True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-05-06
One Man Power in the Church

Millions of men-hundreds Of them great
,r and better than himself-into his own
petty personality, And brother is found
now and then, in our Congregational pa
rishes, who seems to reckon the whole
church as little else than an apendage 10
himself.
We are almost forced 10 believe in the
ransmigratiOn of souls. The ghost OF
hat old agitator Diotrephes, who loved
10 have the pre-eminence" g John g..
seems. like the Wandering Jew. to live
among US from century 10 century. We
have seen the apparition in this city, and
it haunls many church in the country
as well. Diotrephes is-he imagines-
the head, and his brethren are the tail
lie is the trunk and they are the brarch-
es. He expects them TO move about him
as the Iillipulians walked awe,sIruck
around Mr.. Lemuel Gulliver.
A new church building is to be loca-
ted. Brethren have gotten into their
heads the flnatical notion that in any
such matter tie majority should rule
But Dic:rephcs means 10 make clean work
with all that. With an "I.turn-the-crank.
oi-the. universe" air, he points his index
finger, announcing, There " if your
house does no, stand on that lot, you
won't get dollar from me - and if the
majority pronouncing against him, yet
hesitaling to act, and the new house
makes no progress. he grumbles like the
iuryman complaining to the Judge
" We might have agreed to verdict,
your Honor; but | couldn't bring these
eleven obstinate dolts to reason"
Possibly the minister is found setting
up the pretension that his body and soul,
under God, are his own. Diotrephes
will never bear that. He may be well
nigh alone in his grudge; it may be with
him and The church as the Springfield
Republican lately stated that it was with
political parties in that city. "on one side
The postmaster, on the oher-everybody
else" But no matter for that. A man
of his consequence will, of course, Che
lIinks,) govern the voice of the people {:
there is a certain propriety in the thing.
So-like a merchant dismissing a clerk
he sends a cool inlimation to the pastor
that his services can henOeforih be dispen
sed with.
Or new hymn book is to be selected
Diotrephes has pitched upon one-the on
ly one-that will answer. Whoever
questions his judgment is an ignoramus
Whoever speaks against him is a brawl
er. Whoever votes against him is ;
schismatic. He will never use any 9th
er boob, he 4" wishes that 10 be distinct
" understood" And If he don't, whit
, else will have the audacity?
Now it may be that, by his position, o
3 wealth, or pugNacity, such man vii
succesively carry his points, ill yielding
r to him becomes matter of course ant
the whole church degrades itself into
whole train Of attendants for him. Th
!. Congregatlonalsm of any church so HI
Y INFLATED is a farce. The members al
e hardly more than so many wooden pup
pets moved about by The manager pullin
The wires. The idea Of equality anon
g brethren becomes, in their case. a melaI
l. choly Jest. The effect of this process o
The activity of the church, is like that I
# stroke o! paralysis. The main sprir
of energy-an Independent self reliance
has The temper utterly drawn ont Of it.
n Every body leels like wailing till Diotr
rs Plies has started. The privates in Il
B. ranks must not move until the general h
n. given tie word.
But how shall the evil be arrested :.
Simply by arrcsIing it-by giving Diotr
ty phes, at whatever hazard, 10 understal
b. that he must be content 10 take rank wi
n his brethren.
:. But he is also Dives. He has
W great fortune. He may leave us. II
mt should we are down. IL is a matter
se liz. or death with US to keep him at
- costs" You are mistaken, dear brolh
:. CA mans life consisteth not in /
- abundance Of the things which he poss
pie SETH" And if that text is positively II
s,e of person, it is superlatively true o.
Ii. church, which is The body of Christ.
,er your church nothing but the Car Of a b
-, loon with The huge swell and puff of
-" w gas of Diotrephes holding it up? III
ION by some reverse in the affairs, the Lor
er- finger may puncture the wind-bag, q
ab- as that collapses, bring DiotrepIles a
~, you down together. If he insists up
ruling or leaving, by all means let |
90. You may feel as weak, for til
10 as a patient feels after huge tumor
of been cut from his body. But depend
lar on it, now health and strength will re!
=. from the operation. " 1t is better to tt
:, in tie Lord than put your faith in pi
'n' ces.- .-COngregationdtist. ...
TIL ----------AoOoS------ -
IL CnEvALIgR BUNsoN.-Chevalier B
ion son, so long Prussian Ambassador
on. London, has wholly retired from polit
,o life, and is now busy at Heidelberg OIL
=. new translation Of the Bible for
ion people, with complete commentary,
nu volumes Of which will appear in a
h;, months, together with an introduct
s philosophical work--God in Histor
not one volume Of which has already app
lid, ed and is making a great sensation
ec. Germany. 'r# e.J .t- 70.