Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-30
A SERMON;
Delivered ON Sunday, May 10th. in
the Nj. E. Church, in Plymouth.
BY REV. j. L. BOYD.

the Nj. E. Church, in Plymouth.
BY REV. j. L. BOYD.
Published at the solicitation of friends.
w herefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matt. 9TH, 20.
tGive every man thine ears. but few thy voice
rake each mans censure, bur reserve thy judg
ment.''
This have I often done; this viii continue +,
oo. IL was frequently asked me by my youn!
Ir!ends last Week, without discrimination OF kind
whether 1t was wrong to go to shows?" Nj,
answer invariably TO them has been-that depends
on the nature and character OF the exhibitions ant
the circumstances under which we attend them
The voice of the young has had an echo III olde
persons, who have coupled their questions witt
IN amrinatlon concerning their attendance, ant
conviction as to the harmessness OF circus amuse
ments have given every my ear few my voice
received the censure OF very IeW, and now shal
classes of inqurers
Whatever comes up for Christian judgment, be /
recreation, amusement, research, or all combned-
each should have impartial consideration il
tat candor that only belongs to the christian heart
he test by which all these things are 10 be ADJUST
ed is the word OF God.
! Our Lords rule for Christian character and con.
duet, Is expressed in the trite language, by the
ali come.
The word ':show,' is applied to all classes OF
uaNehng exhibitions, good, bad, and Indifferent
ana our great difficulty consists in discrimination
on advertisement, or the ''separaon OF the precious
4 AlOlii Tie vie IOf All exhibitions evil.
from earliest life. my education has BEEN thai
lhe MenageT1e was not only place OF innocent
amusement out one OF prolit; and on this educa,
noh, connected wIth observation, by lar the besi
place to study natural history. place where not
only the wonderful works Oh God are manifest: bui
manifold reasons why they We're created, made
pam TO the student. Thus Illustrating the book o
nature, ana more especially OF Teseiafs0R, which
2bouIds with illustrations drawn from the auInla
! Kingdom.
lne revelation given Of the varied types Of mar
7 efras.T D.
otherwise be made plain TO the mass as tBss pre-
sented IN living realities, although written UPON BY
men, who make science their study, and wIo have
aItent!sd such exhibitions III some form OF other
The distinction between man aud the lower order
OF animals Is here drawn as cannot he done BY the
pen Oh the author or The brush the artist. Pope
well says:
| Nothing is foreign parts relate to whole:
One al extending, all preserving soul:
Inc universal cause acts, to one end, but acts by
natures laws;
connects each being, greatest with the least
-d'aNe 9eSt IN aiu OF man, and man in aid beast
Or, thus distinguishing has Moore so well written
/ o. natures Worll IN creation:
/ 10 man she gave in that proud hour
The boon OF intellectual power
The influence of organization under different
climates ana dlltereut habits, never 50 marked
70 my mind, with the degeneraoy OF the race rom
Adam, until visiting the Menagexie The last ore
IN their exhibition OF the degeneracy of Australia
was but such lesson ace med i he point OF dis
ngGlshnent between the activities OF the human
soui ana instinct IS there marked, If not under
stood; and the observer must be urged thereby 10
hHher moral and intellectual activity; and the
lines OF oung come aptly in connection here =
t 80 - lis vain to seek ia man, for more than man
Though proud IL promise, big in previous thought
Experience OF him dalaps oar tIiu.nphs"
To which I add =
Religion pure, gives guide to higher being.
W ha1 OoI ha-h nale Is worth his chidrens seeing
From this conclude for scriptures stratiop and
general information, it is always wei Tor me TO be
present y mere amusement and profitable instruction
are combined, and when character is not o,npro-
missed II the deed. All admit such need not be at
the menagerie. But with the all do no; ,a,rt.s ro.
on this point as Nfe 0H the elr11s eIfea4 st.ra, a
give NE some COnscienIi0glSIess.
