Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-11-01
SUMMER RELIGION.

"The devil has no vacation, +" is the
startling theory advanced by the ed
itor of the Methodist in the last num-
Der of that paper; and, arguing from
that assertion, he proceeds to de-
claim against the prevalent habit of
closing our churches in summer:
We sometimes see conspicuously
labeled on articles of merchandise
the assuring announcement "War-
ranted to keep in any climate"
The package may be taken by the
adventurous explorer to the Polar,
seas, it may cross oceans, be carried
over continents, be taken into the
heart of African short, it may go
around the world, and in spite of
the atmospheric changes which such
extensive travel necessitates, If the
statement on the guaranty be correct,
it will come back home unaffected by
the various climate changes it has
passed through.
There are other articles of trade
which will not endure the changes Of
travel. They serve good purpose
in the land where they are manu-
featured, but q transition to another
cline affects their essential proper
ties and considerably modifies their
character, if, indeed, it does not
wholly destroy them. The difference
between the classes of articles, so
far as their commercial value is con-
cerned, is to be found in the fact
that the trader can ship one, while
he cannot ship the other.
This illustrates one essential point
OF difference between true and false
piety. We have reason to suspect
the genuineness Of piety that changes
with the seasons; that glows with
intense zeal at certain times, and
suddenly cools to an icy chillness at
others that exhibits remarkable ac-
tivity in some places, and relapses in
to positive Indifference when situa
tlons are changed. We are not sur
prised that, in such cases, the suspi-
clons are often aroused that religion
is a mere outside garment to be put
on or Oft at pleasure. When it be-
comes incorporated into the very
being, it is not thus easily laid aside,
but accompanies it's possess0r, travel
ing with him over land aud sea, and
abiding with him wherever he rests.
The rare attendance of many who
belong to the church is a source of
pain and anxiety. This is especially
true OF the summer season. Many
Christians take a vacation so far as
religious privileges are concerned
q vacation that lasts from three to
six months. according to circum-
stances. Not content with 8 little
necessary relaxation from business,
Of which no reasonable person can
complain, they take much larger
relaxation from religious duties and
privileges. These persons, be it re.
membered ARE not to be found among
those who have toiled the least and
and another singular fact is that
when their long spiritual vocation
ends they do not return to church
work with the same vigor and elias
ITCHY with which they engage in
worldly concerns. Morally speak
ing, their muscles are rigid, and their
joints mantle sad lack of lubri ca
ton, as thou they had been badly
used in some rough encounter with
spiritual foes. 1t takes long time,
and painfully taxes the resources of
the church and the skill of the pastor
to get them into good working con-
dition again.
We know that to o certain extent
religious services in the summer, es-
pecially on week nights, are more
sparsely attended than in winter
from legitimate and uncomfortable
causes; but We firmly believe that
this extent does not reach so far as
many imagine. If a man can get to
political caucuses at the close of q
hard days work, he can go to a
prayer meeting. "Where there's a
will there's way" is as true here
as in many other cases. If all who
can would attend the services of
the church, and, if necessary, would
make some little sacrifice to attend,
there would never be any lack of in
terest in our meetings from want OF
numbers.