Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-12-22
A Popular Preacher on Popular
Preaching.

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The Rev. Prof Card, in bis address at
1.-The ordination of the Rev. G eorg 9
Stewart Burns, late of Montrose, to the
High Church parish of Glasgow, said:
Few positions / 6 d SO directly to
publicity, or satisfy SO readily the crav-
ing to be seen, known, and talked of, as
that of popular divine. In all COM
munities, rural and civic, the parson is a
man of mark and importance. Even if
he be man of little ability--one who in
any other walk Of life would never be
known or heard of-here there is an adj
ventitious Difference and respect, which,
due to the office, is in most minds trans
fered, apart from his own merits, TO the
man who occupies it.
The squire receives him at his table;
the bow obsequious of the smutched arti-
ficer the wondering homage of children,
await him as he goes forth on his paro-
cbial rounds a general atmosphere of
Difference surrounds him, very pleasant
to weak mind, o t unpleasant to
strong one. And then, translate h e
youthful and ambitious minister from the
modified publicity of a country parish to
the unmeasured publicity and manifold
excitements Of a town charge, and is there
not then much to feed the vanity and
satisfy the love of display, or power, or
praise, and so to present irresistible
destinations to many mind which high
err motives would fail to move? Who,
if be be accessible to such influences, is
so much sought after, feted, fattered, as a
young and popular preacher? For whom
do competing congregations conten d ?
Whose presence is so eagerly solicited by
charitable societies, Sunday school manag
ers, and churches who have debt to
clear off?
Whose name is so eagerly coveted by
getters up of soirees and public meetings
and plastered on walls and boarding in
big letters as a sure attraction to he
hunters after religious assessments ?
Who wakes in susceptible breasts an ad-
he semi-sacredness of which
blinds the subject of it to the human ele-
ment that mingles with it, and to whom
do tasteful gifts and presentations so often
hint homage which the tongue may not
speak Then think of the weekly ex-
element which the pulpit brings to him
whose passion is for popular applause.
The crowded pews the thronged aisles,
he preparatory fuss and commotion, the
stiffness when the object Of unusual in-
crest appears the half>impatience Of
psalms and prayers as mere preiimius-
res to the great point of interest, the
lushed, waiting stiffness, t b e kindlipg
ayes and flushed countenances, while the
,kilfully constructed climax is b e n g
wrought up, and sentence after sentence,
rising in interest, falls from the orators |
lip; and then, as the goal is reached, and
The exhausting speaker pauses, the long
drawn sigh of relieved suspense, the in
tercbanged chances of sympathetic ad-
the momentary rustic over the
auditory, and then the settling of them
selves anew for another dose of rhetor-
ical excitement What an ordeal is this
for weak head and vain heart to 60
through What incense rises on such a
scene--a sweet odor in the nostrils of
the too conscious idol of the hour!
There is inherent weakness in such a
ministry amid the superficial hutter of
success. The secret of the popularity
hunter is sooner or later found out. Dis
corning minds fall back from one who
lives for SELF and the educated, supercil-
ious, sceptical class, instead Of being in
fuenced by him, pride themselves on
penetrating the clap>trap Of religious ex-
element, and find in the whole affair a
fresh theme for disdainful criticism and
epigramic articles popular preach,
ing"