Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1874-10-15
THEtY0N COUNTY TIMES


AS time wears away, and the ex-
element over the Beecher scandal
ceols, it is becoming more and more
apparent that some very excellent
results will grow out of it. We have
already shown that it will materially
change the social relations between
pastors and parishioners; that the
abomination of Free Love has re-
ceived stunning blow, from which
it will not recover; and that the
Woman.Suffrage business has re-
ceived warning to quit. 1t is now
still further apparent that what the
New York Herald APPLY calls the
religion of Gush" has also received
its death blow; and the strongest
proof of this is the fact that the re-
iigious newspapers have been the
first to observe this new turn OF the
tide. Even those religious papers
which have been the staunchest sup
porters of Mr.. Beecher have no diff
ficulty, now that the statements and
documents are all in, and Mr.. Beech
er's gushing platitudes and hypo-
against stern facts and realities, in
discovering that much of this wretch
ed business has grown out of the
ralipion of gush. Mr.. Beecher for
wears has preached very fanciful
morality, but one without any rigid
tests; a good, easy-going religion,
but one without any penalties;
$50, ro.,ob1a .raa1 bpt ono wit bOut
metes and bounds. No mans con-
science has tormented him much
under the droppings of Plymouth
sanctuary; no woman has been NOR
titled by stern rebuke for her beset-
ting sins. All the ways leading
from the pulpit of Plymouth Church
have been primrose paths, and all
were free to stop and pick the flow
ers. OF all the posy gatherers, Mr..
Beecher himself has been the most
industrious, and he has tied them
up with pretty blue ribbons and
love-knots, and read the language of
flowers, and distributed them about
the congregation. The most callous
sinner felt easy under Mr.. Beecher's
preaching, and all the women felt
good. Men could laugh at his jokes
and commend his moralities, and
women could dote upon his beauti-
full sentiments; and thus the thing
went on until this religion of gusl1
bore its accustomed fruit. The only
safe method of gushing is between
man and wife. One man cannot
gush to another. as is shown by the
failure of the mutual gushing be-
tween Beecher and Tilton. The fe-
male members of the congregation
must be partners in the gush; but
universal gushing of this kind soon
leads to individual gushing, and in
dividual gushing leads to cave of
gloom. Gush, when distributed over
a whole congregation, may do no
harm, except that it usually creates
a longing upon the part of somebody
to try its particular effects, and The
opportunity is always easily found.
The lesson is timely one. There
are many more gushing ministers in
the Church, and there are plenty of
women who are liable to gush with
them. If these men have discovered
that the pulpit is not the place for
gush, then the Beecher scandal has
subserved one valuable purpose. If
they are now convinced that life has
its duties as we'll as its sentiments,
it's penalties as well as its pleasures,
its solemn revelations as well as its
fantasies, its worship as well as its
affinities, then Mr.. Beecher's fall is
not altogether Improbable. If men
and women have discovered that
the decalogue and doctrine are more
important, even if not as pleasant,
as gush, and that the pastor is lit
tie lower than the Master, then has
the Brooklyn scandal been bless
ing, outside the parties Immediately
concerned. The only safety for
those tender and romantic souls who
must gush is to gush at home. The
only safety for minister is not to
gush at all. Religion and gush have
no affinities for each other. Religion
is God-worship; gush is MANY or-
ship. Religion is matter of disci-
pine; gush is matter of lawless-
ness. Religion is measured by I'M
alterable law; gush knows no re-
straint. Religion is spiritual; gush
is sensual. The gushing minister
desecrates the pulpit in which he
stands and betrays the Master whom
he pretends to serve. Nine times
out of ten the gushing minister is
hypoerite; the other time he is a
fnol - Cb;rnun Th.ibao,a