Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1857-06-12
Hearty and Healthy Religion.

Hearty and Healthy Religion.
Rev. Henry Ward Becchcr, in = sermon,
which We find reported in the New York
Evening Post, gives some excellent ideas
relative to the nature Of true religious feel.
ing, and the means by which it is aroused.
We quote the following extracts
"Thc mind may be influenced by fear, by
emotions, by yencratiOn, by sense OF in
hniteness and beauty by the sympathies,
Of bcncvolencc aud love. But these are not
alike desirable although it is better to be
touched by the lowest than not at all.
The earliest feeling towards God was that Of
fear, and this is tho most universal. The
tear Of Cod is Of two kinds-one belongs TO
generous feelings the other is shrinking
from something tina, i. doubtful or terrible.
This crouching, scryile fear Of God, not only
dcbasc- God, but dcgradcs the man who acts
under it for fear, As a general thing, never
works upon the inner nature towards good.
ness, but only upon the outrr, towards con.
duct. \ man who thus fears, is like the
man who should 90 towards the Polar SEA
thinking to get to the equator. lie Is on
the wrong train, with the wrong engineer,
and instead Of leading TO lie, the road leads
TO death There is no gospel in II.
There are many who think thi, scrvile
fear !. a sign OF grace. They are miserable
without IT, This feeling Of inieriority, this
shrinking awe, is popularity understood a,
worhip. To DO religious with person. en-.
tertaining il, is to exercise ,hi. homagc-this
crouching as slave in the presence Of his
master. This is religion Of the Romi,h
church, aud though Professionalism has
abandoned It's forms, it has not abandoned
It's spirit.
&" lie did not ridiculo this spirit in is
place, but pronounced it as false as any.
thing Gun b There are churches which
arc built in obedience to this spirit, with
gloomy wall. Of stone and cotfin-colorcd
pcws, which remind one Of his last narrow
resting. place the windows are darkened TO
shut out the light Of heaven and those
building such churches depend upon the
deep, solemn music, rolling heavily along
the shaded and gloomy ai.le,, to impress
the mind with sense VI awe.
" Awe is precisely what it is ; it is not
worship. it i. awe and nothing more. And
the man who yields to these influences, and
/. impressed with tho scpulchraI gloom OF
the place, when he goes out OF the church
draws long breath, brea,hes freely once
more, and thinks himself as good. a christian
as the rrs,.
"Sueh worship is always narrow. 1t is
not to sc Christ smiling and saying - |
call you friends come unto ma in every
time Of need 1t always sent shiyer over
him to enter such church. There are
thousands, said the speaker. who would
be shocked to hear me talk as do about il,
bu, cannot help it. Your God isa nilor
my God Is Father.
Zone Of the greatest obstacles minister
had to contend with is this spirit Of seryilc
fear. Men think that in order to b. con-
verted they must 90 through the Inferno, as
Dante did they must snuff the birthstone.
lie regretted that men should be 50 mean
and groyelling in their thoughts, and not be
willing to come to God as u friend and Ia
ther.
The reverend gentleman said that
minister who should study TO make an au-
dicnce laugh by poor pun or joke was not
fit To enter the pulpit. But IL a spontaneous
smile arose from the audience, he - not
disturbed. lie never attempted to make
them laugh, neither did he try to stop them
Laughing, he thought, was just as good as
crying, and great deal better. Cheerful
ness !, characteristic of Christianity"