M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-03-23

NV HEARERS; II has grieved me. be-
yond measure, to be SO long deprived
of addressing the dear people Of my
charge-hrst, because have much to
say to them; and secondly. because they
are pre.eminently liable TO "perish for
lack of vision" and stumble over my
neglect into the pi! in which there is
no water. or run HAT looted. against the
thick bOsses OF omnopOtent wrath! The
world.-or rather the people Of the world
--haye had SO many warnings, threaten
Jugs, dsnunciations entTealies, persua.
siyes. aud the Lord knows what. adj.
dressed 20 them by the priests, deacons,
aud "nOtable women not a few" who
nave had the charge of their souls, that
they are prstly well qualified 20 take
care of themselves. And, besides the
devil is SO sure Of having the most ol
them at least, believing what the saints
have said concerning them,) tha he con.
siders the labor of tempting them a
work of superenogaton-.wisely conclu-
ding, as devil naturally would, that
they will follow their noses TO sin and
perdition without any pushings or even
suggestions from the father Of lies
But the saints are exposed to all sortS
Of temptations. either, first. because
they are better than other men; or, sec.
ondly, because they imagine themselves
TO be SO. In either case, they have
hard time OF it--because. unfortunately,
/
The grace OF God generally reveals "the
exceeding siniulhess Of SIM" without
removing the disposition TO commit it
leaving religious people TO fight the
adversary OF souls, with all their pas.
sions PTedilections and propensities on
his side of The question.
The great elfor committed by the
teachers OF Christianity, consists in
habi'ual neglect Of those who build
costly churches for them, and pay the
principal part of thrr salaries, and in
volunteering their valuable services 10
deal out apostolic blows and knocks"
upon the hard heads. and harder hearts
OF those on the other side Of Jordon.--
This Is the very reason why feel call
ed upon TO look after the interests OF
my beloved brethern. who are so snugly
slowed away in the best state rooms VI
the ark Of safety--be ieving, as | do,
that should the boiler burst they would
be just as LIKELY logo TO the bottom as
any body else But cannot preach to
them forever "for nothing, ana find my
SELF" am called into another field OF
labor, and what my hands ilul to do, |
must do. with all my might.
And now, Owe priests, this com
mandment is for you" And this impor.
tant portion Of the book which you have
pounded and eIpounded. until not one
in ten can understand it. or find head
or tail to its lucid teachings--this por-
tiOn OF the book, | say, leads me into so
wide field Of Investigation, that Tear
shalt weary what little patience you
have, before can possibly get over OF
through it. But, beloved, remember
that the fault is yours, and not in the
subject before us--for your defects are
SO numerous, and so great, that ii will
take more time to point them out than
can be conveniently bestowed upon
them. Be patient, and in due time you
shall "reap, if ye faint not"
In the first place-you are but men
after all. Once people thought other.
> wise. In days past and gone, "the ris.
; ing generation were as much afraid o
your reverences as they were of The
, devil himself. But since you have laid
. aside your tight breeChes, black silA
! Stockings, white cravats, powdered wigs
and !hlee cornered hats, the children
Aforesaid have found out that they were
more scared than hurt. And. besides.
+ as competition has increased in you
line Df business. you have found it ex
pedient TO Come down to the capacitieI
as well as the pocket Of the people, anC
resort TO the Establishments Of persua
sion, instead Of the craft by which you
: illastrious predecessors obtained ant
I kept the ascendency, and secured thu
: blessings of good living. Hence, if fam
S illiarity mas not bred contempt. it ha
S made the people acquitted with you
fraillies, and placed every mothers sol
Of you in the category oil haIting, limp
ing, and blundering humahit,. AM
some have been so presuniptuous as tC
y imagine that you would have made tn
people amzingly wise. had you expa .iat
ed as frealy upon your own sins, foliies
and manifold imperlections, as you hav
D upon the errors Of other people. But
: only insist upon the fact that you Gr
\ just like other men.
Y And. secondly, and some Of you ar
poor sticks, al that. Were the wicke
\ as uncharitable as you are, you woul
/ find it diflicul! matter 10 get throug
he world without rendering an equiva
lent for the bread and butter you eat b
bearing your portion Of the common
burdens Of life. But as it is, you are al
: lowed TO bind neavy burdens upol
T others shoulders, which you will no
touch with one your fingers.
Who are you, and What are you7 Man
, of you, though in the habit Of denounc
> ing human nature as a thing accursed
e are as ignorant Of it as you are Of tn
J, lnau in the moon; and what is worse y
j are ignoront OF almost everything else
r But there is one thing in you favor
D we always know where to find you.
:, When humanity takes it into its hes
, TO become progressively you are always j
|, its way-forever opposed to all-inno
!, yations, especially those which have
!. tendency TO disenthiaIl the mass I