The Roseland Gazette was very pleased to get something of a sensational character in its columns, like the different stories which had been brought to that city concerning Penloe's sermon delivered in Orangeville. The State Legislature not being in session (to see how much money they could get out of the pockets of the people for the benefit of its members and their friends), there were no sensational charges of bribery or boodle to report; and as Congress had closed there was no news concerning laws passed in the interests of bankers, railroad corporations, sugar trusts, whiskey and other trusts which are able to furnish members of Congress with funds to carry their schemes through. It happened to be at a time when news was scarce and dull, and therefore the press made the most of the matter by writing an editorial on the subject of sex relationship, which appeared in the paper the following week, and was as follows:
"In our last issue we gave as correct a report of the remarkable sermon preached by Penloe in the church at Orangeville, as our reporter could get. Since then most all other subjects of conversation have subsided in this county and the main topic of conversation has been Penloe and the sex question. As to Penloe, it is not our purpose in this article to discuss the man, but some of his ideas. The sex question is a very peculiar one to the minds of many. Penloe's ideas are so radical that it gives us a shock all over even to think of attempting to bring the people to that mode of living. The thought we have concerning our sex is instilled into us by custom, precept and example, so that from earliest infancy to introduce such an innovation as Penloe proposes would apparently, to our minds, seem like undermining our social structure and its very foundations. While we admit the state of society is morally low, yet what can be done to improve it? Can we ever reconcile ourselves to persons of both sexes and all ages undressing in the presence of each other and all bathing together naked? We question whether society is ready for such a change? Penloe's theories are like many other theories, very fine on paper but when you put them in practice they won't work. What say you, readers? We would like to hear also from our brothers of the press."
And they did hear from their brethren of the press. For other county papers took the matter up, being very glad to get something sensational for their columns; and from county papers the subject got into the big city dailies throughout California, and they printed very sensational articles concerning Penloe and his sermon, discussing the sex question at great length. It was not very long before the Eastern papers had long articles about Penloe and his sermon, and they wrote much on the subject. Then the matter reached the magnitude of what is known as a wave; which swept through the press all over the continent, causing as much comment and talk as Markham's poem, "The Man with the Hoe."
Penloe's mail increased in size rapidly, and he was now receiving twenty times more letters than all the other mail in Orangeville combined. It was amusing to see how the letters were addressed. They read, "Dr. Penloe, Rev. Dr. Penloe, Rev. Penloe, Penloe, Esq., Prof. Penloe, D.D., and LL.D." Letters came to him from every state in the Union. Here is one:
"Mr. Penloe:
"Dear Sir:—I am shocked and disgusted with you. You never ought to be allowed to talk from the pulpit in such a way. The people of Orangeville ought to tar and feather you and ride you on a rail out of the county."
Another letter was as follows:
"Crank Penloe:
"Of all the cranks I ever did read about or hear tell on, you are the darndest. The women folks in my house are as hot as hell, ever since they read in the paper what you talked in church. My wife said, 'What a crank you must be,' and my mother-in-law said hell is too good for such as you. What a rumpus you have made all over the country; it seems as if hell is to pay for all this."
Penloe also received some powerful scorching letters from orthodox ministers, while on the other hand the liberal and radical elements of society poured forth eulogies and commendations for his bold original utterances, for his fearlessness in treating the subject in the courageous way he did; calling him a brave pioneer and they themselves would start Penloe Clubs for putting his ideas in practice. He received many letters from churches in some of the large cities, like the following: