The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-07-02

to one another. The man and the place
never exactly match. We need not look
for nice adaptations. While we look out
of human eyes, a rough likeness to the
ideal will have to do. In every earthly
reality, there is disappointment to all
dreamers. For example, l have not met
the expectation of some members of this
church. am very frank to say that some
members of this church have not met
mine. AS far as that is concerned, the
| disappointment is mutual; and there is
nothing strange or unnatural in the fact.
1t happens SO in all living. There is no
occasion for any surprise or even wonder
at the occurrence Of so common an event.
Ny idea Of minister and minister 5
business is very definite and decided, and
differs widely from the ideas OF some to
whom have had the pleasure of preach
ing the last year.
First-As to what lie should preach
OF course the truth, any truth, and all
truth. As to who is to be the Judge OF
the truth, l am FREQ to say he himself
must be- \ minister must be mor. than
a parrot, able to repeat a form Of " 'rds.
lie is to think his own thought, and liter
it in his own way. Otherwise book al
sermons Of the dead might dispense witt,
live preaching. And, beside, a minister
ought 10 be more than an echo of the
pews. If they know what he is going tc
say, why say it? Unless he can tell
them something, Ghy speak !? lie is a
messenger. Why, If he has no message
| know of nothing SO unworthy as to
canvass a congregation through the week
fox opinions to hand back on Sunday. by
doing 1t, man may get reputation for
being sound and orthodox /; but what be-
comes of him? If he is to consult his
hearers about what he is to preach, how
many Ct them, and which ones ? And, if
they should not happen to agree. what
Will he do? \ minister is ordained to
preach, and not the congregation.
The idea Of any individual setting up a
standard of orthodoxy, and warring every
other Individual to it, may be realized for
q few brief years in Rome, but never for
I
There are only two fair ways Of treating
a sermon or any speech. One is to admit
truth of it, aad the ether is to refute the
error It.
The third and uufair way is The way OF
the in1lisiticn--deny the argument that
cannot lie answered. push it aside, spit on
it, and burn the preacher. We have done
away with the burning, bat retain the
balance of the method.
| One Of these unreasoners hears some
thing he did not know; and, if it is some
thing he does not like. he finds it easier t.
call it heresy than to disproye it. 1t il
easy to misrepresent a sermon. 1t take:
little talent. 1t is easy to pick out bits O
sentences and sew them together, and make
a ridiculous patchwork, ard exhibit as ,
specimen Of the original piece; it is as cas-,
as lying.
| lave come to the last sermon. | have
preached here year. have never saIC
anything that did not think was til,
truth. / have given it to you just Us i
seemed to me- | am not presumptuou
enough to suppose that there has been N
mistake made. Any minister who is hu
man has right to make mistakes He i
to take care that they be mistakes and no
sins.
The truth IS not so tender thing tha
it will not bear handling 1t ueeds it a
gold lii the mine before it comes to Hight
That is the way truth comes to us, littl
sold to a good deal Of sand. The ide
that we must be putting out our hands t
steady the ark Of the Lord over roug
places is profane one. The truth wi
bear any journey. No sincere searche
can ever harm it; no sincere sermon
able to pervert it.
The minister Of these days is not an Oh
acle; lie is sincere thinker, telling hi
thoughts to others, hoping that they wi
t receive item if they are true; and becaus
they are true, and not because he say
them; hoping, also, that if they are ne
] true, they will be refuted. ''If say til
truth why 90 you not believe me?"
The days when men were expected I
! swallow an untruth because priest sal
1t are happily past. The pulpit has con-
r down to desk. The minister is a man
on level with other men--and depene
on reason and meditation for the success
n his sermon, and not on authority of Il
;. church and brute force.
- He is man, and not a monk-and
such is entitled to no extra favors and :