The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1849-03-10

crease in energy and faith ana ooldness,
with which he can expound the laws OF
justice and portray the offers of mercy
But intend in this article TO comment
briefly upon some ofthePharisaicai propen-
sites of our American deacons. Verify,
one wouldsuppose hatthey had never read
the scriptures, were it not that they are eter-
nally quoting them. Many oflhem are out
wardly SO God-ly-given that text of scrip
ture is quoted and impressed into service on
all OCCASIONS. No one would find fault with
the reproof, but the manner,the magesterial
and mock reyerential air with which the
instruction is vouchsaled, are heartily dis.
gushing. If the Devil were to turn preach.
ar, he would do but little good in this world
for his character is SO VIGOROUSLY bad,
that he would gain no dredit for speaking
the truth. A prophet has no honor in his
own country and school master and a
preacher, must always go from home to
do business. 1t were well if those who
stand high in the church as lay members,
would attend to this simple fact
There is one thing upon which | wish
to speak before finish this article, and to
which ! wish 10 call special and serious at
tention, viz: long prayers. 1t often hap
pens that father in the church is called
upon to pray after preaching, and he is al
always expected to take the lead at pray
er meeting. Of this wish particularly
10 speak. What can be more excrucla-
ting than to see long. faced deacon arise
in his place. and after giving two or three
/" "hems," commence hymn ina long, low,
drawling, religious tone of voice, with pro-
nunciation something like this, which as
sert is fair specimen;
" Let ey er y cret ter jine.
To praise the tar nal God &c.
and then sing it off to tune familiarly
known as the one the old COW died on =
Not making melody in their hearts TO the
Lord, nor with their tongues to the hear.
ers, put,inga tune, indicating praise and
pleasure, to Psalm or hymn whose burth.
en- is The fallen and miserable condition of
man. The prayer is nodded, as to length
at least. after the most approved fashion of
the Pharisee-long, dry uninteresting and
spiritless. The whining tone would ex-
cite laughter, did it not compel pity.
Every word appears TO bave been
brought from the bottom Of the foot; and
makes its debut as tardily as truant school
boy. Yet for two hours the sound will
run on the same strain. The COngrega-
tion pray for the Deacon TO stop, and say
"amen" with more zcst. ! attended a
prayer meeting some time since where a
man Of this stamp was keeping on the "e-
ven tenor of his way :" saying the same
thing over and over again, till the preach,
er becoming tired, slipt ont of the house
and left us "alone in our glory"
OF what use are long prayers The
body becomes wearied in these posures
and the mind listless. In order to have the
desired efiectthey must be short, energetic,
and fervent Others again, imagining that
God ID far from them, in which fear they
are not mistaken, below and roar as ifina
fit of the cholc. How absurd Would
they, fin the presence Of God, present
their petitions thus! trow not. Dop2o.
pie approach the President in this style
when soliciting favour, and do they pay
God still less respect! People do moi
drawl and whine when in earnest, but they
would not be boisterous and voCiferous in
the presence of God Such things become
not the one, nor honor the other.