Impressionalism in tKe Pulpit The Present Tendency to Try to Satisfy the Jaded Appetites o f the People REV. ELMER NICHOLS (Miller,
SIo.) they are taken from the front pages of the yellow journals and from the sport ing extras. What is Sailed the sensationalist is one who prepares the soil for the pro duction of the modern heresies which grow up like mushrooms. A moldy, damp soil is the best place for toad stools, and the church which has a sen sationalist at the head of it is the best place for the growth of Eddyism, Holy Rollerism, Spiritism, Theosophy and all other quick-growing fads, for they satis fy the impressions which have been made upon the lives of their victims. The impressionalist is a neurotic, and those who appreciate their work have to be abnormal. The preacher in the pul pit who is not preaching the Word of God is making neurotics and creating abnormal lives instead of normal lives. Careful investigation shows, and will continue to show, that every adherent of a cult is more or less a nervous wreck, and a careful study of all the causes will reveal that the breaking down of their powers of natural resistance was through impressionistic effects. The best example of impressionistic effort is that of the moving picture. Tests show that students rank highest Who get their lessons from prepared screens. The results' are through the eyes rather than the ear, but the effects on the nervous system are far more pro nounced. The continual excitement con duced by means of impressions leaves the nervous system in an exhausted state from which it never fully recovers, and modern life does not give an opportun ity if it were possible. And this truth lies in the realm of theology. The first critics who began
ODERN impressionalism, the system in art and literature which aims at influencing the will through the emotions, in
contrast to the old school of art which used artistic effect in objective facts to appeal to the intellect, has been making telling effect upon modern thinking and life. By this we mean that the modern impressionalist, be he writer, preacher, artist, influences by means of impres sions on the emotional sensibilities. But such impressions are to the men tal and spiritual life as liquor is to the material life. They last for a time, stir up the inner life, but do not build. Be cause of this fact, more and stronger doses are necessary, even as the victim of drugs needs larger and more doses of the drug. This fact gives us an insight into the present rage for queer things in art, (if we have the right to call it such) in poetry, in writings. Present day writers are busy each day in the year trying to find some new way of satisfying the already jaded appetites of their respective publics. And it is true of present day artists. A peep into any of our reviewing magazines will give a very good idea of what we mean by the contortions which are offered as the latest productions which are creating sensations in the art loving public. This is true of all forms of modem life, and the ministry of the church has pot escaped the snare. The modern preacher is having to search for some new fad or theory to keep up interest until he runs out and loses his hold on his crowd and has to move on, and some one else takes his place at the same game. The most of the thrillers started by attacks on the Bible, but nowadays,
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