Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-03
PAYING OFF CHURCH DEBTS, md
DEBTS GENERALLY.

"a New Way to Pay Old Debts' is the name
stage On the living stage, there is no new
way there is only one way, and that way is
to pay them This is the only secret about
Mr.. Kimball's method. He arouses the peo-
pie, cites them to a sense of duty; harangues
and prays them into emotion, keeps the
emotion burning until it stlrs up the will,
and then he hammers the will, until it moves
the muscles of the arm and to reach
into the pocket, and bring forth the offer
ing. The sympathy becomes contagious,
and there springs up something of religious
fervor or reverential honor, or whatever it is,
strange, mysterious, unearthly, and the debt
is paid.
It is difficult to sound the springs of human
action, dark, hidden, so incomprehe nsiblo.
In every day life
The man who builds and wants wherewith to
Provides a home from which to run away.
This is individual action, involving indi-
vidual responsibility. So long as the man
can get credit, he may exhaust it. He may
go beyond his means, and bring ruin to him
self, or misfortune, OF affection may overtake
him, overwhelm him with despair, and plunge
him into utter hopelessness. 1t is the bitter
experience of humanity.
Church debts-the words sound strangely.
Religious communities, sectional congrega-
tions with humble beginnings become
wealthy, members move into palaces, car
|
eys roll up to the door of the temple
of God, so-called. Here stands a
magnificent building with it's kid-gloved
ushers and satin-ined seats, but
no places for the poor. The fishermen of
Galilee would feel out of place within these
frescoed walls. It is called the temple of
God, and yet it is mortgaged to the devil, it
may be. for more than the building is worth.
No wonder it has been said:
Hence tbs hypocrisy as well
Will serve Improve a church, as zeal
persecution or promotion
Do equally advance devotion"
Why, the church debt of New York city
alone amounts to the enormous sum of
$,77O.314 Far better to worship in secret
to bend the knee in that grand temple
whose flooring is the earth, and whose dome
is the blue heaven above.
MY affairs are the mountains and the ocean,
Earth, air, stars; all that spring from the great
whole
Who hath produced and will receive the soul"
The best way to pay debts, and church
debts, is not to incur them. But contracted,
no people should insult Deity by worshipping
in mortgaged house. Rather let every wo-
man sell her ornaments, and every man deny
himself luxury and indulgence. Honor to
those who have reared on earth those grand
monuments pointing their consecrated cross
es to heaven, free to all, the fisherman and
the poor as well as the prince and the
wealthy. Honor to those who have in every
land, in America, in Europe, and far away
in the hallowed lands of the East, immortal
lied their country and their age with free
temples to God.
And last the eternal city may crumble:
But thou of temples old or affairs new
Standeth alone-with nothing like to thee
Worthiest of God, the Holy and the true,
Since Zion's desolation, when that He
Forsook his former city, what could be
OF earthly structures in his honor piled
OF a sublimer aspect. Majesty
Power, glory, strength and beauty, all are aisled
In this eternal ark of worship undefled.