Newspaper Page Text
Shall the preacher—Yes? or, No? And the fool
ish man says, No! Some people and even leaders
who are reputed to be thinkers do
Why Silent
in the
Atlanta Fight?
things that have been said and are yet being
said about the silence of the preachers in the great
Atlanta fight which dethroned public indecency and
enthroned civic virtue in the campaign for mayor.
The eyes of the world were on Atlanta and if she
had failed a generation could not have wiped out
the stain. ißut who did it? The answer comes
with enthusiasm: “The people did it —that’s
who!’’ 'Granted —and joyously granted. It was the
outraged intelligence and conscience of manhood
and womanhood that had grown sick of heart, indig
nant and desperate over the debauchery of civic
ideals and the wanton wasting of Atlanta’s good
name. But who sowed the principles out of which
this inspiring drama of revolution sprang? Who
planted the seeds that burst full grown into the
saving fruitage of a night or an hour? Who fruc
tified the forces that leaped like gods and demi
gods in this mighty campaign of reform ? Who
stood like watchmen on the tower and blew the
trumpet blast that called a sleeping city to this
tardy but glorious victory?
Answer these questions, citizens and patriots in
every city in the land, and you will have the solu
tion of the mightiest problem in our civilization.
“But didn’t the preachers keep silent during this
campaign?” “Broughton hasn’t ‘chirped’ a word,
has he?” “They knew if the preachers did get
into it they would elect Jim Woodward, sure.”
These and other questions and sayings like them
have been asked and uttered on every side—some
times whispered in pity and sometimes declared with
defiance.
On election day a well-kept, good looking young
American enjoying a commendable spasm of voting
decency and declarative citizenship said with a
pleasant smile to Dr. Broughton, the famous and
fearless Tabernacle Pastor, who called Atlanta to
such an exhibition of manhood a half dozen years
ago: “Well, Doctor, we are glad to have you with
us in this great campaign.”
Then the great preacher’s eyes lighted up with a
sparkle of triumph and kindled with a fire that be
spoke the nearness of th lightning’s flash:
“I am right where I was six years ago,” said
the Tabernacle Pastor, who is always master of the
situation, “I am glad, to see you on my side at
last.” And then the merry laugh went round and
the brave preacher, set for the defense of home and
the building of Christian citizenship, was given a
rousing cheer.
We pause a moment and let thinking people
think.
One of the leaders in the citizen’s movement that
nominated Robert F. Maddox for
Stop—Think!
It Will
Do You Good.
did in this campaign.” (He was
honoring the writer by including him with the
preachers.) “Do you know how you did it?” he
asked. And there was a twinkle in his eye that
plainly remarked: “The silence of the preachers
was their effective contribution.” Then he said
with emphasis: “I tell you, Upshaw, preachers
must keep out of politics.” And then there w r as
some good humored sparring which left the cam
paign leader “slightly disfigured,” if “still in the
ring. ’ ’
And this was the argument, without ostentation,
that put him under the ban of silence.
Preachers —the right kind of preachers—do not
W’ant to go into politics themselves; but if they are
We Croton the Preachers Tor eb er more
Stop—Think—lt Will Do You Good
(JLditoriaV)
mighty little of that wholesome,
fruitful thing*—or, if they do, they
think very blindly. Take, for in
stance, the unthinking, foolish
mayor said to the editor of this
paper: “Much obliged to you
fellows for the splendid work you
The Golden Age for December 10, 1908.
half worthy of their calling they do try to sow such
life-principles, lift up such ideals, create such pub
lic sentiment and build up such stalwart citizenship
that a campaign like this will be fought and won
without the preachers’ immediate personal touch.
Six years ago Dr. Broughton made the same kind
of revelation, produced the same kind of evidence
and called for the some kind of public repudiation
which was revealed and called for by an Atlanta
newspaper. Then the papers were afraid to touch
it, except to guardedly publish Dr. Broughton’s
revelation. Then “conservative” citizens lifted
their hands in deprecation and “holy horror”
(better say unholy horror), declaring that the
preacher was a “sensationalist,” and agreeing with
the minions of Satan generally that nothing could
be done. But now all the papers speak—now all
the representative business men get together and
plan and work—now more than seven thousand
voters rise in their majesty and their might and
do the very identical thing for which Dr. Broughton
fought and pleaded when his loneliness was as pa
thetic as it was inspiring! And the women of At
lanta —bless their dear, brave hearts!—many of
whom used to say that the Tabernacle Pastor was
talking about things that were indecent and un
mentionable, have come to applaud the very same
kind of utterances, the same sort of revelations
and the same clarion demand which he made then
and which have at last been supported by all the
daily papers and the conquering Citizens’ Move
ment. When they knew that the silent eloquence
of their act brought before every man on the street
car and the sidewalk the thought of the one issue
in the campaign, they were brave enough to wear
badges over their hearts calling to every man who
should read it, “For the purity of the home and the
good name of Atlanta, vote for Robert F. Mad
dox for Mayor.”
