The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-06
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE OLD PATHS AND THE NEW.

Rev. William BrOwn, d. d.:
My Dear Sir,-Every Christian who loves
to walk in the old paths, which seem to hin
TO be marked out by the Word of God and
hallowed by the example of the best people
he has ever known, will always be interested
in your plain, Old-fashioned vindication oi
Scripture truth, as we'll as in your fearless
condemnation of the absurdities of the day,
both of precept and practice.
Indeed, our religious press needs to be
thoroughly eonseersted, earnest and out
spoken in order to confirm and establish
Gods people in that which is according to
truth, and to eounteract the influence of
those journals which teach error, and are
read by many protesting Christians far more
constantly and diligently than is His Word.
Such course may not be the most popular
or secure the largest patronage, but it will
meet with the favor of God, and the day will
declare that it was honest and right, and
that souls were benefited thereby, and the
divine glory declared.
If you will allow me, l should like to pre-
sent to you and to your readers some facts
which are not new, for they are too common
in these days, to pass unnOticed; but they
have moved my own spirit very deeply of
late, and l cannot keep silence. These
things to which refer, are, it seems to me,
contrary to the divine law, and subversive
of Christian principle. But then am old
fashioned and have not yet Overtaken I" the
advanced thought" of the age. And 1
should judge that you too are far behind it:
May the good Lord ever keep US in the old
paths
l. Have You any idea into how many pro-
fessedly Christian families, secular newspa-
pers are introduced on every Sabbath morn
ingl And were you aware that they were
quite extensively read during the Lords
day? This habit was formed during the
war. 1t was thought that the exigency of
the times justified the practice, but alas it
was not given up when peace came. l have
been in Christian homes on the Sabbath,
where the servant has brought me the secu-
lar paper fresh from the Office. Is there,
can there be any apology for this practice !?
Ought Christian parents to permit these pa
pers to enter their doors on the Lords day !?
They may not touch them, but their chill
dren and servants read them, aud are not
the former guilty in the sight of God?
2. We would also be astonished at the
numbers of Christians who travel on the
Lords day, if we had the opportunity of
looking into this matter. As pastor, l
have often with sorrow learned that families
in my congregation have been kept from the
house of God by the arrival of Sabbath visi.
tors.
We may imagine that the cars and the
steamboats, are crowded with foreigners and
those of our own country who habitqslly ne
glect the sanctuary; but there are among
those many who profess to be Christians,
and their objects are various, business, Wis
iting, attendance upon religious services in a
neighbOring town or city. | know whereof
i affirm.
have known ministers of the gospel, af-
ter the delivery of sermon in the morning
to hurry off to the train, and ride twenty,
thirty and even fifty miles, to attend the
dedication of church or to hear some fs-
nous preacher.
/ have known ministers wives and daugh
ters and sons to take a similar ride on the
same day. l have known an elder to make
a trip of forty miles on the cars, in order tc
oficiate the same day at the communion ser
vice in the city church to which he belongs
And he asked me few days before, what
thought of it, showing that his conscience
was not satisfied. protested against sucl
procedure Was right?
Only q short time ago, a member of {
"YOung Mems Christian Association" in
neighbOriDg city, left this place, where h
had been making brief visit, on the Sab
bath afternoon train, to meet an appoint
ment with bis religious society. 1 do no
believe that this was right. 1 know that hi
conduct on that occasion did harm anon
those who were not Christians. How ca
Gods people grow in grace, how can the
expect to be useful among their fellow mel