The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-20
1us ResMu Of The Uersy-sunmer Rest
aud storm Duly.

another fortnight Broadway will be again full
of beautiful women. Already some Of the
theatres have opened their doors for the gay
multitude ever bent on being pleased. Tle
churches, or at least the fashionable parsons,
are little later with their annual reopenings,
but with the return of fashionable life to the
metropolis we shall find also revival OF fash
ionable metropolitan piety. Up to the pres
ent moment such of the clergy as find their
summers rest" necessity are still resting.
None of them have yet returned to town; they
may be found in mountain retreats far away
from the city, and even in the bathrooms at
Long Branch, Saratoga and Newport. But,
as we have before remarked, the parsons VIII
soon be back in their pulpits, and then, for a
short time at least, we shall have lively sea-
son of sensation preaching.
This question Of summer rest for the clergy
has number OF delicate points for the discus
sion of which there can be no better time than
the eve of the return of the parsons to their
spiritual work. The mission of the Christian
teacher is one requiring such extreme devo-
ton and such complete selfabnegation that it
may be asked, with much show of reason,
whether the clergy are entitled to the long
vacations they give themselves every year.
Souls are as precious in summer as in winter.
1t is as necessary TO expOund the Gospel
in August as in December. Men sin and
suffer at every season, and at every season
they need the consultations Of religion. 1t is
not the rich, the gay and the proud, flying
wherever fashion is maddest in its intoxicating
devices, but the poor and the lOwly, tied all
the year to their humble homes, who most
| need, or most fervently accept, the ministra-
tions of the altar. The most Insignificant of
Gods children left uncared for by those
who profess to do Gods work, though they
may not put their petitions into words, will
appeal powerfully to Heaven against the neg
lect Of the spiritual shepherds. The clergy
man who forsakes his work. even for the
gravest of reasons, takes upon his shoulders
an immense responsibility; but when he does
il to follow in the wake of fashionable dissipa-
ton and to sip the gay delights of society's
rosy cup, there is no estimating the injury he
is doing not only to himself, but to the holy
cause whose badge he wears.
ST. Paul at Saratoga and st. Peter at New
port would have proved themselves most
unsuccessful fishers Of men. 1t would be very
refreshing, probably, but it is doubtful if it
would be very edifying to read in the New
Testament that while the Rev. Dr. Paul was
spending his summer vacation at one of the
fashionable resorts at Athens he was induced
to make an eloquent speech to the multitude
from Mars Hill. The second chapter Of the
Acts of the Apostles would be less significant
and beautiful if we had been told that the
accomplished linguist and eloquent divine,
the Rev. DR.. Peter, having just returned to
Jerusalem after months delightful stay
among the aristocrat:c residents of Cesarea
Phillippi, preached a remarkable discourse on
the Day of Pentecost, speaking to every nation
in its own tongue and startling the vast multi
tude as much by the beauty Of his language as
the bolduess of his imagery. Coming down
to later period we would lose much of our
faith in the good works Of st. Charles
Borremeo il we were told that he annually
| forgot the poor and the suffering while seeking
| for ''summer rest" among the Alps or the
| Apprentices and Martin Luther spending the
gay season at Baden Baden would be
picture of the stern and Woodworking
reformer which would not be grateful to the
minds OF his followers. Is it any better that
Methodist or Presby terian or Episcopal
divine should be recorded as among the dis
tinguished arrivals at our watering places
Many persons of sincere piety would be
offended to hear that their pastor was seen at
| gay ball at Congress Hall, the Clarendon or
the Grand Uuion. The scenes of fashionable
folly and dissipation are not fitting places for
| the teachers of religion which is the exempli-
| Gcation of humility and self-sacriGce.
| Nothing can be more melancholy than the
closed doors of our city churches on a fine
! Sunday in summer. When nature puts on her
brightest garments and the feeblest creatures
which came from the hand of God sing their
loudest p@ans of joy to the Father of the uni
verse, it is sad that man alone should forget
| that Sabbath rest and worship ordained for
the children of men. The closed portals of a
church are the voluntary sealing up of the
| fountains of grace. Gods temples ought
always to be open to Gods people, and we
doubt if the fashionable preachers who
are soon TO take their places once
more in their pulpits will not feel,
as they open the Sacred Book, that the spirit
| of solemn mockery pervades all their petit
| tions and sets at naught all their counsels.
| They may come back to their people in
vigorated in mind and body, but they will
| scarcely feel that all are gathered together,
with one accord, in one place, while there
appear cloven tongues, like as of fire, speak
ing as the Spirit gives them utterance. The
dust Of the race course and the mingled scents
| of the paraphernala Of the ballroom will cling
about them still, and insincerity pervade their
sincerest efforts 90 teach and preach 10 the