Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-11
Preachers and the Press.

in the reports OF sermons anu spctChcs
AT religious meetings. IL has come To
such a pass that when a preacher or
speaker sees one OF the light-6ngercd
gentry at work, he has chill in think
Ing OF the fate before him. The trouble
often arises from the writer's effort 10
express the speakers ideas in fewer
words, while his want OF familiarity
with the subject renders il impossible
to put the ideas into any words but
the speakers. We have heard preach
ers saw they could not recognize the re-
port as having any relation to the sub
iect they had discussed. But rs il has
come To pass that the pulpit and relig-
ious platform are the grandest exhibit
tons of moral power in the age, and
moral IDEAS are the most powerful ntlu-
eEccs now shaping the civilization OF
nations, we see with satisfaction the in
creased interest which the daily press
takes i'm their manifestations. lOnOrl-
bic competition compels fulncss and ac-
cuacy. Every year marks AN improve
ment i'm these reports. No obstacle
should be thrown in the way. On the
contrary, the largest facilities should be
afforded, that the utteranccs OF good
men on all subjects discussed in their
pulpits and assemblies may be- dlilused
as widely rs possible among the masses
Of the people. We wonld love to see
the time when six DAYS of religious
work shall command as much attention
from the daily press rs the protractcd
meeting Of pedestrians did last week.
Aimless Church Service.
The prayer-meeting devotee with
modicum of brains and sense will recOg->
nize the excellence OF this advice given
by DIR. Cuyler in the Independent: \
prayer-meeting is sometimes married by
aimlessness, both in the addresses to the
Lori and Ia each other. Brother A
talks about faith, and Brother b
about the pcstilcncc at Memphis, and
BROTHER c. abOut-nO one can tell
exactly what; and the prayers go of
about as fairly at random rs the squlbs
which bows fire on the Fourth OF July.
One method of correcting this aimless
diifusiveness and of dDmpacting the SER
vice is 10 select and announce before
hand some profitable topic for discus
sion. They may be even selected by
the leader and announced
on the previous Sabbath.
Then everybody has some definite OBJ
ject to aim at in his remarks. Then the
whole service hangs together Ikea fleece
of wool, and there is spiritual instruc-
ton afforded, as well rs a kindling of de-
vOtiOnal feeling by study Gods
truth. Ii a company OF Chris
tians will carefully discuss such prac-
tical topic as "Obeying Conscience or
such passage as the 23d psalm, or the
parable of the wheat and the tarcs, they
cannot but be instructed and strength
ened. Food for devotion will be tur-
nished and both the praying and the
speaking will be directed "at mark
OF course, this arrangement need not
hoop meeting as with iron, or forbid
any one from presenting some especial
request, or some matter OF immediate
interest that lies near his heart.
Beecher on Half Hartedness and Hearth
ness.
Mr.. Beech,''s first sermon after his
return from h GUNNER vacation was
upon the above subject, taking for his
text: "Do it heartily, rs unto the Lord,
and not unto men" at is the hear"
said Mr.. Beecher, "more than the UNI
derstanding or the will that takes the
imagination. The heart stands rs the
symbol of all that is most bright and
beautiful in life. When, then, We do
thing heartily we do it with all our
highest powers. 1t stands for sincerity,
earnestness, good cheer and for all beau
tiiulness. A great nature, perfect gem
tleman, is rs much so in the smallest
thing as in the greatest. No word falls
from his lips TO any person, high or
low, that is calculated to offend. He
sits IN perfect seli-respect; never
let's himself down to vulgarity
or to any form OF immortality.
And so in the ideal Christian man there
is nothing unimportaut, nothing small.
This man-building book laying his
hand on the Bble) leaves nothing UNI
touched for guidance i'm life. Ii raises
man from insigniiicanCe by allying him
To God. In the extrayagant Language
OF the Apostle, we are heirs with God
We are kings and princes, or can be.
We do not perish with the insect; eter-
nal wears are ours. Every child that
enters life 10 cry shall 90 out of it to
shout and to sing. II We perish at
death we are but weeds, but We belong
To the higher creation, the tree of life.
Whatsoever We do then, not simply on
Sunday, not simply in the church or
prayer-meeting, but high or low, IN ev-
cry conceivable circumstance-whatso-
ever We 10, do it all in the name of tho
Lord Jesus. This month blazes with
beauty, vet il is made up of single
leaves; and So it is in life. Should ev-
cry small deed say, i am only small, it
would he rs il every single leaf should
say, What matters 1t how 1t how
Io0kp but the glory of the whole
is magnificent, and tapestry, the
most beautiful, is made up OF
single threads. The tendency Of
men is To- seek great things, not 10y iidel-
ity i'm small ones, hut 10y Over-vaulting,
TRYING To reach them at once. But what
We need is fidelity in details in the OBJ
scurer parts OF life. You have no right
Ia face life as the iruiterer does his
measures, putting the best on top. Gour
actions should bc good all the way down.
Heartily means more than earnestly,
more than faithfully; il carries love
with it, and, sweetened with love, the
most irkSome duties may la made less
distasteful; nav, you may learn tn love
that which at first yOn dislike. II there
was ever anything which IL might be
supposed impossible for anyone to learn
10 love il was tobacco, and yet men have
learned TO love the nauSeOus thing, and
the whole human race rs subjected by
il. A man that can learn To love tObac-
ca can never say that there Is anything
on Coils earth that he cannot learn to
love. Laughter The law OF the uni
verse is force-the high Cypress the low
and the strong trample on the weak.
There is no such thing as universal JUS
tice; the world is full of wrong in every
neighborhood and in all conditions OF
life. The wOrkingmen are dissatisfied
with long hours and low wages, and are
banding together IN unions and societies,
and against these | have not a word
10 say. But this l say; The way out
from low condition TO higher is in
the men themselves; let them make
themselves better. You cannot keep
greatness small nor goodness Obscure.
Shiftless work, fewer hours, eye-service
in all its forms, are malign and evil, and
tend to make the mischief worse. The
only medicine for inequalities is better
nature. Mans way is: Give a little OF
the devil to him that is possessed OF the
devil; but Gods way is different; it is to
return good for evil, and so to act that
every one can see how hateful is the
wrong that is done you. Good temper,
.cheerfulness, sweetness, will win against
the world. They will win against all
hell There are great many duties
that Christian men perform perfume
torily. They go away to pray; they
hateit, They read their Bibles, not