Smyrna times., 1858-11-18
Books and Preachers.

|
- Literature, like dress, must change its form IN
~ style to sait the varying humors of the hour
AT one time metaphysics engag ge and absorb tn
attention of the learned world; then politica
&c and legal disquistion, followed by great de
). mand for works of history, biography and book
of travel. Novels, in their turn, reign supreme
J. over the public mind until sated with this kint
e OF enjoyment, recourse is again had to readiRs
= = OF graver cast. Within the last few year.
e the demand for works relating to slavery, whe
e ther in the nature of fiction or ethical discus.
: sion, has been enormous. But that demand nc
longer exists. A publisher, deceived and ami.
} mated by the Guri sGcra fumes, may issue, in
r book form, that disgusting mass of ribaldry
D Vulgarty, and criminative defamation, ironi.
caIly termed the great debate between Brown.
low and Pryne; but the day for that sort oil
reading, we trust, has passed away
After the religious revival that pervaded the
country during the latter part of the last year
and the beginning of this, it is not surprising
that great demand should have arisen for SER
mons. The literature Of the pulpit does not
often have much success; but, at present, ser-
mons of certain character sell as rapidly as
novels. Spurgeon's sermons have had a circu-
laton nearly equal TO Uncle Toms Cabin
Without pretenslOn to any peculiar felicity or
purity of style, without much power of argu-
mentatlon, and no great exhibition Of theologi.
cal or even biblical learning, they nevertheless
possess an interest to the religious reader from
Their direct statements and earnest personal ap.
peals And in this consists Spurgeon's success
as preacher. Earnestness in itself is great
power. 1t is vain for any man, however learn.
ed he may be, to attempt to arrest the attention
and stir the spirits of his auditors, by cold and
liteless discussion Of points of doctrine. Man
Kind feel more readily than they reason. Be.
sides they do not resort to the sanctuary TO a.
AIN skill IN dlaectics, but to improve their
hearts. Ii the preacher spends his strength in
refining upon subjects hey ond the limits of the
Enowable, or in llfeless statements of familiar
topics and truths, his church is more likely to
become the temple of Morpheus than of the
living God. If any man has need TO cultivate
the art OF elOquence, it is the preacher. With |
an earnest heart, and with an cocution to give |
thut earneslness effect, what an influence does |
he WELD He arouscs men from the lrtharg, |
and sel6shness Of worldlness, and raises them
to higher and nober state of existence.
Truth from his lips prevails with double sway,
Aud FOOLS, who come tI Acolf remain 10 pray"
Our religious services, as too often conduct |
ed, are mere formulary, a tircsome routine Il,
the minister, and bore to the hearer. But, il |
this particular, we can assert superiority over
Eng land Our preachers, wherever they have |
not been rendered torpid by the leadsn nfuen.
&C of society, can boast something of earnest |
ness in their calling, though they may not have
acquired the copiOus accents which, like those
of Ulysses, melt as they fall, and sink into tie |
heart.-NOr,h American.
RELICIoUs.-Mrs. Wharton, attended by seve. |
raj other ladies' of the persua sion (Frlends,
spoke on religious subjects at the Quaker
ing last. The occasion attracted a large audi |
ence. The monthly meeting of this Society
took place the present week at Camden.
The afternoon service at the Prcsby terian
Church will be discontinued hereafter-meet. |
ing being held in the evening instead Tn. |
ladies' connected with this church have present.
cd the Society with beautiful chandelier, with !
which the church will be lighted on Sunday
evening next for the first time.
The evening service at the M. E. church will |
hereafter commence at g., instead Of o'clock. !
The series of evening sermons addressed to the
young, are still continued by Mr.. Brisbane, and !
listened to by crowded houses.
The weekly Crhursday evening" Lectures or
Discourses upon particular passages of Scrip. |
ture, by Rev. ]. E. Grammer, in st. Peters |
church. are very interesting and well apprecia-
ted by the auditory.
Interesting prOtracted meetings are now in
progress al Ra ymond' and Blackiston's char pels
on the Circuit.
thanksgiving sermon will be delivered at
Raymond's chapel, on Thursday morning next.
the 25th instant, by the Rev. S. w. Thomas
Service will Commence at 10 o'clock.
The Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal church. |
Philadelphia, which was destroyed by fire dur.
ing the night of the great storm, January 18th, |
1857, has been rebuilt, and was dedicated Sun
day. Sermons were preached on the occasion
by the Rev. Bishop James, Rev. j. p. Durbin,
d. d., and Rev. John Kennady, D. d., of Brook
lyn, N. Y.
VICE REGENT FOR DELAwARE,-We received, |
just before going TO press, the eloquent appeal
TO the liberality of the citizens of Delaware, on
behalf of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Associa.
tiOn of the Unon," by Mrs. Margaret Ann
COmegys, of Dover, who has been appointed
Vice Regent for the State of Delaware. We
regret that it came too late for this issue. 1t |
shall appear in our next.
0ET The Star of the West brings $l,67O,.