Brother Dan advises Chariton's preachers

Dan Baker (left), editor of The Chariton Leader (aka Democrat) during the 1870s, had something of a fraught relationship with his community's preachers. In the first place, he was a religiously liberal Unitarian in a hotbed of Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist and Disciples enthusiasm. In the second, he couldn't resist provoking people, although generally in a good-natured sort of way that allowed friendly relations to continue.

So when the Disciples submitted for publication an invitation to a preachers' institute during late March, 1873, Dan printed in gladly --- then used it as a springboard that allowed him to do a little preaching of his own in the adjoining column on the local news page of The Leader of March 20. 

Here's the article that inspired the editor:

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The district meeting and preachers institute will convene in the Christian church in this city on Tuesday, March 23, 1873, at 2 o'clock p.m. Programme of proceedings:

1st Subject --- The duties of the pastor to the church, opened by J.B. Vawter.

2nd Subject --- Duties of the church to the pastor, N.E. Cory.

3rd Subject --- How shall weak churches obtain preaching, J.C. Porter.

4th Subject --- How to hold successful Sunday meetings without preaching, D.C. Morris.

5th subject --- Duties of co-operation among the churches, R. Reed.

6th subject --- The "Big Preacher" fever among the churches, it's cause and cure, L. Norton.

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And here is Dan's reply:

As will be seen elsewhere, the Christian church of Chariton will soon hold its semi-annual ministerial meeting for the purpose of discussing some interesting topics, and probably to give the fraternity an opportunity to swap sermons. We don't know but that we could write a pretty fair sermon ourself upon some of the subjects presented for consideration, although not altogether in our line of journalism.

The first proposition we would answer by saying, "support it." The second one, "support him." 

Third --- How shall weak churches obtain preaching? "Hire a man whose abilities are proportioned to the paying abilities of the congregation."

Fourth --- How to hold successful Sunday meetings without preaching. "Be brief; brevity is the soul of wit."

Fifth --- Duties of cooperation among the churches. "A new commandment I give unto ye that ye love one another."

Sixth --- The big preacher fever, it's cause and cure. "The cause: vanity and lack of religion; the cure, common sense in both minister and flock."

The foregoing sententious answers to the propositions to be discussed we offer to the meeting for its use and benefit in conducting the discussions without money and without price.