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

had sent Gabriel down to inbpect and re-
view our, country, socially, politically
and morally, In 1866. Suppoae the
Angel to have been sent back on the
same mission in 1876. What changes
for the worse would Gabriel have report
ed back 20 Heaven? Would not the
depreciation he greater than thiFty-five
cents TO the dollar2 Now things are
looked rpor 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. 'In social
life, there. was once such thing as 3
loss Of Caste" Is it so now2 "It seems
that nobody has any caste; or there is
no way Of losing it," A charity moi
taken from the Bible will oondone any
thing In those whom It is policy to sns-
tain. Benedict Arnold betrayed an
American army to the British during the
Revolutionary War. When the war was
over he made England his homo, and on
one occasion presumed to make his ap-
pearance at Court, and sought tho notice
of the sovereign. He was scorned and
hissed away as a traitor. But the federal
officer who held the 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 his own Commonwealth
and the National Assembly. Demorali-
zation among the American people Is
universal. Of course there is 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 has 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 "raflea." An eminent
divine was called to the pastorate 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-race for the
benefit of the Church, We will raise you
as much money as you want" These
we're not exceptionally immoral young
men. Recently Church was turned
into Q shooting gallery" aud 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 Statea.
The space between the upper and lower
taso3s taas;ooE3s vas .Padaedd with 1awdusi. Tine
pastor, explaining the matter to visitor,
said: "We may want TO occupy both
rooms at the same time, 30 we put in this
stuffing to deaden the aound. The young
people have dancing parties 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
1 for their extrayagancies in theatricala
and sensationalism, and soberly exhorta
| 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 a NOR
suspension, and that old-fashioned hon
esty is below par.
But moral resumption Is schat zoe need
How is it to be obtained?
Let ministers and all Christians-yea
all men eyerywhefe-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, aud by the
centrifugal force of Divine Grace Lei
| them return to their proper orbits.
| /. Let churches Task for the old paths >
let them return to the former ways-ths
Scriptural ways of raising funds for God.
cause. Let them no longer make Cod,
Temple o gathering place for fairs anG
lectures and entertainments. Let then
leave rafting and grab bags and shooting
matches and balls to the world where
they have always belonged. One of tn,
grandest teachings of Christianity il
croes-bearing making of sacrifices
Said Paul: ~ beseech you, therefore
brethren. by the mercies Of God, that Y,
present your bodies living sacrifice
holy and acceptable, unto God, which il
your reasonable service. And be NO
conformed to this world.' a sacrifice il
/ something unpleasant, done for Chris
and his cause, but when you advertise {,
give fifty cents worth of oysters ant
coffee for fifty cents, where is the idea o
| sacrificeY : present your bodies a living
:. sacrifice," said Paul. Isubmit the ques
:, tion, are baiis and rafGcs anu enter.ain
J ments, tn The name Of Christ, calculates
. to remind one of crosa-Dearing and cru
! cifixion of tho hesh? The idea of sacri
. fee is being rapidly eliminated from ou
mindo in our present modes of raisinl
: church funds. I think the Lords way O
. raising money for his cause is to give, a
. a gif, what you wish to bestow, and do
? unto the Lord. Churches should exer
cise moro rigid discipline. There ha
/ tneen u sensible decline. in Its exercis
) since the war. Abuses crept into th
0 churches then, and In many cases hay
5 never been ferreted out. know of bu
Q pne denomination of Christians who hav
/. he'd the nerve 70 enforce discipiiu
: against defrauders. ] refer to the Prin
4 tive Baptists, commonly known q
!, lizard Shells." They haye inyariabl
!, excluded such of their members as hay
III kvafIad tkeroaa1vsu -.'nf ho,,,Sahoo,7 ON