The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-02-16
The BthicuIties Of the clergy
Human beings drink the new milk .

|
pay the debt they owe their race by
tears rather than by cash. The reason |
suspect, is this, the lachrymal fluid is a
thing of easy manufacture. Every
thing on this earth appears to be SUBJ
ject to the appellate jurisdiction Of the
stomach. The sensual world wins
and its most CONSPICUOUS votaries, before
an immense crowd of ambitious obseiv-
ers. with an outfit of magnificent scenery,
aud with the Examinations of brilliant
foot-lights, exhibit in the choicest way
the dainty delights of their darling vi
ces. Practically viewed, Immortality
seems to be an empty myth playing.
likeian ignis fatuus, over pile of grocer
els.
But the interests Of our race depend
largely upon due regard to religious
principles. Certain religious habits, as
well as political habits, are essential to
national greatness. The philosopher
can live without religion, for he has a
constant joy in the perpetual strength
of his intellect. But history shows the
Importance of that supersensual power
in the government Of the masses. The
glory of our century is due to the mites
that have been given to Christ and the
schools. Hence the Importance of relg-
ious instruction is plain. But the sue
cess of such instruction depends largely
upon the ability of the teachers, and the
ability ofthe teachers is apt to be meas
ured by the inducements offered. The
men are few that are ready to hang this
earthly career upon possibility, bril-
liant though it be, which is but half re-
vealed in far off space to the eye of a
searching faith.
Christendom proposes to take divine
things at an advantage: it proposes to
pave its way to heaven, through Yankee
ingenuity, not by good deeds, but by
wooden nutmegs. 1t proposes to re-
move its black splashes of sin by blotting
paper of home manufacture. Meyer
fear, eternity whispers in the very air.
The philosopher has too much trust in
the omnipotence of God to suppose His
laws can be thwarted by the cheats of
men. The destiny Of our race is refera
BILE to incorruptible nature, which takes
no bribes and grants no pardons.
Of all vocations under heaven, so tar
as earthly rewards are concerned, the
Christian ministry is the most undesira-
ble They are fed with the crumbs of
sufficient salary to make an annual
addition to his library, in order to keep
up with the times and prevent unbeliev-
ers from stealing march on him. A
scanty library forebodes poor preaching.
The thoughts Of a clergymen like the
thoughts of other men, come from his
brains and brains are sustained and
magnifed by pork and beans, books, etc.
Does clergyman generally have good
library? No, it is otherwise. Not on
ly are his shelves without books, but the
wild winds shrek shrilly through the
unfurnished parsonage. And further
still, he shambles like a shabby shadow
down the aisle of the church, and weak
with leanness he enters the pulpit. And
there, for public good, without anything,
he pays devotion to the Maker of all
things. Is not this ridiculous proceed
ing?
Not only is the clergyman poorls paid,
but he is required to be slave. The
| situation demands these two irreconcila-
BILE conditions, loyalty to Christ and
subjection to the whims Of patrons.
Whilst he is only required to stand in
his religious devotions, in his secular
devotions he must fall upon his face and
kiss some ones royal feet. There Is a
tendency to make divine service men
Eial service by tacking to it a lackeyed
ministrakion. A man in the pulpit is
obliged to govern his throat with a stop
cock, in order not to endanger his corn,
With the skill of magician, he is sup
posed to draw from his tongue a sweet
preparation for the spiritual digestion
of vicious laymen. He is supposed to
supply salvation as cheap as patent
medicine for the infinite presump ption
of nristocratio Christians. More than
that, he must be especially careful not to
get off joke, look over his shoulder, or
step upon the infallible toes Of anyone.
There is class of whte-wa>hed good
les, who, acting feebly in the manage
ment of the church, give an air OF
gloomy obedience to religious worship.
But the keys Of the church are falling
into the hands of men filed with worldly
perversities. The keys are falling into
the hands of men, who, though taking
pride in a snowy display of wooden
crosses, would doubtless make faces at
| Christ, if he were upon the earth to day !;
and would for penny throw sand into
the eyes Of The Oldest saint. What with
the damaging manipulations of secular
hands and the degradation Of the min
istry, the reformatory power Of TIE
church is greatly lessened.
1t is a political maxim that he who
governs the pay. governs the conduct Of
IA man. This maxim is true to a
great extent in religious sense. And
50 the clerical profession is subject to
the movable necessities of American
I pedagogy. No wonder, then, that ma
ny clergymen, instead of being exalted
in an asnirino pietv sink into 4 po6py