The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-27
8faEnmonan the Pew.

people.-sJouf7sai OF commerce.
MaEnmond1 the Pew.
A learned bishop, in commenting re-
Gently upon the change that has taken
Mace in the relations between the Chris
fiap Church aud the world, remarked that
Mammon now rents a pew and helps 10
conduct the establishment. 1t would be
an interesting experiment il some one
would take the book Of the Acts OF the
Apostles, and try, 5ust for amusement, to
imagine bow the narrative would nave
read il it had been written as record
of the movements Of the Church and the
Church people nearly two thousand years
later, The contrast between the condi-
ton of things when Mammon was perse-
cutting the Church aad when Mammon
is holding q pew and helping to pay
for the choir would, perhaps, be rather
startling. Even more interesting would be
an attempt to conceive the present condition
of things as existing IN the Apostolic age.
Suppose, for example, that such record
should contain iRformasion like the follow
ing: Peter went to Joppa. to carry the Cos.
pei to Cornelius, but upon arriving at his
destination he discovered that he had &C
-cidentally LETT all his sermons behind him
mt Jerusalem, and as he ibid not know
how to speak extemporaneousiy he was
obliged to postpone the antended Sunday
service until he could send and fetch his
manuscripts. The brother OF Onesimus
came to bear Paul preach, bit as he was
person OF very humble birth and all the
Dews upon the ground floor were rented by
wealthy people, he was shown TO back seat
in the gallery. The church edifce at
Antioch cost 1915, 0oO;- two thirds of which
remained rs q mortgage upon the building.
The brethren stroye earnestly ito reduce the
debt, and with this intent they 'held fair,
at which pin-cushions and sce-cream were
sold, and during which there was much
eXciteulen. over rattle for cake. The
oold-headed cane that vas offered to
whichever clergyman obtaIned the greatest
number Of votes was awarded to Paul, who
had ISL votes, 6shiie only 270 were given to
Peter, and iii scattering. The attempt to
raise the money having, however, failed. the
edItice was sold by the sheriff, and was pur-
chased by Roman, who fitted it up Tor
circus. Apolos having been attacked with
q light form OF bronchitis. went to Meiita
for the benefit Of his health, and the church
TO which he ministered was closed all sum-
mer. repairs being conducted IN the interval
Philip having for many years performed
pastoral duties faithfully in parish OF
Il
congregation grew tired OF him, and
they cut down his salary to get rid
of him. When he resigned younger
man was called, and as nobody ex-
tended call to Philip, he was admitted
to the Home for Deeayed Gergymen, where
he ended bis days. Paul preached at Co.
rinth with power and ferver, and at the
conclusion OF his sermon he asked that a
hymn should be sung. 1t was given in IN
artistic manner by the choir, the solos for
the soprano and alto being unusually bril-
liant, while Paul WAS especially pleased
with the extraordinary lcft-haDd playing
OF the crganist during the performance Of
the ford accompaniment. A Gentle from
Alexandria. who attempted to sing, was
requested by The sexton not to Interrupt
the music. When Paul visited Ephesus he
was entertained by Alexander the Copper
smith, who, although not believer, held a
pew in the middle aisle OF the church, be-
longed to the vestry. and contributed so
literally to church objects that he was more
highly regarded than any OF the converts
whose circumstances were not SO good.
Paul. while in the pulpit, preached with
force against sin, but Of course carefully
avoided saying anything that might hurt
Alexauder's feelings. While at Lystra Paul
encountered cripple who had been rob-
bed OF the use Of his limbs by rheumatism.
He advised the unfortunate man to read
carefully the patent medlcine advertise.
ments in the religious newspapers. IN the
hope OF being directed toward relief.
And so forth. A narrative which should
treat such subject in such manner might
be open to q charge Of undue levity; but
such an accusation could not fairly be made
by those religious persons who approve OF
the things upon which the traveSty is
based. The Christian Church to-day sane
lions, to a greater or less extent, these
very things; and it is not any more shock
ing to Imagine ST.. Paul approving an effort
to reduce church debt by the help OF
rattle than it is to. regard the fact that
such methods are actually employed. The
1t contains tens OF thousands of good peo-
pie. It Is doing noble work and doing. it
earnestly; but Mammon does sit in the
pews and help to pay the expenses; aRd
there are few ministers who have courage
enough to stand up in the pulpit
and to tell the rich sinner In the pew
the honest truth about bis conduct. tits
respectable to go to church, aud those
people who go because 1t is respectable
have become SO necessary as contributors to
the expenses that the preacher suffers
frightfui embarrassment when he desires to
do his duty. The mpdern preacseris In a
sense in the position OF the sportsman who
could tire straight at his prey while the,
prey was far apart from him, but who was
deeply perpiexed what to do when bird
which he wanted to shoot came and perched
on the barrel OF his gun AiQdelpisid
B1tletin4
There Is no legal rate Of interest To Chi.
Da. When u Chinanian wants TO borrow
eighteen cents to buy his provisions for the,
winter he goes out and steals 1t, and says
nothing OF interest, high or iow.- Free
Press. 5af 4.
I'd offer thee this sand OF mine.n Is
what ffa fsrnear aaYfr 70 the u,l,ri