Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-07-29
A LOUD CALL to the WANDERING

"A LOUD CALL to the WANDERING
The following article from the Trumpet
Of July llth, the leading organ of the Uni
versalists in New England, contains some
pretty direct hints, if not decided rebukes.
to the political priests of that denomina-
ton. 1t describes the effects of their polit
zeal preaching. and their departure from
their proper sphere of duty We hope
they will profit by the plain and truthful
language of their venerable brother:
Los, OF lNTEREsT.-It is generally conce-
dcd that there is n great loss of interest a
mong universalists in the meetings of their
Conventions which used to be attended by
large bodies Of people, but excite now but
little attention beyond the clergy. The
people, who 90 10 these meetings for the
sake OF such spiritual food rs they used to
feed upon twenty-five years ago, return
home taintlng. They hear angry discus
sons on the manner of abolishng slavery.
| and war on non resistance. the admission
of Cuba to the United States, dc. dc; and
| after worrying through one or two DAYS
the people go home dissatisfied. We can
scarcely have Conference or prayer-mect
ing now. without these sabiects being
thrust in, TO the exclusion of the subject.
which have hitherto been considered as
proper to such meetings. Accordingly, the
meetings fail in interest, many of the PEG
pie stay at home; and the brethren in some
places are actually delberating what they
shall d" to keep the Conventions and Asso-
c ations alive. What a change in fifteen
years! Compare our meetings now with
the Union Conference Meetings we used to
have in 1912 and Az. Then we had thou
snpIs nt hannla I'm L., E
the clergy have almost left off preaching
universaism. They talk reproachfulIy Of
the loctrinal preaching, and think there
must he something new Well, we've got
somethinq ne'r' and what is III What have
we done. What are we doing, After all
our everlasting discussions about the true
manner of abolishng slavery, We are now
told hy the very people who have taken
the lead in these matters, that the slave
power is not crippled at all, but is more
rampant than it ever was before We ask
again, what have We donei what are we dc.
ingf These things ought We to have done
and not left the other undone" 1t is said
We have inaugurated we believe that Is
the word a new order Of things; but Uni
versalism We are told is running down.
What piteous stories have we heard of the
present want of zeal in the Uniyersalist So
eieties. Comparisons are frequently made
TO show that universalists are not half SO
well of spiritually as they were twenty
five years ago We sometimes suspect that
this very falling oil in interest is causud by
the changes in the manner Of preaching and
the habits Of the clergy. Clergymcn must
have six weeks vacation in the latter
months Of summer. Pastors have almost
ceased SO become pastors. Instead Of liv-
ing for their Societies, some Of them live on
their societies. The question to be discus
sed is this;
II the old order Of things was wrong.
and the new order Is right, why did Uni
versalism flourish under the former, and
why does It wane under the latte,s
Pauls great object was the proclamation
OF Christianity; Il am determined to know
nothing among You save Jesus Christ and
him crucitied."