, 1874-07-12

et}lo OF t0c pulpit ofaiorv OF tl1t1u cAtt5 oas .
when their own lives wero simpler than they IRE
now, and when people were content With fetven
thought anl pious ways, very naturally conclude
that it would have been better to preserve thif
primitive condition Of things. Perhaps itwould
But this Was not possible, the pulpit influence te
| the contrary notwithstanding. When Tho peo-
pie, enjoying broader educational facilities and
grouping themselves in larger communities,
ceased to be satisfied with tile plain, familiar
| talk OF Presiding Elder. and were rather
| startled than instructed by the crude aud
! impassioned utterances of the circuit preacher,
the pulpit had to change along with the people.
Had it stood still while the people advanced, it
would hare sacrificed more Of its influence than
:Ir. Mullius believes it has yielded by changing
with the times.
II tho pulpit has less influence than formerly,
which is not altogether certain, its decline must
he traced to other causes than that which Ar.
Mullins and the o1d-school re1gionists assign
for it. In yillage-ife, where the manners Of tho
people are subjec. to little change, tho old,
earnest, and raadornea style Of preaching mar
be the more effective NOW as then. But i'll
communities whose sizo and activity pro-
duce friction with modern ideas, the pull
pit orator must compete with the educa-
tiona1, philosophical, scientific. oratorical, and
other attractive influences to be found on every
hand II the pulpit is behind, it is rather be-
cause it has not kept up with the other branches
OF public life than because q few of it's orators
have made themselves attractive to large au-
dicnces by their learning and their originality.
We mus: not leave all tho attractive preaching
as we'll Us all the good songs to the Devil. II
the lectu.e-room is made brilliant with the dis
closures Of science. and the newspaper shines
with Lew light, and the books and magazines
lead people ;ato untroddcn paths, the pulpit
must likewise go into science aud philosophy,
and attractive learning of every kind, in order to
maintain its place among the great public in
structozs. 1t is not enough for preachers
to tell people that they will bo damned If they
don't believe; they arc too apt to reply now
adays that they will be damned if they do, until
such and such natter is explained to them.
If scientific investigators create doubts in the
minds OF reading md thinking people. the pulpit
must follow up these Investigations just us
closely and learncdly to dlssipate the doubts.
II the author, actor, and lecturer, offer per-
formenccs that attract aud delight on week |
days, tho pnblcwin demand that Sunday shall |
not be dull and stupid. Ne fail to sec any good |
reason why the Word Of God should not be |
spoken cleverly as well as the words Of nsau.
nor why the psalms should not be sung as at |
.ractiyely us the songs Of the concert-room.
We have no desire to pursue the inquiry why
he pulpit has lost influence. Indeed. We doubt !
whether the proposition. thus stated be correct.
t may be said that the pulpit does not exert as
much influence it might, without saving that it
,as lost any. It has advanced, but perhaps not SO
apidly MS other institutions competing with it for
he sway OF human kind. It would be . serious
mistake, however, and happily one not ikely to
10 made, to go back to the old order OF things
or which some people in al times sigh in vain.