The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-23

~ no dullard or dreamer, Dut n creature Driat-
ling with ardor and breathing energy. We
sell and borrow, we buy and lend, as II we
feel a warm interest In what we do, and as If
we attach meaning and weight to IL.
The state OF the Stock Market is not
regarded with placidity; we do not fold our
arms, and walk laggardly, and talk gently,
when glitter Of gold flashes in our eyes. As
working men, we are impressively earnest
We treat each other with the utmost sober
ness and solicitude In store and Office. But
where else but In the places of business will
you point TO downright earnestness2 We
ought TO find It in the pulpit and in the pews
surely there. And yet the minister of God
stands up in his solemn place, Sunday after
Sunday, and mouths
He Is graceful, II may be, and he writes
pfettily and speaks sweetly; but does he
mean what he says2 Does his soul burn with
a passionate desire TO SOW the seed of eternal
lifeP Does he hear a voice that is never still
calling upon him TO warn Of the wrathful fires
that shall burst upon the unrepenting sinner
soonP Does he look does he act as II he
loves his business2 You listen 10 him as you
listen to one who recites a beautiful story in
beautiful language. You catch the CLEAN at
short intervals of his white pocket-handker-
chief, and you shuttle a little, or clear your
throat, or look to see how somebody else takes
It, when he concludes an elaborate and bril-
liant sentence.
When the services are over you hasten to
exclaim TO your friends your perfect delight
with the "splendid sermon;p after which in
evitable weekly outburst you vehemently
inquire who that was in such and such pew,
and work your passage down the aisle, through
a gust of lively conversation, rejoicing that
your preacher is so easy and elegant man.
Or else bis speech falls upon your ear like the
hum of insects in the white noon of a mid
summer day. You feel ponderous weights on
your eye-lds-your head wabbles-you tor
ture yourself, with pins and flnger-nails, into
spasmodic wakefulness and attention You
are waiting for fre-you are s9rved with milk
and water.
Why is the march of Christianity so slow,
its spread so imperceptible, its benign influence
so little lelt2 Why are its apostles so few, It's
triumphs so hard wonP Is 1t not because
there is no stirring, struggling earnestness in
the pulpit nor beneath il? Most divines,
nowadays, evince no agonizing concern
about the souls entrusted to their care.
WmTFIELD's blazing spirit has not descended
upon them. They read polished essays. They
exhort in half apologetic manner, as if fear
ful Of hurting the feelings or shocking the
nerves. OH that the outright earnestness of
st. PAUL would animate our passive, gen
teel ministers, or the glowing ardor of that old
preacher whom WRIT saw and heard in the
woods of Virginia, and immortalized forever
Earnestness, moreover, does not mark our
press. 1t does not strike hard, brave blows at
social or political wrongs. It sugars, and
gilds, and compromises; it breathes spirit
of cowardly conservatism; its words and
phrases are the mlldest and most harmless the
vocabulary affords. No subject scarcely is
treated with feeling. There is not palpable
desire to come at the truth, to sustain good
men and good actions. Editors rack their
brains to fill columns with orthodox inanty.
The aim of their existence is how not to say it
as agreeaby and inohensively as possible.
| The people would as soon look for vivid
lightning in an unlocked sky, as for vitality
and force in the public journals. There is no
earnestness vivifying our press.
In social life there is the same absence Of
the same grand and glorious element. We
play and fool with each other all the while.
Go to one of our parties, to one Of those stiff
and awkward attempts at social enjoyment
| which are indigenous TO the soil How com
pletely Gin fun" are all these bright people |
How fippantly they exchange their ideas {;
how they smile polite mistrust of one another;
how meannglessly they simper and nod
their headsl Why you would absolutely ter
rify them were you to attempt to be in
earnest. Seriousness would horrfy them as
much as the sight of mouldy skull. You
must say what you don't mean, or what from
long-continued utterance you really begin to
j think you do mean. And so not only at
| parties. but in the home-circlcs and in all
| localities save those of business, we assimilate
| to dull clods.
| EaInestness-how noble, how admirable a
, trait of characterl Ifyou dream 0fachieving
conquest over mind or matter, be earnest. II
= you intend TO earn your footing on this
beauty-teeming earth, and prove your right to
be called a man, be earnest