Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-08-02

so long as ne calls for public collec-
tions in the church for the support OF
the cause of God. The mere state
ment of this position is, to us, a sufi-
Gent refutation of it. A man may
put money into the treasury of the
Lord in the church on Sunday" and
so discharge religious duty. But
for one to pay a debt, which he owes
to another, on the Sabbath day in the
house of God is a dissertation Of the
Sabbath and the ter pie of God.
Why this difference Because one is
a religious act, while the other is a
purely secular transaction, ond ought
not to be performed in the church,
nor on the Sabbath.
tits the duty of ministers to preach
against sin. If it is a sin against
God to sell goods after 1880 o'clock p.
M, then ministers should condemn it.
But, if it is not sin, then the cues
ton of closing the stores at that time
is purely secular, and ministers have
no business with it in the pulpit.
Some claim it to be sjm-others
that it is a pernicious practice TO cell
goods after 7:30 p. M, except, perhaps,
on Saturday nights, and the first night
after payday, as understand it was
not contemplated to close business
till a late hour On those nights. But
the clergy not being able to under
stand how it was wrong to do bust
IS on certain evenings Of the week,
end right to do it on certain other
evenings, Sunday excepted,) and for
the want OF divine precept bearing
upon the ca, decided thot it was not
amoral question, and that, therefore,
they, as ministers, had no jurisdiction
of the matter.
The commission of Christ to his
ministers is, to "preach the Gospel. "
To preach anything else is to trans
cend the CO 1mission, and to transcend
the commission is to u9eup aut,o itv;
and how dare any of Gods moaser-
gers do this in other words, to
assume to speak for God what God
has not commanded him to speak
Then there is the example of Christ
While preaching on one occasion, one
Of f's congregation, more concerned
about his worldly interest than his
salvation, said:
Master, speak to my brother, that he
divide tbs inheritance with me.
And he S; ii unto him, Man, who made
me judge and divider over your"
A word from Christ would doubt
less have settled the matter, yet that
word was not given. Why? It was
no part of his mission to settle dis.
putes of that nature. This is very
pls'n example and certainly worthy
the imitation of all who are sent by
Christ. And this is the example fol-
lowed by the clergy of thu pla re for
winch they have been so severely CEN
sured in certain qrarters. But the
ministers can we'll afford to be CEN
su ed when they follow in the foot
steps Oh their Master. With Christ
on their side ths7 have ncthingto fear.
One thing more. That ut was said
in the preachers meeting, tao other
day that clerks use t,,le early hours to
get drunk" l Rave no recollection. I
do remember that the very rey:Yse OF
this was said of the present clerks. A
remark was made by one to the effect,
that early closing was ed once be-
fore, and that it was r. nored that
some of tho clerks at II tine did get
intoxicated; IL from the present body
Of clerks there was nothing to fear Of
that kind, as they upright men.
I preceived it az q eulogy upon the
clerks. They GER rinly were spoken
of in the very highest te: rs of com
mendation. What was said on this
subject, however, Was merely Incl
dental, as the di~ ;ussion YVES not upon
the merits Of early closing, hut alto
gether upon the secular character ct
the subject and the propriety of mir
listers, in their ministerial character
assuming jurisdiction of such matters.
And now, let the merchants, clerks.
and all concerned, know that they
have no eAemy among the ministers
Of this city. We only ask, in matters
Of conscience, to be allowed to decide
for o,1rcalvac a MTNTaTER