The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-20


view OUR country, socially, politically
and morally, in 1855. Suppose the
Angel to have been sent back on the
same mission in 1875. What changes
for the worse would Gabriel have report
ed back to HeavenH Would not the
depreciation be greater than thirty-fve
cents to the dollar? Now things are
looked upon with indifference that twen-
ty years ago would have filled the coun-
try with horror. Crimes are committed
with impunity now that quarter of a
century ago would not have been so much
as named. Men are caressed and hon.
ored now who would have been spurned
by the meanest. Public sentiment has
slidden down hill, and we all help to
make up public sentiment. SIN social
life, there, was once such thing as 4
loss of CASTE" Is it 30 now7 "It seems
that nobody has any caste; or there is
no way of losing it." A charity not
taken from the Bible will condone any
thing in those whom it is policy to sus-
tain. Benedict Arnold betrayed an
American army to the British during the
Revolutionary War. When the war was
over he made England his home, and on
one occasion presumed to make his ap-
pearance at Court, and sought the notice
of the severe He was scorned and
hissed away as .aitor. But the federal
officer who held Gle post of New Orleans
| during our late war, and enriched him
self and friends of the private plate of
the unfortunate citizens, has been petted
and honored by hi. own Commonwealth
and the National Assembly. Demorali-
zation among the American people is
universal. Of course there is a great
deal of good left among US, but it is not
of that high grade that we had before
the war.
The churches come in for their quota
of this evil. How hes the fine gold be-
come dim, when pastors salaries, mission
money and church. building funds can
only be raised by "fairs," 'grab-bags,"
lotteries" and "raffles." An eminent
divine was called to the pastofate of q
church in one of our leading Cities in the
South after the war. The City had suf
fered much from its having been occupied
by the armies. The Doctor found the
church building sadly out of repair. In,
| legitimate ways he tried to raise funds to
put the house in good repair. Failing
all round, he assembled the young men
of his congregation and submitted the
question to them. They heard him with
interest, and replied: doctor, if you
will let US get up horse-racs for the
benefit of the Church, we will raise you
as much money as you want" These
were not exceptionally immoral young
linen. Recently a Church was turned
into a shooting gallery" and the young
people of both sexes had "big shooting
match to raise money for Church pur-
poses." A very expensive church-build-
ing was but last year erected in one of
our most enlightened and religions States.
The space between the upper and lower
floors was padded with saw-dust. The
pastor, explaining the matter to visitor,
said: "We may want to occupy both
rooms at the same time, 30 we put in this
stufing to deaden the sound. The young
people have dancing parties.fo for the ben
eft of the Church, and sometimes these
parties fall on the evening when the old
folks are holding prayer meeting down
stairs. We have it so arranged that one
won't interfere with the other" Even
the New York Tribune takes the fashion
able churches and pastors to task sharply
for their extravagancies in theatricals
and sensationalism, and soberly e1horts
them to return to the legitimate business
of their callings, and preach the Gospel
to their congregations. While speaking
of generalization among churches, can
dor compels me to say that many embez-
elements and defalcations have occurred
among ministers and mission-agents, and
some of the saddest chapters in moral
suspension are those that record the dis
graceful conduct of ministers of the
Gospel.
1t all goes to show that there is moral
suspension, and that old-fashioned hon.
esty is below par.
II.
But moral resumption Is what Uc need.
How is it 20 be obtained?
Let ministers and all Christians--yea,
all men everywhere-take their reckon
ings again. Let them climb up into
Mount Zion for their observatory, and
fix their moral telescope on the Sun of
Righteousness and see how far in the
eccentric they are wandering, and by the
centrifugal force of Divine Grace let
them return to their proper orbits.
l. Let churches task for the old paths;"
let them return to the former ways-the
Scriptural ways of raising funds for Gods
cause. Let them no longer make Gods
Temple a gathering place for fairs and
lectures and entertainments. Let them
leave rafting and grab-bags and shooting
matches and balls to the world where
they have always belonged. One of the
grandest teachings of Christianity is
cross-bearing-the making Of sacrifices.
Said Paul: ~ beseech you, therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable, unto God, which is
your reasonable service. And be not
conformed to this world" Il sacrifice is
something unpleasant, done for Christ
and his cause, but when you advertise to
give fifty cents worth of oysters and
coffee for fifty cents, where is the idea of
sacrifcef Present your bodies a living
sacrifice" said Paul. I submit the ques-
ton, Are balls and rat1es and entertain
ments, in the name of Christ, calculated
to remind one of cross bearing and cru
cifxion of the fleshi The idea of sacri-
fee is being rapidly eliminated from our
minds in our present modes of raising
church funds. I think the Lords way of
raising money for his cause is to give, as
Gift, what you wish to bestow, and do it
unto the Lord. Churches should exer-
else more rigid discipline. There has
been sensible declines in its exercise
since the war. Abuses crept into the
churches then, and In many cases have
never been ferreted out. 1 know of but
one denomination of Christians who have
had the nerve to enforce discipline
against defrauders. I refer to the Prim-
tive Baptists, commonly known as
"Hard Shells" They have invariably
excluded such of their members as have