The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-10-13

Cheerful Christianity.
From the Daily Chronicle, Washington, D. CT
BY strange perversion religion has be-
,ome associated with ideas, gloomy, unsocial
md repellant. These ideas have been cher
shed by some fanatical sects to the extreme
Of horror, while they have, to agreater Or less
extent, affected the feelings and views Of
nearly all. 1t is certain that such ideas find
no warrant in a calm and judiciOus EXPOSE
lion Of the Holy Scriptures. There the
whole range of genial emotions Of the human
soul has been placed under contribution, in
order to present the Kingdom Of God under
aspects Of beauty to Maynard mortals. The
majestic strains of poetry, the glowing in
spiratiOn of elOquence, mingle with the
milder elegancies Of thought and expression
appealing to mans sense Of the
asa legitimate element of his mental
organism. But not only 70; the beauties Of
the natural world are cited, and the soul d.
rected to their contemplstios. CONSIDER
the lilies of the field; they toll not, neither do
they spin, yet Solomon, in all his glory, was
not arrayed like one of these."
Vet in spite of these genial and attractive
aspects OF Scripture teaching, there are
minds abnormally constituted, which are
seeking to blast ali its beauties Of thought
and expression, and to cover them up with
their own crude and unlOvely ..utterances Of
the darker and more terrible mysteries Of
revelation. When they hook upon 1.-THE hu-
man face divine" they fairly sicken at its
beauties of color and feature, at its noble ex-
preston of the souls interior thought. They
know that under all these there is a grinning
skull which they are impatient to make visi-
bic through the surrounding layers Of nerve
and muscle. They seem to revel in the idea
of death, and welcome the disintegrating
worm which shall consume their dead bod
les. Nay, such disgusting thoughts are
constantly urged even upon the world in its
ignorance Of Christianity, thus accommodating
difficulties in the way of its conversion. Can
we wonder that minds endowed with sensi-
bilities of beauty and poetry, endowed with
capacities for nobler thought, or blessed
with sunny cheerfulness Of temperament,
are repealed by such expositiOns Of Chris
tlanity?
In later years, however, We trace sem
sible reaction against these superficial and
repulsivc methods Of presenting the truths
of revelation. The idea has at last found
general acceptance that the beautiful is not
necessarily sinful, and that the susceptible
ties of enjoyment originally implanted in
the soul are not to be considered rs expo
ncnts of the Divine will that man should
develop and use them; that he should make
himself happy in the legitimate indulgence
Of these natural apPetencies, and that the
Happiness thus produced should react upon
his moral sentiments, awakening his graft.
tude for all the exquisite enjOyments afforded
BY his nature. The straitjacket divines OF
the old school made especial war upon am,,se-
ments. Life was too short with them fol
any Glars Of thoughts but those which per
tain to eternity.
Because man is mortal, and tending TO 4
future Immortality, therefore he should d.
present life except those absolutely necessary
to hold the soul in its prison-house Of clay
until the time appointed for its liberation
And for fear it should find any attractions in
this earthly sphere which should reprcss its
heavenward aspirations, the former were
brought under sweeping condemnation a
SHARES to its eternal peace. OF the sincerity
ofthese gloomy utterances there can bc NJ
doubt that of their fallacy the present gener.
alton of woodworking Christian men and
woman are now fully convinced. Even in
the older DAYS there were stronger natures,
fully armed with the inspirations Of common
sense, and endowed with a glorious fund O
elastic and irrepressible good humor who
could properly estimate this strait-laced non
sense. 4 noble old pioneer Methodist min
lister, about half century ago, was arraignetl
before a western conference to be repri
manded by the bishop for his sallies Of vii
in the pulpit. Before the Episcopal dignit,
could settle itself for an impressive utteranc'
the old man burst out, "Brethern, never
did believe in religion that had no fun in it.
The bishops gun was spiked, and the Con
ference, amid roars of irrepressible laughter
at once passed his character.
While We are on this point We can not re
frain from giving another anecdote Of SINH
lar tenor. Peter Cartwright on one occasion
was convulsing his conference with his it'll
ating wit and Rumor. The presiding bishop
was man Of deep and earnest but asceti'
piety. ''Brvther Cartwright" said he, "d'
you think while you are indulging in thi
lcviiy you are growing in grace" The. OLE
pioneer, with an eye beaming with fun re
piled, go, yes, brother, in spots" -f.
The present age seems to be emaciated, IL
great measure, from the asceticism Of thu
past. Religion, laying aside those repellan
aspects which once chilled the warm flow o
natural feeling, seems now to be addressiD.
itself to the task of enlisting all those in
nOcent elements of human nature in tn,
work of moral reform. We confess to lit
tie surprise day or two ago when our friend
Rev. g. A. Hall, of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association Of Washington, informe,
us that that progressive society had decided
to open bowling alley m its larg'
and splendid building for tn, pur
pose of giving to the young men and wolner
IF this city the means of amusing themselve
without being thrown in contact with tn
corrupting influences that generally sur
round aich entertainments Bot rfter . Nd
ment's cOgitatiOn the question came up, VII,
not? what is there in the, rolling of ball
upon q smooth door that necessarily EN-
indies moral evil? The same perversiO,
which has made the bowling alley the mean
of gambling and dissipation would briug tn
services Of the Church itself into the sam
di<graceful association. Two young mel
once wagered small amount upon the pro
DaDle lenStn OF the setIuOn, tnus uNllnS uId
terial for their mischievous propensity RICH
under the droppings Of the sanctuary.
The truth Is that in all these attractive
amusements that are associated with tn
glaring moral evils of the day there are Gle
ments of attraction, perfectly innocent ii
themselves, which are used fox the PurPos
Of begriling into evil habits youths VII.
might Just as easily be attracted in The oppo
site direction by merely divesting those yer,
amusements Of their Objectionable csncomi
tants. .rr.-y --
We are glad to see the policy Of the Young
Mems Christian Association shaped by me,
of practical intelligence, who know how +
minister to the craving for companiOnshiI
and entertainment, while they awaken th,
mind to the higher elements Of Cbristial
truth. 4 large reading room filed viii
choice periodicals, and an extensive library
open facilities for profitable employment o
EVENING" The gymnasium has been succes
during the past year, meeting all expense
and affording small surplus. And nov
the board of management propose 70 90
step further, 10 establish means Of amuse
ment which will lead to finer physical De
velopement while it affords innocent enter
tainment to the mind, The youth Of On
city are thus to be beguiled into that bodil.
exercise which their sedentary habits rende
the more essential.