Daily globe., 1879-06-08
sELFIsHNRss.

If ye fulfill the royal law according to tho
cripture, .'Thou shalt love thy neighbor %
hyaelf,' 70 do well-James n.:8.
Sslfshness is as natural to mankind as sin.
The quality seems to be in-born-a part OF
our being. There never existed but ono
man who was perfectly unselfsh, wholly |
ID d in the labor of doing good to
others, and that man was Jesus. he 1t was
who framed the golden rule, that sum OF all
practical religion, but yet he based lt-va's
compelled to base ton mans selfshness.
The principle of doing to others as you
would have others do to you is good one'
vet it implies selfish idea, that OF receiving
q reward for well-doing. man lnoeed
does we'll when he fulflls the royal law OF
loving his neighbor as himself, but it IS s sell
dom that one is found who SO conducts =, him a.
self t.a
In the Christian church We find altogether
too much selfshness, and too little regard
for the interests and feelings of others.
From the minister down to the humblest
member, that feeling predominates. He who
expounds the scriptures does it from a sell
fish motive. He demands that his congre-
cation scrimp themselves that he may be
nrovided with all the luxuries of life. He
neelects the interests of the poor, the sick
and the needy, if by ministering to their
wants he renders himself in the least un-
comfortable. He pays diigent court to the
rich for the double reason that in their So
ciety he finds social, and, perhaps, intellect
ual enjoyment; and, further, knows that they
are the ones who butter his bread. he pays
but scant heed to the temporal or spiritual
welfare of the poor, simply because their
surroundings are uncongenial, and he can
expect but small contributions to the church
expenses from them. He talks feelingy OF
the love he bears his church, and yet when
call comes from more fashionable church,
that can afford to pay him larger salary or
add to his creature comforts, he always
finds, 'after prayerful consideration, that
ssthe Lord has called him to another portion
of his vineyard, and he cannot disobey his
voice. It is little singular, however, that
the Lord never calls a minister to church
where the salary is less than the one he is
receiving. In this respect the Lord displays
rare consideration for the comfort of his
servants.
The selfshness of the so-called evangelists
has become particularly prominent and OBJ
noxious of late. The work in which they
engage is treated by them simply in the light
of business transaction. They contract to
90 here or there and 'get up revival, y pro-
vided they receive given compensation for
stipulated number of weeks, and take good
care that ample security is given for the
payment of their extortions. Hammond,
Pentecost, Murphy, Mrs. Van Colt in fact
the whole tribe-demand tne same
terms of the churches that first
class star actors do of the theatrical
managers, and insist as strenuonsly upon
payment. Failures to keep these contracts
has created some most disgraceful church
uuarrels that have counteracted all the good
done during the progress of the revivals
gotten up according to contract. Moody
nowadays demands nothing for his services
for he has learned by experience that vol
untary contributions yield him a far larger
revenue and by means of them he has
grown immensely rich. We have yet to
hear of an evangelist, even though he may
be pecuniarily independent, who has notex
acted the most exorbitant prices for his
services, and who has not neglected oppor-
tunities for doing good simply because be
could not get his terms. This selfshness
imposes great and wrongful burden upon
the churches. An organization that engages
an evangelist at the average rate of two
hundred dollars week, has not only to pay
that, but the pastors salary beside in ad.
dition to the other incidental expenses con
nected with revival meetings. Often the
church members are but poorly able to stand
such an expense, yet they do SO sooner thar
be reckoned cold in the faith.
The selfishness that characterizes the mem
bers is no less marked than that which
marks the clergy, yet it takes q different
form. In the organization of their sociables
sewing societies, and other sets, the creates
care is taken that none but the best of so
ciety is admitted. To have poor person
present at sewing circle in calico gow1
would be exceedingly unpleasant, and there
fore she is exluded. The sittings of th,
rich, the well-to-do and the poor are as ia,
apart as they can be placed, SO that littl'
contact between the two need take place
They are selfish in their associations, selfsl
in bestowing their benefactions, and selfsl
in all their acts. Perhaps they are not alto
gether to blame, for as we have said tn
selfish principle is inherent in mankind
Yet those who profess to live up to the teach
ings of Christ ought to make more SINGER
effort to make their lives conform to tn
principles that form the groundwork of th
Christian religion. The Buddhist and Brah
min are consistent in their religion, even t,
the sacrifice of their lives to propitiate thei
gods, yet the Christians, who pretend to hav
a superior form of religion, are unwilling t
deny themselves even in the slightest degre
; that they may increase it's glory. The com
parison ought to shame the churches int
acts that will tend to the promotion of
cause upon which SO much depends bot
here and hereafter.
CLASSICAL MUSIC.
Classical music is fraud. Yet it is fash
ionable, and as long as it is fashionable j
will continue to be popular. Classical con