Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-05-03
Independent in all things.
- For the Telegraph.

Last August many VI us Dau Ine pleas
ure of hearing Rev. Henry Bruce-Miss-
ionary--read very elaborate and ably
written article, on the subject Of "Caste
in India" showing what fearful engine
Of power it was as exercised over that
poor deluded people; what terrible
sway it held over them in all their ways
and walks in life; how it held them un-
der its dominion as with bands of steel;
how it fettered and hindered the miss
ion work, and prevented thousands from
embracing Christianity because of the
prosecutions that surely follow, and some
times even death itself. All who heard
il doubtless bemoaned the sad condi-
tion of those subjected to the arbitrary
rules and tests of caste; and so we might
well do. But as listened, / thought sis
there not a species of caste even in Chris
tian America almost as enervatinp, par
alyzing and destroying in its effects up
on the church and its work, as is the for
mer? Is there not spirit and element
native to the aristocratic, wealthy and
high-boIn church members, which i'm
some of their phases bear a strong resem-
blance to 1.-THE spirit manifested by
those of proud, naughty, imperious, ,scorn-
full and pharasaical bearing, who say by
their every look, act and word, ''stand
aside, for we are holier and better than
you; we wish no fellowship with YOU
plebians; you are not of our caste-our
clique" Two years ago what wall
went up from some of the noble souls in
in our great cities" Our churches are
dying of respectdbiity and propriety!"
What a sad commentary on the spiritual
condition of those churches! Pride and
fashion, and ostentatious diplay in dress
and equipage, have made many of these
churches grand exhibition salons of style
and .fitShion, rather than places for the
humble and sincere and spiritual worship
of God. And what is Il lie result =? Gods
poor, whom Christ said aye do always
have with you," and to whom it. was
Christ's delight to preach the gospel
of love and mercy, are driven away
to other places, for how can two
such diverse and uncongenial elements
unite? Or else they desert Gods house
entirely, and Romanists reap rich harvests
from many such such families who would
otherwise have been Protestants. Proud,
aristocratic and naughty Christian, will
your wealth, your high birth and conse-
quence here, avail you aught when weigh
FED in the balance? Will not all these be
stripped from you and you be left to
stand upon your simple Christian char
dcter-on a par with the poorest, hum
blest and most despised of Christ's loved
ones Will not the peer and the peasant
stand upon the same INSTRUMENTATION
only by the atoning, sacriticial blood OF
Christ? God is no respecter of persons
all are peers in his sight
Beware We proud and naughty ones
lest when Christ comes to make up his
Jewels, many of these poor, humble
Christians whom you have despised and
deemed unfit to enter into your select
and charmed circle, shall be accepted
and you yourselves ut the door rejected
, stand. Yes, we need not go outside OF
our city to find this spirit of caste il
persons who stand in the way of Christ
church's most efficient wOrk-person,
, literally dying Of lDrOpriety. Such per
/ sons are an incubus upon the spirituality
of the church and her triumphs. They
may give literally to support the gospe
$ and all benevolent interests, but ar,
l other the chief, the prime objects W.
l sought? Benecolenc8 alone will no
e build up spiritual church; but prayer
D and conservation and will to work a
= God directs, will not only beget benevo
G lence in the heart, but will build up
t live, active, spiritual and progressiv
G church.
|, There are persons here who will no
: yield an iota of their pride, or infring
= in the least upon their pet notions o
e propriety, and so not only starve thei
: own souls but stand in the way of 9th
e ers, even those i'll their own households
e for during the gracious rain of the Spli
n it in the past six weeks, none of tn
members of such families shared in an
l. special blessings; thus keeping not onl
n themselves but these from sharing in TIL
e bounteous provisions of the Kings feas
l. The sooner such spirit or element
II eradicated from any church, the bette
r for it, spiritually considered. Many,
is fear, make much giving take the plaC
N of much praying, and the charity man
IS tested by alms-giving is suffered to e,
" pei all heart-charity, kind treatmen
S, love and good will toward the poor an
If humble. Perhaps the grand sum tot
N at the end of the year might not mai
,e so imposing an exhibit among the Ion
d. lists of church benevolence. In II
h. former case, there might be larg'
1t congregation, more attractive gosp
1t preached and more imposing churc
it editice; but in the latter, there will be
d deeper, more humble piety; greater co
le secration and efficiency in the work
a the Master, and there will be larg
n. spiritual harvest reaped from out Il
is world. t. E. L.
20 George w. Smally writes to the Iri
ID me from London: for the look-o
at On board the Atlantic, it may ha'
:. | lao., nIoan,r wit thnut differinn mui