The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-10-10

music, is an @thetic entertainment. They
have developed a religion which is not
religious They have learned how to be
Christians, according to their meaning,
without self-denial, or any abridgment OF
of the pleasures, pursuits, or ambitions OF
people who acknowledge no religious OBJ
| legations. They are the most intelligent
members of the popular churches of this
country. They are decorously moral,
conforming to the easy, worldly criterion
of people of like social position. They
are nearly all able to live comfortably,
possessing the necessaries of life and a
scrupulously truthful or conscientious,
and do not believe it possible to maintain
very high standard of justice or homes
ty in business life. They regard the
golden rule as impracticable, and with
more or less sincerity deplore the exist
ence of finsurmountable obstacles in the
way of obeying it. They do not believe
the creeds which they subscribe when
they join the church, and generally make
no secret afterward of their doubt or dis
belief respecting various fundamental
doctrines Of Christianity"
These are the two classes into which
this liberal writer divides the Church !;
rather, we should say, the latter class, in
his esteem, is the Church of to day, and
the former lonely band in the midst of
it, isolated, and yet power; above the
world: too good for it: too good even for
the Church, but "one of the most whole
some forces of our national life"
The sort of men thus esteemed by the
Atlantic Monthly school of thought, it
would be an honor to represent, or to be
associated with in any form of Christian
or national work 1t is on this account,
and with the hope of winning more and
more men to the same standard, that we
dwell with so much satisfaction upon the
features by which they are known. They
are evangelical, orthodox Christian mem
bers of the Church Would to God they
were all Israel who are of Israel. Would
to God it were true that the men who
claim to be evangelical Christians furn
ished no examples to mar the perfection
of the portrait. But let US thank God
the class of Christians is counted worthy
of being drrwn in such splendid colors as
these:
They live pure and good lives"
They speak the truth, rare virtue
now"
"They will do what they believe to be
right
"They can be trusted with anybody s
money"
Better than wealth, better than to be
President, better than leisure and luxury
with art and beauty to delight the tastes,
is such character as this. And we cannot
conceal the satisfaction with which we
read such tribute from such a quarter
to the little army of Gods people.
This corps is the last hope of humani-
ty. If the conservative power Of the
men who live pure and good lives, who
| / L 49,, i
with anybody's money" is not effcacious
to preserve society, to redeem it from
present corruption and restore it to the
tone of other and better days, then the
salt Of the world has lost its SAVIOR, and
the Church is dunghill.
But we think the number is increasing g
daily that the tendency is toward the
better; and one good sign is that liberals
admit that the men who "are not liberal
in their views" are "the most wholesome
force in our national life"