The Museum OF Itself, fiils sphere ii art nd his
tory combined and tor Information is usetrI e.fy
Us II correctly represents Its va.ne rs to morats
manly depends on the subjects selected. A poor
rersen tton OF the school OF the Prophets or Col
iege OF Disciples, and more especially OF Christ.
whether from the sacred altar, in ancient paintings
or modern wax fsures cannot be productive OF
good, and had better never been seen whether
shown on Church Affairs, or IN Museums: bsino,
canvass paintings, wood hgures, statuary
MANY or the old country Churches, (Which every
Traveller tails not to vlsitl are unCer corrfDt orn
OF religion, and but museums OF ostentatious anal
laolatrous display. Where the virgin Mary in some
form or ether, ranks precedent 10 Christ and i
always presented under tie form OF narionaItv
where exhibited. In Germany, she is a dutch yvo-
mon. IN Ireland, an Irish; ana so on whar. mo-
PIE are tanght her worship. Ii consistent with
pr0teslant Ideas IN England and America ii is hard
to tell what form might be adopted here Some of
her exhibitions here are teachers Of the evil 8
with Christ and his Apostles, under some form
placed before people believe it was said bv
some one, that the intelligence and morals on MOO
pie can always be told by the painting ana stafIarv
OF a people; and US am now ON tie question of
reform in amusement and recreation I IN, dacids9
ly III favor OF giving CaraeaIs the museums and teir
profits; and not the Churches There we lind "a
creation, and pleasant amusement under a correct
representation OF things combined with nstruc-
ton.
The feathered warblers in bush and nest auto-
mallcAly Singing as sweetly as the living realities
near by, but suggest the idea of song. not found
merely IN the Douy, bnt manifest through il as the
human soul is
The men OF renown for evil and good. BROUGHT
IN contrast; ana thus perpetuated, together, with
me a"iatcfnt pardaou seated between a Fisk and
stokes, ought to guide and warn the youfh IN fine
formation OF character, when, and wherever shown
and the automatic power in other images Intensity
mechanical desire. until untitled Tor the evangel-
zaflon and civilization OF the world
All this think VIII be conceded as lawful and
innocent amusement, II not put under rule Ii fthere
placed, IL becomes labor and not amusement
The lawfulness OF amusement rests uI,op facts
The TACT is we need it, and get along with
out 1t. Our natures are as Instruments ol MANY
chofds- 10 Keep them IN order ali must be brought
INTO exercise his Is SO well founded in every law OF
our being, l presume no intelligent person will
question it. "Relaxation should counterbalance
tension. The care Worn brain should find rafresh
ment in harmless exhicration OF spirits, and the
strained body and intellect be released from their
d;slly task his may be done in various ways
and under variety Of circumstances: but the most
prohtable way Is q combination OF amusement and
instruction. The only question with Us should be
TO distinguish Alright our nature, and influence Tor
winch we are Individually responsible; and not
play too much on that part which is already over
used tor our moral good; and this point brings me
10 contemplate the sphere OF the circus. Here can
not say that OF which have said OF the menacerie
ana want, IN examination OF it, to make all due con-
slderatiOn for education OF myself and others
On Monday last, for the first time | Witnessed
equestrianship, foolery and acrobatic Costume in
side OF the canvass. The acrobatic feats were in
part to me wonderful. had little idea that the
complex machinery OF man would allow the yaIllt-
ing and tumbling-and the high degree OF physical
perfection exhibited, was to me- amusing innocent
and instructive The costume in part with the
lnterspersed foolishness, and questionable remarks
were neither interesting, instructive nor proper
AND while fools are plenty everywhere, both inside
and outside OF tents; and we aften called uDon
to listen to them under a variety OF circumstances
and on multifarious subjects sometimes Dayino
Tor II, and sometimes looking on and hearine5
without pay-they unquestionably had them there
for pay, in full quota.
shall first speak SO far as can favorable of tho
circus, reserving final judgment of the whole for
application and conclusion.
Equestranship do not conceive to be so much
OF sin, as the weakness infirmity of some men
who love so well to witness it, and in some manner
exhibit. In proper bounds it is certainly harmless
The mate love of some men for horses and to show
them OF has oft been a study and pleasure To me
and a circuit rider i have seen some risk for
pleasure, travel, and even display, with them and
this know ! came by very honestly.
But When equestrianshp becomes evident feats
of daring and danger, and acrobatic ones are like
wise classed, can but condemn them, as much as
do the foo-hardness of him who enters the
Lions Den. Such we have all witnessed in the