The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-03-06

I 0AsohSeO
me to do . greater amount Of good. Finally
1 hit upons the following plan, Of which 1
claim 70 bs the original inventor. In both
Gsd F1v and the Hard Snabble Fse of tks
Americsn Union, appeared the following
announcements: NJ tsi .es
CTsThe Rev. A. Auausrus w WAorArI, will,
BY particular request, deliver Series of
The public ore invited to attend. The first
sermon Of the series being satisfactory
solution Of the mystery involved in the
names Cog and Magog, may be expected to
morrow morning; followed in, the evening,
by an exposition Of the birth, parentaee, and
family connections Of Melchisedek. Scr
Woes commence in tho moring ut half past
ten, and in the evening at early candle
Light is.is
The announcement brought out quite q
number Of persons; and they were just that
class OF hearers, too, perceived that needed
gregstion was about the same size it formerly
WINS. ! then prepared another notice for
th Cad Fly, and the printer ssleaded" it,
SO that it appeared - editorial. 1t was on
this wise: ggf n asst Ne sgsst R Vg
ETsThe Rev. A. ABousTus WAorAlL, We
are happy to learn, viii preach tomorrow
on subjects Of rare Importance to this COM
munity. We advise those of our citizens
who have not heard this eloquent divine to
avail themselves of this opportunity to do
50. To those who have heard him the sim
pie announcement that ho is to preach spe-
cial sermons is suiicicnt.'
This kind Of notice from the editor helped
my congregation for some two or three
Sabbaths. When the interest died away,
caused weekly notices to be inserted every
Saturday. Thus, to give specimen. J
The Rev. A. AucusrUs WAGrAIL will
preach tomorrow morning, ON sThe Lords
Hired Razor;' in the evening, on sEphraim
10 cake not turned
Here is another:
GTsSubject of the Rev. Mr.. Wagtaips
discourse Tomorrow morning -THE RAN
AND HE.GoA Of Daniel. In the evening
the WIrcH OF ENDoR.' - lS.S
| The church, after such announcements,
was generally full in the morning; and in
the evening it was frequently necessary to
place benches in the aisles. By these efforts
l got before the public, and had a larger
field of hearts to work upon. Some Of the
more staid people kept away, but their
places were filed with others. / had an au-
dience that could move. l never saw
congregation anywhere, or under any per-
Torrance, more ready to be brought down
than the Hard Scrabble congregation. To
God be all the glory !''-Vol. /, PIP. O0-402.
| The above extract shows how interchangeable
was this eminent young divine, in building
up his congregations, and in doing good in
his ministratiOns. His example is worthy
of the consideration Of all clergymen, young
ministers especially. e,gg -
| The propriety Of his course has, however,
been questioned by few ministers and lay
men. But why should it be? If God has
| given to one of his ministers some especial
| gifts for the edifcation of his Church, and
the multitude not in the Church, how are
they to be profted by these gifts if they
are not apprised when and where they may
avail themselves of them? Besides, there is
Scriptural author. ssNo man when he hath
lighted candle putteth it under a bushel,
but on candle stick, and it giveth light to
oil that are in the house," This must SET
tie the question to the satisfaction of all
reasonable men. As, however, we wish to
make a complete defense, we may advert to
the argument from analogy. The clamsman
cries his CLANS, the scissors grinder rings
his bell, and the fisherman blows his horn.
Why not, then, should the preaching man
publish his appointments, and give notice of
the subjects he intends to discuss? Indeed,
the argument cumulates in the ratio and to
the extent Of mans value above that of the
bivalves and the fnny race. . s-f
We cannot, in the brief space allowed US,
follow DR.. Wagtail in his long and eventful
career. We must con6ne ourselves to few
Of the many striking passages in the life Of
this extraordinary man.
He was a rising star, and had made him.
self notorious when the Woolwich College
went into operation. The faculty and cor
poration of that institution had resolved to
confer, Mt their first commencement, honor
ary degrees upon seven of the most distn-
guished professional men in the country
Among the number selected was Mr.. Wag-
tail. rrt.s .- z-e~ .E ~
The Woolwich College could not have
conferred degree upon any one that would
more highly appreciate it than did Rev. A.
Augustus Wagtail. He felt that it was his
duty-a matter of honor on his part--to
accept the title, and meekly wear his honors.
He Immediately, therefore, purchased new
door plate, and had engraved thereon.
REV. A. AUGUSTUS wAGTA1L, D. D. .oz.
In his autobiography, the doctor, as may
well be supposed, goes extensively into the
reasons which led him to the constant use
of this title. He devotes nearly fifty pages
of the second volume to the subject. 1t
will be sufficient for our own purpose briefly
to state some Of his principal reasons, and
refer the reader to the doctor himself for
their ampli6cation. .s't
I. As the Woolwich College had hono-ed
him in conferring the title, it was proper
that he should honor the college BY using it.
2. His view Of Christian morals would not
allow him, even in his signature and address,
to appear what he was not. This is very
striking. Hence he always signed himself
A. Augustus Wagtail, D. d.
8. The euphonious argument. There is
something in DR.. Wagtail very agreeable to
the car. This argument is we'll fortified by
Grecian authorities. =
4. The utilitarian, or American argument.
This as the reader will anticipate, is a pow
erful one, and Is most ably handled by the
doctor.
We have referred to the course pursued
by DR.. Wagtail to bring himself more fully
before the people that he mightdo more
good. He says: 'as'ae =
'sI early Joined the Masonic fraternity. I
thought it would open door Of usefulness
to me. ! should likely be elected chaplain.
1t would bring meinto connection with per-
sons outside Of my Church. Some of them
would come and hear me preach because I
was brother Mason. | should be called
upon to attend to the funerals of Masons,
and to deliver orations on public occasions.
Thus should be better known, and conse-
quently, be in position whore could &C.
complish greater amount Of good. may
say, also, in this connection, though i is out
Of chronological order, that joi1ed the
Odd Fellows, the Rechabites, the Sons Of
Temperance, the Brothers of Temperance,
the Templars, and the League. Were it not
unconstitutional, should have become a
Daughter of Temperance. In all these so-
cieties have been greatly honorcd by my
brethren. In most instances they relnitted
the fees altogether, and in others passed me
through all Of the degrees at half price,.
Besides, have been elected chaplain, master,
grand master, worthy, noble, grand patri-
arch, worthy patriarch &c. All these Offices
and associations have tended to the fuller