Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-09-05
SOLILOQUY OF A CHURCH MEMBER
BY "BRIcK" poMERoY.


What a blessing is this Christian
love
How much better it makes us all J
That is to say. All over the country
church spires point Heavenward, and
roofs shut the prayers of such hypo-
critics as / am from breaking in upon
the holy chant OF angels before the
throne Of that great Being i profess
to love. Wonder how | would act If
| was a good Christian, l. G., believer
in Christ Jesus, the meek, loving and
lovable Saviour ofsinners / wonder
what the Saviour meant when lie
opened His mouth to inspiration, and
taught
'Blessed the poor in spirit for theirs is the
"Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be
comforted.
blessed are the meek for they shall inherit
the earth.
blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain
mercy.
"Blessed are the peacc-makers for they shall
be called the children Of God.
leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy
way first be reconcilcd to thy brother, and then
come and offer thy gift
"But l say unto you love your enemies.
"But if ye forgive not men their trcspassesy
neither will your father forgive your trcspasses."
Here we have the germ of saliva
tion, but not any for me don't be-
lieve in such style of religion. That
is the old fogy style. That is the for
eign style. To be sure, we all profess
it, but that is pleasant religious gag,
full of emptiness, and signifying moth
ing. No church in the United States,
so-called, could gain a convert on the
platform of Jesus. Thatisin the play,
but not in the reality. The man who
lives qaato the religion of the Bible is
/ CoJg7tfhead, and the truth is not in
him. Why, bless us--if the Saviour
should come again on earth, and
1 preach that sermon on the Mount, q
Z help cruelty him-Td mob him-Td
: swear he was thief, traitor, Cop
: perhead, a libertine, bad man, and {
= lover Of the South
9 You see all of us Christians have
o improved on the New Testament
We attend church for effect Their,
? are a few who attend, and are homes
! in their professions; but they arr
! Copperheads, and we'd sooner giv'
2 Christ the lie, ignore his teachings
" play hypocrite, and tramp, tramp
: tramp, through purgatory with Johl
Brown aud others Of the illustriou
Abolition dead, than go TO Heavel
with Copperheads, Democrats, poo
j. people, and honest Christians.
Joined the church because it wa
fashionable | wanted influence.
q |. put a false label over my forehead OF
J. which was written "repentmce, ant
u with a sneaking, solemn, canting, pu
9 9 ritanical, bean-eating visage, held on
4 ~,s my hand for the communion, ant
e. munchod the sacred bread with th
gravity of an ape eating crackers.
y did it for effect. The label "repent
- ance," deceiyes all but God. He reaC
: stamped on my acknowledgement o
my heart, scared on my soul-that
am sinner, a hypocrite, a liar,
mocker, a deceiver, n whited sepu
n n chre full of deceit and uncleanness.
By / wanted popularity. People thin
lie that because man is church men
~ ber he is II Christian Pah Il ca
= attend church-can rant, below an
"a. shout with the best. Then / can G
CO home, sleep, eat, scold, fret, post book
s- read political newspapers, lay plar
y y to overreach my neighbors and il
w. crease my riches. And can lie aboI
n my goods, can be hoggish, selfish, di
n honest, tricky and deceitful, all tn
m. better because / am church membe
and church members protect the
own. There are some good men an
some good women in the church'
p. of the Lord, and III take refuge b
s .r, hind their characters, bring reproaC
I'D upon them, weaken their inAuenc
N disgust sinners with Christianity, i
81, suit my Redeemer and finally viii
" up my career in hell, where | ougl
to be.
If | was Christian, a real, .tru
or honest conscientious Christian, as tl
,ns lessons of Christ teach me TO be, l
re-. have charty-be merciful--love N
ID enemies and not seek to destroy ms
pc and States for little difference
NIB opinion concerning matters whi'
tc. affect MS temporarily.
II. ] am n Christian so called. But
- don't believe in Christ when he sa'
.. blessed are the meek.
"a don't believei in Him when he sa
~, blessed are they that mourn-bess
-iy are the peace-makers.
by | believe Christ was a copperhea
viii MysChristianity is to hate men
I'm not l1now-to abuse those who diff
'iy from me in opinion--to rob, mt
torture and destroy. I'd hang t
,sl Democrats of the North. I'd kill {
rn, people Of the South. I'd steal th'
~ - L..