book tells also Of another
the honest. Cody minis
ter who refuses to compromise
While the layity hocks to hear the
minister this man is left
alone and finally is driven out of
his pulpit
Minister Becomes Floorwalkcr
If you have sensationalism in
tho pulpit 1t il because the laity
wants it.
The church has become a bus
mess organization. If the minister
gives only the word of God. people
don't come. He must devise ways
and means Of getting the people and
getting the money. We must create
a community center within the
church on the order of q depart
nent store. and the minister. in
stead Of having time to devote to
that high calling on which he is an
becomes q sort of floor
walker.
He becomes 4 business admins
:rator. the one thing he is the least
qualified to be. He ceases to be the
spiritual leader. Then, when you
ose that inspirational guidance. you
throw up your hands and blame the
pulpit. Don't blame the minister.
blame yourself.
American Ideals
I'VE have . certain set Of ideals
10 call 'Americanism.' Everybody
1as ideals. Even that organization,
he Khan. which died or 10 dying
II the weight Of its own decay and
had its ideals.
Ideals are an opportunity for
men to get together and for men
md women to live their own lives
a . great nation. differing religious
y and politically and yet living in
Men must live together as
rec men rather than be cast In one
mold and come out all alike.
Those who will deny the right Of
POLITICAL preferment to . man be-
ause of his religious background or
ecause Of his nativity. what do they
ct?
Whispers to Hurt Hoover
while on a visit to an Ohio city
ecently l noticed = strong CAM
align. a whispering campaign OF
ilification against Herbert Hoover.
t was a most malicious and inde-
ent campaign. Republicans there
aid they would not vote for Hoover
ecause OF some vile, underground,
INSPIRING campaign.
1T it the American ideal Of q
luare deal and decency for a can
idats to ask the public to fight in
he open or to use the underground
tanner Of running his character and
equation
The vile campaign Of whispering
eainst the other candidate IL not
question Of right or wrong. 1t 10
\ American principle undermining
ne Of the basic ideals Of American
emocracy.
I'm Georgia they have lynchings:
Alabama fioggings. These are
manifestations Of the breaking down
American ideals.
But no orea nixation can live and
rosper az America does II It 10 de.
lying and rotting away. The
merican people Of today still seek
70 noble and true ideals Of Wash.
gton and Lincoln.
"A boil on your neck does not
can the whole blood stream 10 I'M
ire; II 10 a sign that there 10 i'm
lrity there. These manifestations
q not signs Of national impurity.
u signs that impurity exists in the