Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-25
SUNDAY READING.

nit as Rev. .. b. Frothingham Is one
Of the stronger assurances anu more
Gratifying incidents of the religious
life Of the times. Such men staho
midway between science, which Is IT
religious merely because self ABSORBED
ana religion. which lacks something
Of a full sympathy with the concerns
OF this world because Of its too con
slant contemplation of that which lies
beyond the Shadowy River. We AT"
taught something relating to the higher
affairs of mental exertion bv such
sermon as we find reported as follows
in an eastern exchange. Said The Rev
srend scholar whose name We nave
mentioned "Science is guarantee
OF religion in these days. We all Z" 10
science for our religious impressions.
IL is science that puts us on the 'rach
Of faith and effects REORGANIZATION ne
tween the private heart, the personal
desire, the individual purpose ana
that which is supreme and constant.
Mr.. rockingham spoke at length Oh
the priesthood rs the first cause OF II
religion among the people. He spoke
of their tyranny over their suoIec's
and their desire ~ keep the people I'D
ignorance and thraldu;n. Protestant
ism had its prieS-~ a'-o. Inc pastor
was in certain seir.e priest, ana he
believ ell that u barge responsibility Oh
the irTeligion of The day rested upon
the ministers of religion. Ii they
should stand forth simply as men, a.
servants willing {" 40 more than their
share of the. w,.r..j-> work, then the
theory that r..i@'"u was an oppre>soi
and foe of mankind would pass away
and its power, purified, enlightened
and inspired, would be restored. An
other cause OF irreligion was the prev
alence ip our modern society oil what
could he called the money making
spirit-the universal energy and ne
cessity of earning livelihood. IL was
seldom considered how universal this
spirit is. In the past age the money
makers were comparatively few. The
men who controlled finance, who
laid new tracts of labor, who built
ships and controlled the markets OF
the world could be numbered with
few scores in a large city. 1t was so
no longer. Every class had its wares
to sell. Every one was candidate for
wealth. The commercial spirit touch
ed every man and woman. Ministers
Of religion no longer lived in seclu-
sion; they had NO time. They were
all men of business. and their business
must lie attended to. They lived
life of turmoil and fears, lifted up or
dragged down by rising and falling
stocks. They lecture, write letters
and articles for publication They
must earn their living. All the coun-
try enters into this great competition.
There is no time for religious contem-
plation, and being no time, there was
little disposition. The interests in ma
/ erial things assumed the preponder-
ance, and 1t told upon belief IN God
Not that God seemed SO far of, so
ideal, but that the people found they
could do without him. The belief OF
God and hereafter becomes unreal.
The only natural remedy for this re-
l,.ious apathy was culture. education,
training and refinement. When rellg
ion emancipated itself from the thrai-
dom into which it had been bound
when it should step forth associated
with all helpful influences when Its
belief shall simply stand as the best
Interpretation it can give now to the
divine reality; when its eulogies shall
stand as so many helps to better,
then the old light would come back.
This hatred would give place to love.
Religion would no longer be the OPP |
rressor of mankind, but be adored
and glorified.
The occupant of the place whence
are delivered the small weekly ser
mons under the head of Sunday Read
ings in the APPEAL, like minister
who is under engagement as Lyce-
um Lecturer, has found himself diver
ted from the strict line of duties of
pulpiteer to another field in which
these semi-literary tasks and pastimes
are not much fostered. He declares
himself glad to return to a more regu- |
lar and faithful performance OF the |
work for the doing of which he has a
greater liking, and, as he feels, less
degree OF unfitness. Leaving out Ad-
eiison's reasons for entertaining the |
opinion, there certainly are times
when "The post of honor is the pri-
yate station much as candor and
observation compel the admission that
public station has its allurements, as
it certainly has its gratifying but not
too highly valued honors. But the
less exciting and less violent contact |
with the public which the writer en-
joys is, at any rate, pleasant change
and a grateful rest; and while We who |
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