The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-07-29
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THE DAILY DISPATCH.


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Tuesday sIerafns, J"iy ~, 500.
Isvmen ln,erfcrsag with Eeclesissstca'
Matters.
sa;tss Tho constsn t ca Of some OF the Nofth
clergy to make extensive forays info 'oe Wv
,,ains of secular matters, we think 1t ou' Aa
common poliseness that these vis'safions -.
be occasionally returned aud we have seeo'a'"s'
resolved to devote this article 10 one OF TWO 'i"s
tar. ecelesia. ,ica which we think cry s'''u "' &c
form.
Both Of them ere subjects ia when " seems 70
rs the clergy themselves are intefesseo' anu ~
which se ought TO have their hearty sympathy ana
rooneratiou The first Of fhese ABUSES 10 the greA1
number OF sermons which custom cotpeis the
rIsrvv 70 prepare ana preach. we MINK u was
that eminent Baptist divine, Kew robert HAZE
,xao vas once asked By conceised young clerical
eoxeorab who pluned himself upon the raSidny
,..:,,, which he could write discourses. how many
seru,oas a clergyman ought to be able to compose
,,.veek "why. air." replied the veteran pull
nj, orator. 'f the clergyman be man of respect
able talents and requirements, he may write two
n a great thinker and condenser, one; il fool
half dozen.
40 doubt sermons can be prepared-sermonso OF
the half dozen q week" crder-but would not
both preacher and audience be quite as wise and
wellins,ructed without such performances We are
sa:lsfed that the congregations OF large ciy
churches have no conception of the amount Of IN
tcllectuaI labor snd drudgery that they require of
their pastors--we mean such pastors 20 feel it
conscientious duty to study laboriously, and thor
oughly digest their sermons, before submitting
them to the public No class of closet men are
worked half as hard as faithful clergymen 1t is
do+p M
the exact amount of manual labor required by
each discourse, and lie. US say that the writing o.
two sermons week, apart from the greater labor
of thought aud research necessary for their prepa
ton, must be no small drudgery. Let any one who
doubts it, ascertain from his clergyman the amount
of manuscript he is compelled to use in a week.
aud then amuse himself for few weeks by wri
ling the same number of sheets. This, however
Is but the mechanical part of the labor-the wear
and tear of brain, the Industrious study and IN
tense thought. are the things which require time,
and tell upon both the intellectual and physical
energies. We need not be told that clergymen
have the aid of commentaries and learned authors
and that some Of them make extensive use OF
these advantages. We are not speaking OF the
mers parrots-the six sermons a week" clergy
but O: the strong minded, strong hearted men, who
wanted to do their duty and who, while they
NAV properly feel themselves at liberty to consult
commentators ard learned authors, do their own
thinking and e. press their thoughts in their own
language. 81
What unnecessary and exhausting toll is piled
upon the shoulders Of such men, when we require
them 10 deliver two sermons on Sunday, and one
between in addition, during the week What
great orator is there among our politicians. who
would be willing to prepare one Grafton week,
or even one ia two weeks-to say nothing OF three
yveekiy-for twelve consecutive months Yet this
10 what Is required of our city clergymen besides
funeral sermons and addresses, and besides that
vast pastoral duty, which ID equally important
ss preaching, the regular visitation OF the whole
congregation, rich aud poor, sick aud Well Ho"
can mortal man, under such circumstances pre-
pare more than one sermon week, OF such an or
der as he would be willing to preach, and as his
audience most unreasonsbly expect. For, be 1t re-
nsemberet, your pulpit orator mus: keep up his
Tsputation--he must never be dull, prosy, or com
mon place-he may be out of health. out of spirits
perhaps out of cash-;roube and distress may be
IL his househod--ye the horse leech cry is still,
Give, give, and congregation of dainty cpl
cures go away disappointed and with eountenances
showing their disappointment, unless every ser
mon il powerful In argument, stirring in eloquence'
or beautiful with flashes of rhetoric.
OF course it is impossible to fulfill such expecta.
tions Daniel Webster Henry Clay and John Z.
Calhoun combined never could have preached two
Aart,ons week which would be worthy of their
reputation The great Robert Hale, as we have
seen secuted the idea of any ciergymen being
able to do lustice to his subject 10 more than one
sermon weekly. Why, then, require more than
onef Why not abolish the oppressive had
almost said cruel custom, which makes the
the present sxhaustng requirements Of the cler-
cyf why not give them time to mature their
thoughts to study, TO visit their people freely in
pastoral and social iniercoursei Is presiding the
oulv duty OF Minister'S and listening the chief of
congregational virtues: We venture 20 say that
there Is more said in good sermon than most
congregations will digest and practice in month
une sermon Sunday is enough and instead OF
second sermon, there mil ht be second religious
seryice without preaching. We throw out these
suggestions for what they worth, but confess |
tia, we have not much hope of seeing q reform -
The public W i'll not willingly yield the excitement |
of pulpit orations, even in part for prayers and |
PSALMS
We have spun out this article too long, and must i
defer to another time comments upon |
another subject ecclesiastical which requires re-
form.