Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-01-20
The Waste Of sermonizing.

Rev. II. d. Moor, eIehansin, with Rev.
Dr. Chiekerinr. week or two since, stop
ped short in his discourse, ard said that his
sermon had COS, him erea, deal Of labor,
but a. they did not seem interested IN IL.
aud as many were already asleep, he would
not proceed any further. The Maine Par
ner, after suggesting ,ha, bean. might
have lad something to DO with 1t, says
" But lot Us bs jus, towards thu beans.
Congregational dros.inc,' does not come
chiefly from the .,p,rdc inaaenes' Of the
gastric economy. When the inters', i' en-.
listed, a very poor ,Ihoriation will always
command tho eyes and ears, but the dead in
,rcspa..e. and sins will not hear M1se. and
the prophets. II preachers should DO d.
vested ef certain sweet delu,i1n. and real.
iEs. a. they 90 20 Ls work Of the study,
how small portion Of the most =" inielli-
GENT audience" will really hear, from eI.
Ordium 10 psrogation, the most labored
pr0due, OF scholarship and inspiration, they
would scarcely reach tia, stage in their dis.
course where the Portland Clergyman broke
or ultimately, before they would take a
lively sympathy with the children sitting
in the marke. place" There is no prolue:
of human inds.,ry shat i ihs subject OF 20
much waste as the sermon. The seed. Of
the elm, mil.ioa. ol y vhich fall where one
take. roo, and rises a. ia. afford fair IL
lus,ration Of the luck Of words which fall
from commissioned lips upon the hearts Of
men. IL observation is not as fault, OF all
the population Of the most church going
towns Of church going New England, the
average Attendance upon public worship
does no, exceed the proportion OF one to
four; OF those who 60, not one in four arc
drawn TO the sanctuary by tie interest in
It's devoIions. Not more than one in four
listens fourth OF the stated time Of wor-
ship to the word, Of prayer and eIhoria-
ton OF those who thus listen, no, one in
four listens continuously; Of those who are
all attention. not one in fourteen lays 1t TO
heart. Could We look down into the hearts
Of men, we fear we should say with more
assurance than we now cav without som-
junction. tha, there is no duty performed
by the maprity Of the minority Who recos-
hir- the duty, 50 reluctantly, As that Of
rOr.hiplng God there is no Gauss where
men, in seeking ,heir own, pursue the end
80 larly aud thriitlessly; there is no vol
untary expenditure where money is more
reluctantly paid. The scholarly gentleman
who took oTsuss at the indifference Of his
brother. congregation, had reason for la
mentation and tears when considering the
subject Of congregational drowsiness in the
abstract but in the concrete. hs should
have treated II as a matter Of course. 81.
Paul was wiser in the case Of the young
man. From his time down, ihe meeting
house has been sleeping room. The souls
worth is acknowledge in the speech OF
man. but practically man cares very little
about bis soul. What will lie give IN eI.
change for IL? This isa bard question
bot be will give hI, soul for very little, and,
in the minds Of hls fellows, make good
trade. Tho triumphs Of Christianity are
wonderful and glorious, but the faires.
Christian garden is 'tIlI covered by wick
cd aud psrvsrss generation. who put the
ln.i fr.t md the hT.t list ~