The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-12-28

The ancient theological dogma was that tn
Christian could make no lawful use OF thi
world There is no chapter in church histor
at once more interesting and instructive thai
the one that traces the development Of thi
doctrine. The first stage 10 Christian asceti
cism was the hermit life. Men and womel
Withdrew from society and lived in caves an'
dens OF the desert. One man, when told tina
he had fine voice for singing took VOW o.
silence and spoke to no one for thirty years
One lived three years in the bottom Of dry
well. Many OF the saints would eat but one
meal day just enough to keep soul and body
together. The famous Pillar Saint goes alone
into the desert and erects pillar OF stone
This is in the form OF pyramid and is several
feet in height. On the summit OF this structure
this hermit lived, through storms and through
sunshine, through night and through day. He
would occasionally descend and gather few
berries and then return Immediately to his liv-
ing tomb. He became but mere skeleton.
His garments rotted nearly off from him. Upon
his diseased body the worms fed, and historians
say that when one Of the creatures fell from
his arm he would pick it up and placing it back
on his arm say, 50 Eat what God hath gwen
thee" People would make long pilgrlmages
to see this devoted saint, -one who had the
resolution TO leave society and live like that
This was Religion!
The sermon Of that age took its colorng
from the same theological idea. Tue sermon
dealt in dry points OF doctrine that the preacher
nor no one else in this world knew much about.
1tacu : bnu al
ers in 4 wing of the Arch Angel Gabriel" but
to preach practical truths that the people could
take home with them and live out during the
week, was regarded rank heresy. The result
was that Christians - took up their cross and
went to church and heard sermon, while the
non-church member went hunting or fishing.
The saving dry as sermon" came into gen.
eral use. II preacher 80 studied Gods word
and human nature as 10 make his sermons in
teresting, the word " Hereto" was written
upos his brow, so that all good people might
shun him. The rsnkest heresy was to so preach
as to keep people awake
The same style Of thought placed the preach
or himself aloof from society, The world be-
came divided into men, women aud ministers
The minister was cross between angels and
human beings. The pulpit was elevated sew
eral feet above the heads OF his hearers. Up
the winding stairs he would go, shut the door,
and there he stood boxed up from his congre-
CATION They could see only little OF his
head. 1T was sacreligious to have him stand
down near the congregation, man among
men, fighting the same battle that they were
fighting, looking forward to the same reward
which they hoped to win. His dress, too must
in some way distinguish him from others. A
leading minister OF Brooklyn was requested
not to wear side whiskers, it would MAKE him |
look 80 worldly. The result was that young
people rather see almost any one else than the |
minister come to their homes remember
that ! used to ran and hide when saw the
preacher coming. The very sight OF him made |
me think OF funerals, collins and Gead bodies
About the last stage in the development OF
Christian aecetcism was the establishment OF |
the monasteries and nuneries Of the East
The hermits formed into colonies. took VOWS
renouncing the world and all intercourse with
society. The Church OF Rome still adheres to
these institutions.
over against this doctrine 1 place the state.
ment that our social nature is not to be ignored
but properly directed. Use this world as
not abusing H." This implies that there is a
lawful use OF this world for the Christian We
are not hermit like, to blot out our social ma
ture Some OF you have seen Central Park,
New York. Years ago there were lodges OF
unseemly rocks running IN all directions. The
city authorities went out there to look at the
grounds and consider the propriety of making
a beautiful park. But they said how shall we
remove those rocks 1t will cost an immense
amount OF money to do the required blasting.
Indeed that Is impossible But when the land
scape gardener came, he said we don't wan. to
get rid OF those rocks; we don't want to blast
them out OF existence. Plant your vines and
flowers near them. They did so, and you now
see flowers growing upon the rocks The
rocks, instead of having been blasted out of
existence are made use OF. Contra! Park to-
day would be Invested Of one-half its beauty
were those rocks removed. Christian asceti-
clsm says blast out mans social nature il is OF
no use. But Christianity proper says do not
seek to ignore that part Of our nature, but cul-
'ivate it, properly direct it, let the vines and
flowers be planted "use this world, as not
abusing it,
great English writer has said that the SIN
Of the American people is oyerwork and under
rest. We are in hurry. When we travel,we
go by steam. whentwe talk we use the tele- !
phone or the telegraph. We do not write the =
old fashioned letters any more, but take
postal card. jot down two or three lines, and I
with the stereotyped remark. Yours
in haste" Charles Dickens gave the people OF {
this country good hit when he said that in a
hundred years from his writing the Americans ;
would have patent-right portable stomachs '
The merchant would not have to leave his
store for dinner but could send his stomach
home to be filled while he remained in the store :
dealing out Soods! The American people need ,
less OF this hurry and more rest. I.
Young people will have anusement M
theological dogma VIII entirely hinder this. AS
The boy said when the teacher asked him vbv
he whistled, 81 didn't whistle il wbi,,Ied
itself !" SO human nature will have amnse. /
ment despite theological barriers. A church @
social where few persons SIT arouna nav, a. a