Daily globe., 1879-03-23
MEN OF STRAW.

MEN OF STRAW.
Are We not partial in yourselves, and are be-
come judges of evil thoughts ?-JAMEs 11:4.
In what light would the public regard
lecturer who should devote evening after
evening to labored effort to prove that day
succeeds night and night succeeds day, and
that the SUMS rays are what create the light,
while it is. the want of them that causes
darkness? Would he not be written down
an ass, and left severely alone? A PROPOSE
ton that is self evident to the meanest in
telligence requires no argument to sustain it.
Yet there are men who occupy our pulplts IN
every part of the country who stand up
Sabbath after Sabbath, and with frenzy of
zeal tear passions to tatters to prove fact
that no one disputes or ever has disputed
that man is free moral agent and can dis
tinguish good from evil. The marvel to us
is how these preachers can conceive of argu-
ments on the other side which they feel called
upon to refute. It certainly requires a great
deal of ingenuity on their part to construct
man of straw so formidable as to court at
tack, and a great deal of bravery to take
theological cudgel and knock him down.
We confess to a feeling of disgust on CO.
casions when We have listened to men pro-
Tossing to be intelligent and teachers of
their fellows, as they raved and tore about
the platform, wept and prayed for deliver
ance from belief that never had an ex-
istence, and which the veriest fool alive
knows can never have an existence. 1t
looks 50 much like charlatanism that it in
spires contempt for those who engage in it,
and commiseration for those who are compell-
ed to listen to the inane diatribes. No min
lister of the gospel who values the cause he
processes to be seeking to advance, or who
respects himself, ought to so prostitute his
Office as to descend to such clap-trap. There
are themes enough contained in the scrip
lures of practical application to daily life, its
fluctuations and it's vast concerns, to merit
attention, without resort to such ldlotlc
devices. 1t is no credit to a preacher to be
able to satisfactorily prove that doctrine
that never existed is false. 1t simply ex-
hibits weakness in the upper story that
might not, otherwise, have been suspected.
The question of mans intelligence-his
capacity of discriminating between good
and evil-requires no debate. What the
clergy should devote their energies to is the
pointing out of the distinction between the
two. and an earnest endeavor to induce a
proper choice. The average of mankind do
not willingly choose the wrong course. They
are sometimes driven to it by force of cir
cumstances: sometimes they are led away
by seductive wiles; sometimes they drop into
it simply because it seems to be the only av-
enue open for them. To point out the
proper way, and to bring every influence to
bear upon the mass of humanity to induce
them to follow that way, is the only duty of
the pulpit. Too often, however, this duty
is lost sight of in the effort to achieve a
passing notoriety by knocking down man
of straw that they have built up, and when
that is done the preacher feels far more
proud and vainglorious than did David after
he had slain Goliah.
Few of the disputed points of theology
form themes for the pulpit. The sermons of
the present day consist mainly of labored ar
guments to prove points that no one disputes,
or general declamations upon the beauty of
holiness, unaccompanied by even the remot-
est suggestions of how that holiness is to be
attained. There is little that is practical to
common, everyday life in the modern SER
mons. A Swing may utter beautifully
worded panegyric upon the loveliness of a
holy life, but unless it is accompanied ty
suggestions of how that life is to be reached
it avails nothing. And seldom does he, or
any of his class, present anything but pleas
ing word pictures of some of the attributes
Of Christianity. Theoretical Christianity is
to the Mount of Dedication, from which he
descends into the Slough of Despond. 1t
sends him up like rocket, and from his ele-
vation he comes down like stick, in a far
We want is more practically in the pulpit.
Let the sermons be devoted to topics of in
;erest in everyday life, which will lay doc
;rinal points aside when there is no contro-
7ersy on those doctrines; which shall avoid
lowery declamation-mere word painting
showing the attractiveness of this or that state
If felicity-and address themselves to
of greater moment, that may have
IN influence not only upon the present peace
md happiness of mankind, but aid their
prospects for eternal felicity. The pulpit
ought to be the most practical, yet it is the
most visionary and impractical moral agency
n existence. A man asks for bread, and the
,ulpit gives him a stone or dead sea apple.
lie asks for advice that will help him to lead
/ better life here on earth, and is favored
With disquisitions on the beauty of faith,
without one word of practical advice that
will aid him to do unto his fellow man what
10 would have his fellow nam do unto him.
The practical is lost sight of in the theoreti-
al. Theory never yet led man to live
moral life, or saved him in the hereafter.
Reform is necessary in the pulpit as we'll as
n politics, and the kindly admonitions of
he SUNDAY GLOBE, if needed, will bring
bout reform that will result in great re-
iva! of true and undefled religion.
"
SUNDAY SCHOOL LITERATURE,
We would like to suggest to the American
sunday School Union that it is pretty nearly
ime that the quality of the Sunday school
tiara tnra furnished to nnr uonth uas elinht