The Sermon on the Breach of Promise
A Seattle pastor sparks a local controversy by invoking the 'stones in glass houses' parable to defend the morals of the parties in the infamous national Pollard-Breckinridge scandal.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A sensation was occasioned last evening in the congregation of the Twelfth Street Presbyterian Church by the startling utterances of Rev. B. Gregg, the pastor, who preached on the Pollard-Breckinridge breach of promise case. His text was 'Stones Thrown From Glass Houses.' The reverend gentleman warned his hearers to beware of passing judgment upon their fellows and reminded them of the Savior's declaration, 'Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone.' In speaking of the case, he said society and the world should be charitable and forgive both parties. He had no doubt there were many as culpable, and perhaps such could be found among those before him. Dr. Gregg's remarks created a sensation, and were discussed after the service, some condemning and others approving them.
“Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone.”
This sermon highlights how the moral policing of public scandals often forces clergy to confront the hypocrisy of their own congregations. It remains a timeless Seattle tension: the push between judgmental civic morality and the call for empathy regarding the messy, private lives of fellow citizens.
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