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Article: Are today's preachers Gantry-like?(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- April 15, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ When Sinclair Lewis was preparing to write his iconoclastic novel "Elmer Gantry" _ published 75 years ago this year _ he met regularly with preachers in Kansas City.
They'd gather in Lewis' hotel suite for "Sinclair Lewis' Sunday School Class," a series of Dutch treat Wednesday luncheons.
One minister later said that when Lewis ended the last session, he hugged them and said, "I love every one of you." But he told them, "I'm going to give you hell." Lewis, he said, challenged them with these words: "Why do you men stay in pulpits and use terms that mean nothing to you, and repeat creeds you have denied to me?"
Lewis' ...