Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-03-05
From the Round Table
TIar.aof shaFns.

+be land. that 10 many of these unemployed
l.-s-io-, are seen at all seasons hanging
,h,it orlr large cities. flmbling the y0llmes
ot rbc bookstores, m0noVolizing the best seats
nj ecclesiastical headquarters, pestering busy
rectors with unreasonable and Improbable
calls. loafng in the publishing Offices Of the
religious papers. wistfully eyeing the play
bills of operas and the posters Of sanctifed
picnic-. and amiably ready at all times to lift
their voices in processional hymn, or TO air
,urulce at a church-show Were they set
auart for such service at their ordination? Do
they esteem their d" calling according to the
will Of Christ to consist in showing their
faces where they are Of no earthly use, and Of
picking up the crumbs that now and then
iall from the Church 5 tables \ perusal Of
the ordinal Is commended to these nomadic
pastors. If they are incompetent or unwill-
in- to act the part Of shepherds. let them
take the place Of sheep. 1t strikes us that
some of them need looking after.
Benevolent citizens need not be told that
thee are such beings as clerical heggars in the
word-aiiahle and accommodating persons.
who present their little subserip iption-btok
without the least sign Of compuuction, and
who, if met by any protestations of preoccu-
patton, express the utmost willIngness " TO
call again Now, we hope that every
worthy enterprise Will achieve due success.
and nobody can think the objects often rep
resented by rural clergymen more deserving
than We do but is there any use in length
ening out these sacred plgrimaEes as is often
d1ne2 Might not a thoroughly sincere and
active man accomplish as much I'm few
weeks az is often done by these labJrlrs ia
many m0nths2 Is there not some reason 60
suspect that good cheer, attractive novelties.
the charm of variety. and the iascinations of
the city generally tend unroas1uaHlY o. pro-
tract these di,uterestcd lab0rs, ill the sight
of a shostiy licitOr Is regarded iu many
quarters as nuisance ? We trust we are not
uucharitable in that there is Just q hit of hol-
l1wucss in this thing, and that more atten-
ton 70 business and less 10 pleasure would
rebound to the credit of the cloth and tAc adj
vantage of the Church.
That the clergy should not have proper re-
creation as well as their neighbJr- only the
meanest chuIl VIII attempt 70 maiauin. and
we lope it Is always enjoyed on sufficient
grounds. Still. there are people who have
heard a great deal from the pulpit about self
denial and sacrifice who cannot help reflect
ing that. If some ministers were more ike the
Master they would not De in such unseen
lv haste to get TO fashionable watering-ulaces,
would not make their visits % Egrope quite
-o long. would not take pains TO have their
movements hcralded 80 conspicu0usly in the
public prints, and would be little more con-
cernei about that portion of their flock who
are strangers to green fields and shady plaz-
zas and delectable fountains. These honest
folk, who work for living, wonder some
times bow Sd many robust looking clergy
men. when they sct their hearts on o tour,
have such a troublesome bronchitis, and how
they reconcile their midsummer gayeties with
the thought Of those who are LETT destitute OF
the bread Of life, and Of the sick and poverty
stricken who languish, without Christian
sympathy. in their hopeless wretchedness in
the alleys and attics Of tie metropolis.
Concerning the shams Of the pulpit, mach
more deserves to he said than We have space
for at present. OF these, one of the most Of
fcu-ive Is the dippant and diciat0riai air with
which scientific subjects are dismissed. There
are many useful and interesting topics bear
ing upon the faith which a clergyman is uu-
der no obligation 10 discuss in the pulpit
but if he does. let eschew sweeping superiic-
ialitils arrogant assertions, and empty decla-
nation against what should be met by the >e-
ycrest augmentation. Let him be fair. No
where do palpable iallacics and egrecious ig-
norance appear 50 disgusting as in connec-
tion with the great and blessed themes of the
GOSPEL. If there should be candor, learn
ine. and profound sincerity anywhere, II
should be here. 1t Is to late in the world
dav for thoughtful minds to be imposed upon
hy the rantings Of zealots and the conceits
and preiudices of a traditional ecclesias-
Ucsm.
We point out one more type Of h1llowness
which has always struck Us with mingled
feeling OF the painful and the ludicr1us.
Such are the descriptions that some preachers
giye Of the Deity, such their views Of the
human race and It's destiny, that the hearer
sees this world but valley Of death, the peo-
pie engaged in a stupendous funeral, and the
object Of creation to populate the most hope
less and dreary he'll. 1t might seem that the
diyines who draw such pictures of God and
man would. in their profound appreciation
of the wretchedness of lite and the terr0rs OF
the fuIure, be the most miserable Of beings !;
and vet see them after their pulpit philippics
in a cosy study with few boon companions.
and vou generally find them the most Jolly
fellows in the world Their melancholy doc
triues, their conception Of the hideous cor
rupti0n that riots in the world, and their view
of the flashing thunderbolts held over a
doomed race. do not impair their relish for a
luxurious meal, good cigar, and an easy
bed. Notwithstanding their distressing no.
tons they can tell the most amusing stories,
Law adroit plans ior the comfort of their fam
;Iias and converse rationallv on many inter-
esting topics Of the day Surely this is rath-
er queer but then clergymen are queer
set. although pretty good fellows generally.