Bravo! We crown them queens every one! But
If Right Now,
Why not Then?
done is right today (and the Lord
knows it is), then He knows also, and the awakened
people know likewise, that it would have been right
for these things to be done when the evidence was
produced six years ago.
The faithful, fearless preachers of Atlanta have
been creating for years the sentiment that has re
selted in this moral upheaval. When they saw that
these principles were at work and crystallizing vig
orously and victoriously into the action which they
have so long demanded, there was nothing left for
them to do —indeed, they rejoiced to do nothing
else but to fold their hands complacently or throw
them hard-fast upon the horns of God’s altar, and
pray that victory be given to the citizens who had
awakened at last to the call of duty and of God.
They “didn’t have to” —others wore doing the
work. And they are willing to keep very quiet
again until the citizens fall asleep as they have
been for years, allowing their community to be
outraged; and then these faithful ministers of God
will obey the divine injunction to “cry aloud and
spare not” —to condemn “spiritual wickedness in
high places.” And they will keep on crying aloud
and condemning until the somnambulism of the com
munity’s citizen-guardians shall awake from its
deadly stupor into righteous protest and glorious
victory. This is the plain situation; and we do not
propose that the preacher and his influence shall be
eliminated, trampled under foot and forgotten by
blind and thoughtless men who cry out: “Let the
preacher keep out of politics,” while the community
goes to the devil.
The editor of this paper not being an ordained
minister, can speak with impunity in behalf of the
faithful ministers of Jesus Christ. They are the
bravest, truest; most unselfish set of men on earth.
the thing we want to know is this:
If what these daily papers and
these men and these women have
Without their influence the country would go to the
moral bad indeed. Again we declare that they do
not want any part in political movements for the
sake of “politics,” in the common acceptance of
that term, but they do rejoice in lifting aloft such
ideals of Christian citizenship as have triumphed in
the Atlanta victory for decency which has been a
moral tonic to the nation. We crown the faithful,
fearless ministers of Christ who lead their cohorts
against the clans of municipal indecency and com
munity evil, making libertines and moral cowards
to tremble andffle a valiant conquering host of
reform “fair as the moon, clear as the sun and ter
rible as an army with banners.”
Hurrah for the living preachers of the living
Church of the living God!
H It
Tennessee College Notes.
Tn our student body we have young ladies from
nine different States and from all parts of Tennessee
from the extreme western portion to the far east
ern. The new building which was started the day
school opened, is progressing splendidly, and we
hope to occupy it by the middle of next month. It
is a continuation of the west wing of the pres
ent building, and adds very much to appearances.
In this building we will have a splendid gymnasium.
Our college orchestra, which is under the direction
of Prof. Utermoehlen, is doing some splendid work.
They made their first appearance in public a few
days ago, and were received with great enthusiasm
by the entire student body. They played as their
first number “The Tennessee College March,” com
posed by the director.
It was our great pleasure to bring to
Murfreesboro recently the famous violinist, Mr.
Ralph Wylie, and his playing completely captivated
his entire audience. He is indeed an artist of the
highest type.
President Geo. J. Burnett attended the meeting
of the Southern Association of Preparatory Schools
and if olleges which recently met in Chattanooga.
He gave the school some of his impressions received
from this meeting, and one was the great demand
throughout the South for thoroughly prepared teach
ers; most of whom, of course, are women.
An event not soon to be forgotten in our college
life, was the visit of Dr. G. C. Savage, the eminent
oculist, of Nashville, who gave the young ladies and
faculty a most excellent address on the eyes and
their care.
The two literary societies, Ruskin and Lanier,
have taken up definite work along literary lines this
year, and the first lecture was given before the
Ruskin Society by Prof. W. E. Everett on “In
fluence of Early Environment on American Litera
ture.”
It is very gratifying indeed to see the deep reli
gious influence that is evinced among the student
body.
The ladies of idie Shakespeare Club, together with
Tennessee College, succeeded in bringing to Mur
freesboro recently Mr. Frederick Warde, the emi
nent Shaksperian scholar and lecturer. The lecture
was given in the college chapel to a packed house,
and was received with much enthusiasm from start
to finish. We are planning for a number of lectures
and recitals during the year, and we hope to make
this one of the most popular features of the school.
Our art department, under the direction of Miss
Heiskell, is forging to the front rapidly. We have
recently put in a china kiln.
We have had during the year quite a number of
visitors to our class rooms, and all of them express
themselves as highly pleased with the thoroughness
of the work being done.
‘ STUDENT.
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