Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-06-26
From Graham's Maga-i'
Sermons and Preachers.

IF the mechanical moralists are TO be
judged by their efiec,s-by their capacity
10 do the thing they attemp.-and. thus
Judged have terrible sins Of omission resting
on their work, what shall We say Of the
mechanical theolosians! There is against
each of the three liberal prolessions.a a time
honorcd jest, adopted by "sen,e dullness"
all over the world land from its universally
almost worthy of place in Dusald Sew
arts Fundamental principles Of human
belief" The point Of these venerable face
tia consists in associating law with chicane,
medicine with homicide. .and preaching with
DR.. Young's stirred natures sweet restorer.
balmy sleep" a joke which seems to be
thus endorsed by the human race, carries
with it some authority, and it would be
presumptuous 10 touch never SO gently the
subject of theology, without preliminary
remark on the question Of dulness. Sin is
sarcastic, sin is impassioned, sin is sen,im-
entail, sin is fascinating, sin swaggers in
rheiorc's most gorgeous traPpings, and
reveIs in fancy's most ensicing images; and
why should piety alone havethe reputation
of being feeble and dull The charge itself,
while it closes to the general reader Jeremy
Taylor's wilderness of sweets equally with
DrOwen's continent of mud" is no, with
cut its benumbing eflec, upon the preacher.
for bodies Of men commonly understand
the art Of adapting their conduct to the
public impression Of their character, and
are not apt TO provide s,imulanis when rea-
ders only expect soporifics. The truth is
that sermons are no, dull as sermons, but
because the sermonizer is weak ii so1.. no
man with vision Of the interior beauty
and power Of spiritual tru,hs-no man
whom those truths kindie and animate-no
man who is truly alive in hear. and brain,
and speaks OF what he has vitality concei-
we'd, can ever be Gull in The expression of
wha, is the very substance and doctrine OF
life. TIE difficulty is that clersymen are
ap, TO fall into mechanical habits Of think
ius, then ideas gradually fade into opinions,
truths dwindle into trrisms, fine dust is
subtly ;nsnuaied into the vitslities Of their
being. the holy passion with which their
thoughts once gushed out subsides, "good
common sense" succeeds to rapture and
thus many an inspiring teacher, originally
conductor Of heavens Lightning. and exul'
ting in the consciousness Of the immortal
life beating and burning within him, has
lapsed into theological drudge. dull in his
sermons because dull in his conceptions,
nei,ler alive himself nor impartng !ile to
others. This decay often occurs in consci-
entious and religious men, who sufficiently
bewail tie to,por OF soul which compels
them to substitute phrases for realities. and
to whom this mental death. as they feel it
stealing over them. is at once spell and a
torment. The clergyman. who does not
keep his mind biigh, and keen by constant
communion With religious ideas, is sure to
di, of utter weariness Of existence. He has
once caught view Of the promised land
from the Pisgah height Of contemplation
wo unto him il it "iades into the light ol
common day."-[W. G. Bryan.
Edwin W. Hu,ter. recently Democra'