The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-09-26
MODERN PULPIT TEACHING.

the hour and the mel before it, recog-
nizing nothing outside of the salvation
offered then and there. The new one is
calm, reasoning, going back to primary
conditions, and requires of men that
they educate their moral and physical
nature to fifty and Worthily embrace the
truths which are laid before them. With
all oppressed belief in the omnipotenee
of God to work an instant and nliracu-
lous revolution in a sinful nature, the
modern preacher contends that ninety
nine men out of a hundred trained in
moral and physical ell-beingfrom early
youth, viii be more likely to embrace a
Christian life than the one hundreth out
of the same number of neglected natures
become the object of special grace.
Of course this belief requires a pecu-
liar teaching. The popular preacher
does not cry Seek We frstthe Kingdom
of God and all things shall be added )"
but he says, "Train yourselves in the
exercise Of allmoral and physical virtues
and the Kingdom of God will be added
to them"
The ] doctrineo of Christ calling " not
the righteous, butsinners to repentance"
is somewhat modified by the new teach
ers. They have evidently little faith in
the salvation which may reach a falling
man between the stirgup and the ground.
The soil must be ploughed, and har-
rowed, and planted, and then If watered
by the pure fresh springs of the gospel
will bring up plentiful and goodly
groWths.
Tn short, the teacher ofspiritual truths
enforces them ON scientific principles.
1t is a species OF muscular, moral and
physical christianity which requires good
sound foundations for "The house not
built by hands, eternal in the Heavens
Whatmay be the final results of this
doctrine, we are not prophet enough to
foresee. We only know that when a
contest is Waged between spiritual and
material forces, there can be no half
victory on either side. Either Christian
ity will be degraded into a mere whole
some appendage of moral and physical
forces, or it will rush into the %unfortu-
nate extreme of ~neglecting or ignoring
their great Importance in the removal
Of the greatest evils in the world. At
least we fear this.
We certainly agree with the popular
modern preacher in attaching a solemn
Importance to early training, though we
don't exactly go with him in shifting
the burthen of the responsibilities of
immortal souls altogether from his own
shoulders to those of their early trainers
and exemplars. Throughout all nature
we find the difficulties which beset the
~straitening of q warped and crooked
growth. In most cases impossible, an
less anew shoot is fostered and rightly
trainedfrom the unsightly branch. Mod
ern teaching, while it lays little stress
upon Cod Especial providences, attaches
great weight to His great general laws
for the government of mankind. Thus
the modern sermon is often nothing but
a lecture upon those laws, and the re-
suits of their neglect.
Whilst these changes are ereepinginto
the general aspect of the Christian
church, the war of dogma continues.
The Presbyterian church, is by the ears
upon the subject of infant damnation,
or rather whether Calvin taught it or
not. Hench and Campbell contend he
did not. Prof. Warren insists that he
did. 1t is singular, with the very words
of Calvin before them, that such a mis-
apprehension can arise. In good round
latin words the great reformer taught
that the infant children of many nations
are involved in eternal and remediless
death. Read in his " Institutes book
!, chapter 23d, the sentence beginning
"Iterum quaeTo unde factum-n Of which
we give d literal and full translation,
"Again Task, how happens it, unless be-
cause Il seemed goodtoG God thatthe fall
Of Adam involved so many nations to-
gether withtlleir iifyast chiitdrenin death
eternal and without remedy
In the Episcopal church the party oil
the Recommendations is steadily growing
III strength, and the ritualistfc move
ment bids fair to destroyits unity. One
portion of the church will Away oppose
this movement; but there will also al.
ways be b portion who, charmed viii
the aesthetic element which enters int
mtnalisnl, viii range ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the purer teachings of the early Church
Altogether tile churches Throughout
the world seem to have reached transi.
ton period. Whether it Is well or il
with them d very short time will show
PRINTERS FEEs.-Hon e. =. Weber
editor Of the Leader, ST. F~fancistillt
Ia, has received the following from
heAttorney General
NEW ORLEANS, sEpr., 10, 1873.
HON. ID. Il. WEBER-Dear Sir:-YonT1
of the Srd j have delayed answering b,
reason Of Illness. You have Il right Il
demand pay Of CLERK or Sheriff, imme
dIatelY IN completion. of work, and 1.
demand security that they will pa,
when the work is done. AS TO til,
measurement, the Public Printer here
J which is the law to MS, decides tlats9tI i
] standard OF measurement is MsRiol
IUpe,#an for this you can charge.
Very Respectfully YDHFs,
j. @. a. FELLOWS,
Acting Attorney General.
s#
Lose observation-disclosures