His success in this particular was recognized in many different ways by his contemporaries, and all were effective as advertising. An important religious paper, _The Examiner and Chronicle_, wrote a review in which the editor said: “Barnum’s Great Show is well worthy everybody’s seeing. It is not too much to say that it is the greatest exhibition of its kind in the world.” “Amusement is necessary to us all,” said _The Christian at Work_, “and when we can combine instruction and amusement, as in this case, we see no reason why we should not be gratified in this respect, and our children as well.” Henry Ward Beecher, Theodore L. Cuyler, E. H. Chapin, the most notorious ministers of their day, wrote endorsements for Barnum’s show and in public utterances expressed themselves as satisfied that he was a force for great moral good. The Rev. Robert Collyer, minister of the Church of the Messiah in New York City, saw Barnum enter the church one evening after the services had begun and quietly take a back seat. Dr. Collyer announced from the pulpit: “I see P. T. Barnum in a back pew of this church, and I invite him to come forward and take a seat in my family pew. Mr. Barnum always gives me a good seat in his circus, and I want to give him as good in my church.” Barnum said of this incident, “I thought the reverend gentleman had the courage of his convictions to a most unusual degree, and I was grateful to his congregation for the gravity with which they listened to this very remarkable ‘pulpit notice’ and made way for me as, with some embarrassment, I took the prominent seat so peremptorily indicated.” If Barnum was embarrassed then, it was for the first and last time in his life.