The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-09-22

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guileless religious sentimentalist imagine
that the devotional feeling is particularly
strong in the United States. So feryent
does it seem in some men that they are not
diverted from it by the buzzing OF the per-
sistent fly of the late autumn nor by the
approach OF the collection basket, nor even
by the desperate wrigglng OF their own
children who sit beside them. But If the
observer maintains his watchful gaze
throughout the service he will discover
that as the time for closing approaches the
wife or child of the distracted man, or, per-
haps, a kind hearted neighbor, INDUCES IN
sundry sly shakes and pinches and RIB
proddings, and that when the subject
OF these attentions is finally aroused he
starts suddenly, instinctively rubs his eyes
and then opens them, showing in every
way to the initiated that he has not been
prayerfui or contemplative but fast asleep.
1t is very deplorable that miserable sim
ners should take more naturally to somno-
lence than to sermons; but there must be
some reasons for the preference, and 1t does
not necessarily follow that they are all to be
mon were to be taken as u penance, and the
same were distinctly stated from the pulpit,
it is probable that most prudent sinners
would listen wakefully to the end; but no
preacher, however modest, will admit that
his sermons are prepared for any such pur-
pose. They are devised as moral or spirit
! ual instructions and exhortations. The up
IS Lofk
for their existence. Most men and women
of religious tendencies are supposed to pray
| for themselves; but preaching, either by
way of warming or diversion, is, with other
duties specially churchly, confided to cler-
| gymen. By sentiment, habit and rule the
clergy is committed to the task Of expound-
ing moral and spiritual truth it is re-
vealed or believed, and thus lifting people
at least once a week from the morass to
which business cares and household wor-
res reduce the best men and women.
But how is this duty fulfilled? What
ever the reason may be-exacting pastoral
duties, unreasonable requirements on the
part of parishioners, imperfect mental Or
ganization or training, or the lack Of time
and opportunity for that mental recreation
which is necessary to even the greatest
minds-be the reason whatever it may, the
truth is that the greatness of his topic does
not save more than one preacher in ten
from seeing every Sunday that some of the
strongest pillars Of his church ar0also the
soundest sleepers. 1t is unfair to blame
the hearers. Men do not sleep at plays,
operas, concerts and lectures, no matter
how weary they may be; they remain awake
because they are interested, or at least di-
verified. Nor is it fair to say that men are
not interested in religion. Man is a SYM
pathetic being, no matter how earnestly he
may deny it or how assiduously he keeps
his heart off his sleeve, and the sense of
being one Of body of people assembled
together because of individual hopes,
fears, aspirations and needs arouses
the sympathies even of professed
unbelevers During singing, prayers or
mass no one sleeps; even the children of
the congregation behave themselves in
seemly manner. But when the sermon be-
gins and for an hour or more grain Of
truth is tossed aimlessly to and fro in a
bushel of verbiage neither the object Of the
sermon nor the respect OF the listener for
subject and speaker can avert listlessness
and annoyance. Nor does the mechanical
nature of most pulpit oratory help either
preacher or parishioner No saving of the
air into infinitesimal fragments, no ham,
mering of pulpits nor any peculiar infec-
tions of the voice can conceal from hearers
the dulness OF weak sermon.
The real trouble with most sermons is
that the material Of which they are COM
posed is stretched to the uttermost whereas
the truth and it's hearers demand the great
est possible concentration. Men can find
religious essays in books if they wish to
enjoy oratory for its own sake they seek it
in the lyceum; but they require that
mon shall be either terse statement of
great truths or an earnest exhortation
to right living. Let it be either
of these and no one will sleep
under the sound of the preachers voice.
Thousands of people listened attentively to
Mr.. Moody while abhorring his theology
and questioning his methods. That solid
headed philosopher Ben Franklin admits in
his diary that Whitefeld's sermons affected
him. not only in his heart, but to the ex-
treme depths of his very prudent pockets.
Nunberless Protestants still living have
hung in rapt attention upon the words of
Catholic Lacordaire. The late Peter Cart
right, one of the most famous characters Of
the great West, drew men of every class TO
hear him and commanded the respect OF them
all. Yet neither of the preachers named
were model theologians or elegant orators
they merely said forcibly what they had to
say. and though their hearers were oftener
punished than pleased they continued to
l;eton an respected the sneaker