The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-03-03

BY Mr.. MILLS sxertiOnR Last wintsr the
congregation met 10 IrvineS HLl-Mr.
MILL with characteristic contempt for ab-
surd prejudices, using for his platform the
dssecrated stage Of . theatre-0 Christ
preached at the psblican's tabIe-tbough it
must be owned that the grotesqus devices Of
some Of the stage scenery, did not tend to
enhance the solsmnity Of the services.
During the fall Of 1858, large lecture
room was built by the members of the con.
grgstien ct the base Of the noble bluff
which b crowned by the tasteful residence Of
the ministr--on the spot already mentioned.
On the I'D Of December last this was dedi-
Gated Is a church, several clergymen par
ticipating in the ceremonies. The original
design was to have built large stone edi.
fee, but the hard times required the post
ponement Of this purpose, till q more pros
porous period shall enable the congregation to
carry outtheir purposes on scale common.
surate with their liberality.
This is not the place in which to notice
the immense public services 70 tho cause Of
education and literature, with which Mr..
NELL has filled Up the intervals Of his i'm.
mediate ecclesiastical labors.
The Baldwin school. the College Of st.
Paul, and the three public schools Of st. Paul,
among the finest public buildings in the
city, are the permanent monuments OF his
devotion to the cause OF education. Al the
bander of the Historical Society Of Mime
sofa, and principally in bis own contribu.
tons to its archives as the historian of
Minnesota, be has performed On inestimabIe
service to the literature of the northwest.
The estimation in which he is held Is
citizen, doubtless enters into bis popularity
a. q preacher. The dogmatic theology Of
the Calvinists rarely crops out in his dis.
courses, but when it does it is always with
liberal Interpretation. But what he con-
csdes in breadth Of construction, he makes
up in the severity with whish he insists on
dogmatic limitations Of opinion.
In his sermons, however, he deals usually
with the broad ethical facts which underlie
all religious systems, and which enter into
practical life. lie has little to say about
what people should think, but what they
should do. He takes the outer life for the
index and development OF the inner and
teaches conversion in reform.
The social morslities which he incucates
are tinctured with sharp cynicism, the
effect Of the gloomy teachings ofhis religious
school, and perhaps Of q certain ascetecism Of
temperament, but utterly without the faint
Of dognatic bigotry. Thus he denounces
dancing as social ofscsse, vicious in tendcn.
cy, while his intellect revolts at the notion
OF essential sinfalness which the Puritans i'm.
pute to it. One cannot help thinking that
II his pursuits were less sedentary, and bis
blood bounded in healthier unison with the
young veins about him, he would think bet
ter OF its impulses and perhaps make good
dancer himself. II is impossible to account
for the charm Of bis style II is neither rich in
imagery nor fertile in expression. His mere
diction is ofsen barren. Its simplicity often
passes into badness. II is often dis6gured
with grammatical negigences, and quaint
abuse Of explosives and obsolete forms ofex.
pression-often amusing to the listener. The
auxiliary verbs and relative pronouns do
dsty on the most unexpected occasions. For,
where We reside-hs will say, the place In
which we DO reside" for "his wife, " the NO
man who was recognized as his wife" Bat
with these superficial defects, he never fails to
command an interest rarely stirred by pull.
pit oratory. His sermons are replete with
suggestion; they bristle all through with
thoughts not put in words-the sharp edges
and corners Of ideas which every listener
carries home in his mind and heart. These
ideas often turn up whole in passages OF
great beauty and power. There is no
preacher who so constantly dissppoinss you
in saying brilliant things when you are pre-
pared for dull ones..aud dull things when you
expect brilliant ones.