Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-02
THE PULPIT.
Hecay OF Pulpit Influence in America
Some 1ints 40 CIerEyHBen.

Hecay OF Pulpit Influence in America
Some Hints 40 NlerEyE8ten.
From the New York Herald
Eyerg commercial community 90 far
ID il attends 20 religious matters at all---is
naturally conservative and practical in its
theories Of religion. Nor is New York
10Y exception 20 the workings Of this prin.
oiple, ~ 81 thoroughly manifest from the
decay OF BOslonisms in this city, especially
within The last ten years. Notions of the
qenesis of things, ysgue theories upon very
vague topics, queer qnips about the rela-
lions Of trinity and unity, which, borrowed
from Boston, were formerly affected by
metropolitan thinkers, have not gone out
az date, OF have been hurried tosail deep
under the layers OF vigorous practical
thought which the present generation OF
New York thinkers have developed. Bos'
too, which ten years since affected the lax
aud liberaI, now affects the German in re-
igious thought--borroW5 extensively from
German rationalism, mysticism, and criti-
cism, and. with true Bostonian instinct, in
eists loudly that what it borrows and retails
conaidersbly diluted is of lie own invention
and quite original With the exception Of
he clerical fraternity, neither of these pc
rency in this city; and in making this exs
ception We RECEIVING one reason for the des
cay Of clerical influence here.
Some years since the metaphysical was
in vogue and popular. Fashionable peo-
pie, not over fond OF being reminded Of
their sins and sel6shness, we're exceedingly
glad il the minister found it convenient TO
talk about something which nobody could
understand, not even the talller himself.
AZ that time, zoo, Theodore Parker, lannon's
for philosophical distractions, which were
mostly distracted from the German, was
IN the zenith Of his reputation. New York
copied the Parker cant about the divinity
IN human" the absolute human" the
"gOodhood Of physics" and the like; and
AZ 10 the New England pulpit, il was sim
ply vast force pump, deluging Yankee
congregations with Parker diluted in water
and sweetened 90 taste. TO these phrases
The Yankees SMILED their huz2as, and
matters got on swimmngly Cor a decade or
more,
The thought Of the great mass has out
crown the stilled lunacies of that day
TACT Of which clergymen seem 10 be utterly
iorgetfal. Palpit influence Is, therefore
on the wane not because che people have
no reverence for the pulpit PEI Sc, but be-
csuse the pulpit has no sympathy with the
people. Al present, IN religious EOrship
the musical element is everything and the
sermon - Of no earthly account and vet
clergymen will keep ON retailing the same
dreary, dunderheaded plRiitndes as former
~, which, because they mean nothing, are
very eaEy 10 say. To the people these
platifudes are no longer either morally or
intellectually tonic. Mandolin sentiment
aud mHudlin trauscendentalism have ceased
70 be effective The popular mind csnnot
az this day be- ied with shsdows II dee
ulands something with blood and pulse in
il and, instead of dsclaimine against the
callousness OF the public, itwould be well for
clergymen 60 set about amending their osn
stupidity The clerical cant must he
dropped pulpit orators must sniff less
IRON musty volume aud think more, or
pulpit influence "a a power in the land Is
likely % be snufied ont altogether
We want no clerical cant, We want no
parade Of dead aogmsiics We want strong.
healthy, vigorous lhought from the pulpit
and from the pulpit ge must have Il. or
we shall look elsewhere before huyiue. Il
i useless for the pulpit 20 anect Delphic
laHNatrs AltNi thC tAHiahNA ~ M AE AtiA
Emerson. Any mau who hss clear ideas
upon what he is talking about, can and
viii express his ide5s with precision and
intelligibiliiy and il any uiau be unable
70 express himself intelligibly, wecan real
by zee no especial propriety IN his express
iuE himself ~ all But the clencal seer
VIII say IN defense Of bis unintellisibiiity
en- a transcendentalist; / speak Of the
things ~ posse IS well IS Of the things "a
5sss; j am too profoand % be compre-
hended. and am not, therefore, TO be ham
psrsd with the oEdinary modes Of English;
II | yatioinate al al must vsticinaie 10
my own peculiar English, and vsticinate
must or perish With the excess Of nv m
spiration.7 VERY well vstioinate. Suck
yonr ihnmb-ihat is an evidence OF pro
iundity too profound to bs-spoken. an We
ask is that you Fsicinsie ia good English
or cease Vaticinaiing altogether foa may
perish With the excess Of your inspiration
bnt II Won should We Wiii see that you are
deoenily haFicd. which IS al transcendal-
ia has right 20 expect, and more than
moss Of them get.