The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-05
Preaching VITA RevoIVers.


Preaching with RevoIVers.
| THERE is possibility of carrying too much
birthstone even in the pulpit. The bsligsrent
bishops make but sorry figure in history
| Compton in buff coat and jack boots, with
sword and holsters, coloneling the gentry who
| guarded the Princess Anne in her flight from
Whitehall; and Polk prestituting his pastoral
crook to a cruel compulsion of the Rebel con-
scripts of Tennessee. We are tolerant indeed
OF, and even acknowledge a kind of rough
ledge pioturesqueness in, the sermonizing
soldiers of Cromwell-the men of Dunbar
and Worcester-because we associate with
them no distinctive clerical character; and
even their grotesque preachments, the naSo
o6hgato, and the satire of Butler, do not cause
us to forget the flying Cavaliers who were
worsted by their sharp swords and we'll
picked hints But we humbly submit that
the most imaginative painter, even if en-
dOwed with forty Salvador Rosa power,
could not make Virginia Methodist fulmi-
mating in Hanover or Henrico, with a Colt in
each of his breeohes pockets, heroic. Verify
here is change from the primitive manner of
conversions new way of constrainug Felix
to tremble before Paul.
The country has Just been favored with the
testimony, given before the RecOnst ruction
Committee of the House Of Representatives
of the latest propaganda of the Gospel ac-
cordng to gunpowder. What it was in de-
tail We do not know; but we may suppose
that it was punotuated with the detonation
of caps and the ciak of the lock. 1t is to be
feared, at least, that there was very little of
the apostle to the Corinthians in it, where his
discourse is of that charity which suffereth
long and is not easily provoked-ve little Of
the serene temper of Wesley when he con-
fronted the angry rabble of Bristol with
patience and with prayer.
We boldly assert that there is no authentic
precedent for the use of revolvers in the
spreading of the Gospel. Whatever else may
be oontroverted confuted, this assuredly
cannot be. Men may dispute about liturgies
and vestments, candles and postures, but
they will be utterly unable to set up sup.
portable claim for bullets. These are not to
be found remotely suggested in all the Acts.
The cleric who thinks this fatal omission
naturally belongs to Islam. He may
find congenial spirits, a conference to his
liking, at Teheran or Aleppo. Of if he should
doff his sacerdOtal character, aud turn from
! churchly bucolics to those of more literal
nature, he might successfully compete with
the farmer who persuaded a trespasser over
his fence with pitchfoIk. Upon the whole,
we must conclude that the comparatively
mild employment of feeding flock with
spiritual pabulum is unsuited to the ire
pressible forces of his nature.
If we could believe our truculent brother
not superior to the weakness of English
poetry, we would commend him for instruc-
ton to the preachings of Cowper and Gold
smith. He might behold the ready zeal ofthe
rustics to honor the pious man of Auburn,
and even children plucking his gown to share
his smile. He might hear truth from his
lips prevail with double sway, and see con-
trite scoffers allured to heaven, and to
homage of the man who watched, aud wept,
and prayed, and felt fer all.
Outside of the pulpit, too, there is much
preaching with revolvers. The world is full
of dewnrights and absolutes, who will have
their say and their way, or keep all nature in
|
presented muzzle. They are the terror OF
gentler natures subjected to an unhappy pro-
pinuuity by the ties OF blood or the
caprices of fortune; and they never
harbor a suspicion OF their own fallibility.
In the family they are more imperious than
Turks, and wives and daughters shrink from
them as the traveller retires from the cOled
serpent in his path. They are in the Church,
and prate about the tyranny of all who
economically contradict them. They bother
business conclaves with their crude dogmas,
and surcharge with infammable gases the
genial atmosphere of social life. Beyond their
virtue there shall be mo more cakes and
aleu- and they will acknowledge no more
halcyon days in the calendars of other men.
Pork PACKING IN THE WEsT.-From our