Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-03-26
THE BLUNDERBUSS.

WARREN O.. March.

WARREN o., March.
IcoEREsPoSDENCEl
| Editor Bltnder6uSs IL have been much
pleased to see you such regular attend
ant at our church, of late. l think we
are improving very rapidly, and will soon
be the most fashionable church in town,
if we progress as we have done for the
past year.
1t is true, it has been somewhat expen-
sive for a few of us, but we are likely to
be well paid for our trouble, for l notice
besides yourself, Miss Flirt and Mr.. Strut,
and quite a number of their friends, at
tend quite regularly, and Mr.. Hifalutin
and family, are frequently there. Indeed,
the promise annexed to the command, to
q cast your bread upon the waters" ap-
pears about to be verified in our case.
SO may it ever be.
Yours Hopefully, PATTY P.
Yes we have attended pretty regularly
at - church and have witnessed the re-
forms and progress, ~ mentioned by our
fair correspondent, but must say, our med
itation on such signs of improvement have
not been very satisfactory to us.
Nothing is said in the communication
about an improved religious feeling, or
widening of the circle of charity, or a COM
bined effort to suppress the spirit of ire
hgion, of vice, and of immortality that
seems to be spreading fearfully through
the land. No, not word of hope or en-
couragement in this direction, but merely
rejoicing over the melancholy fact, that
the church has sacrificed her piety, on
the altar of fashion! ''We are fast becom-
ing fashionable church, !" is the exultant
strain of the letter.
Now this may not be the case with this
particular church alone, but is there not
probability that the same spirit, to more
or less extent, prevails in other churches2
There is certainly more attention paid to
dress in them all, within the past few
years, than there used to be. So much
so, indeed, that in some instances, they
might be aptly styled fancy dress circles,
where the members seem to rival each
other in extravagant dress, and tawdry
ornaments, and church rivals church, in
gaudy show, and haunty decorations.
Is there not danger to-day, that the
church is sharing the homage due the
Great Creator alone, with mythological>
deities and divinities?
Is there not danger that dress is being Z
substituted for charity? =
In former times, charity "cGyered
multitude of evils in latter times, dress,
>
formities of the body, and too often gross
deformities of mind and action.
But there IS another phase of this new
religion, that it may not be anliss to no
tice here. 1t is fact, apparent to every
one, that pews, that once were tilledwith
plainly clad people, if occupied at all, now
are filed with rustling silks, and glisten-
ing broad-eloths. The calico and home
spun, are nowhere to be seen in the sane
tuary. Not because there are no more
left, but that fashion and fnery are made
door-keepers of the church, and uneeri-
moneously close the doors against them.
But the poor will have to bear this priva-
ton, with the best grace they can, and en-
deavor to view the affair as a mere '' dress
Ia. ade,' and be contenteG let those shine
who are able, whilst they can worship
God in natures great temple, where there
are '!,Pooks in running brC oks, selmons in
trees, and good in everything" And if
their fellow wOrshipers, the birds, are
dressed in more gaudy attire, they will
not feel as though they were looked up
on with contempt, merely because their
either in shape or quality. This thing of
excluding from the church, those who
cannol dress finely and fashionably, is an
invention of modern times, and, perhaps,
when thus relieved from such cuznbrous
load, the church will rise high "o'er all
the ills of life victorious" and go Heaven
ward, in the even tenor of her way, re-
joicing. 1t may be an improvement on
the times, when the poor had the gospel
preached to them"