Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-12-04
Nashville Religion inl873
For the Fayetteville Observer.
Respectfully Dedicated to Those whom
il Fits,

NASHVILLE, December /, 1873.
Hr v. o. WaHace:
TO what end are we drifting?
Can any human say,
When man will make Gods holy time
A ranting, wrangling day?
And those 10 whom we're taught to look,
Yea, ministers OF grace,
Will wage deadly war Of hate
In church or other place,
And throwing off the Christians shield,
With sacreligious frown,
In scathing, irreligious words,
Run sister churches down;
When saints will sit with gaping mouths,
Smile and nudge and wink
at every point the preacher makes,
What must poor sinners think,
II those who claim 10 be redeemed
Encourage every word,
And we poor sinners must submit
To all such acts absurd?
For instance, on last sabbath. !,
In rather serious mood,
Thought would hear the Word explained
No doubt 'twould do me good;
And 80 went and took my seat
In the abode Of prayer,
Nor deem'd that anything but love
Could ever enter there.
But soon speaker ills the desk,
And TO my great surprise,
Claims his alone the only church,
And two long hours tries
TO lead US from tie Word Of God,
Placed there before our eyes.
And such batch of billingsgate
No mortal ever heard,
AS finds its vent in spleen and spite,
In each fast rolling word.
No matter who their hearers are,
No matter day or place,
They make themselves a laughing stock,
As Christians disgrace;
Forgetting all the higher points
The greatest one TO love
They strive to please the earthly courts,
And not the courts above.
They wriggle, flourish, speak and shout
Each other TO entangle-
From New Years day till Christmas Eve
It's nothing else but wrangle.
Oh for more faithful preachers here,
Where darkest clouds now lower,
To preach the peerless word of God
With apostolic power;
Who do not stick at minor points,
Whose voice can stem the tide,
10 preach US nothing else but Christ
And how for us He died.
Then send us, Lord, preacher who
From thy own hand is given"
To point the poor impenitent
To thy right hand in heaven;
Oh send us one to teach us all
To worship our Creator,
And oh! dear Lord, do send us one
Who is not 'debater;'
WhocaA'treadGrcek,n nor can't pars aGreeii
From spelling book to grammar,
Nor never practices gestures like
He was goingto act drama;
And send us one who does not care
y copper cent for riches,
Who does not pass the poor man by
To bow 10 broadclOth breeches;
Who does not care for chickens fried,
So that the food be healthy,
And likes poor man just as well
As others who are wealthy;
Send one who has cOntrite heart,
OF meek and lowly speech
And oh! dear Lord, do send us one
Who isn't too proud TO preach.
1tS, hcht grant manu- io sHlhtb
Deal death 60 each Philistine,
No matter if they pour or dip,
just send us on Christian.
Well fix up matters by ourselves,
And-yes, we'll in a twinkling,
Fix up strainer over head
For those that 70 for sprinkliAgr
And for the other side who plunge,
TO keep their faith from slipping,
Wen dig a pool a fathon deep
Where they can do their diEqing-
Wen fix up everything tirst-Iate-
Separate, not cOnfounding-
Where they can sprinkle, plunge or pour,
II needs he, 90 to drowning.
Then every one can suited be,
So send us on more teachers,
For this thy vineyard needs, Lord,
Yes, badly needs some preachers.
PAUL Pay.