Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-31
Murray on "DeacOns."

large audience was agreeably entertained and
edited last evening, at Granite Hall, by Rev. VIM.
III. Ii. Murray Of Boston, on the grave subject Of
'Deacons."
The lecturer began by abiding to the character
istics of Americans in comparison with the people
of other countries. The people OF Europe are like
each other in a thousand ways-but in this coun-
try there is no national type The Yankee is a law
unto himself. Bigotry and libcralty sit side by
side in the same pew, and progression and old
fogyism sing piously from the same hymn book.
In nothing this diversity and antagonism OF
character so prominent in ecclesiastical affairs.
In religious matters the typical American never
shows.
Take dozen men out of the audience ana al
them what they think OF native depravity and it
would be found that each had very positive opin-
ion. Assertion would be set against assertion, un
til their tempers would clash, and in half hour
the doctrine would be proved by their conduct In
religion the American never shams. Cool, calcu-
lating, secretive in other things touch him with
catechism and you see the flash of his eyes through
his mask. Take dozen men out fthis audience
and you will find that each has definite opinion
about total depravity. Allow them to discuss the
subject and they will grow warm, then angry, and
perhaps end in quarreiling by way of illustrating
the doctrine. From this diversity OF views arse
sects. Every American is bound to have a reiig.
ion that suits him; as Burlngame said, 1--WE must
have an anti-slavery Bible and an anti-slavery
God" In England France people are content to
worship year after year and century after century,
in one established FORM; but it is different here.
An American cannot carry a doubt or an idea in
his mind twenty four hours. New England civili-
cation specially illustrates the inharmonous and
contradictory phases of American life. In prnci-
Piles, as well as in practice New England society
was a very embodiment of contributions. In old
times the aristocracy OF Massachusetts was not
only an anomaly, but it appeared where it should
be least expected-in the church. To he an officer
of the church in those days the highest dignity
The deacon" was looked up to with but little less
reverence than the pastor himself.
The lecturer then proceeded to exhibit the Dea-
con in his various phases with very happy des-
crptions of the different kinds of deacons to be
found in every society. These he characterized
and classhed-among them the bigoted narrow.
minded deacon, of which class he had specimen
in one of his churches once, that you had to hold
Off and look at sidewse to see that he had anv
mind at ALL" There too was the querulous deacon,
who fought his pastor with the same feryor with
which he prayed for the heather the here sv.hunt.
ing deacon, who watched the pulpit aterrier did
a rat hole in order to pounce upon some unfortu-
nate sentence or quotation and went trotting down
the centre aisle after the benedicticn his eyes fair
ly swapping with suppressed satisfaction, tha0e
had scented out one mole proofthat his pastor was
"unsound in the Faith :" the timid deacon, always
worrying least his minister will do semt thing to
hurt his influence, and there was the old fogy dea-
con and the deacon who led the choir, and knew bet
ter than the pastor how to select the hymns; and
last, but not least, the deacon who studied two
terms in the Theological Seminary, and whom the
sewing society of his native village was educating
to send as a missionary to the heather, but who
did not so for two first, the sewing society
got into fight and broke up ana the funds failed,
and second, he failed to pass his examination at
the end of the second term all of which was or
dered by Providence in mercy to the heather. In
half the churches no new measure, however good,
could be proposed and not meet with persistent OPP
position. The motto in such churches was'''what
has not been shall not be-" In church after church
dozen men sat like leeches on the swelling veins
of holy enterprise and by them Christ was made TO
appear hostile to whatever was most honorable in