The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-11-04

ministry as "the children of llght'' In
this A. ID. Paul might have Jared better
If he had accommodated himself to the
ways of the people," but he was very
stubborn on this point. He had an
unpleasant way of telling people of their
sins, that was dsagreable to most folks,
and kept him from being as popular as
he might have been with little more
prudence. Pauls great misfortune was
that he was too singular In his habits and
views. He was not In accord with the
spirit of the age In which he lived. No
body likes to be found fault with, and
Paul was too pointed in his remarks to
suit some sensitive minds In fact, they
considered him entirely too personal in
the pulpit. If preacher wants people
to like him, he must draw 1t very mild
when he comes to talk about the short
comings of the community.
Another great trouble with Paul. He
was not much of man for fashion and
show This was great mistake, for
with his learning and ability, he might
have been one of the most popular
preachers in his day. Many preacher,
in these times, not half as smart as Paul,
commands q salary of five thousand
dollars year, and parsonage "throw-
ed in"
But we must not be too hard on Paul
and the rest of the apostles, because it
was "new religion" they had to ham
die, and they had not the experience of
eighteen hundred years to enlighten
their minds. They had not the facilities
of modern times they lived in a heathen
age and the doctrines they preached
were opposed to the views, the customs,
and the practices around them. They
did not live in Christian age, nor
among Christian people. That makes
great difference in things. The people
were not obliging then. Generally he
had to preach out doors. When he went
down to Athens to preach to the fash
ionable people there he had to stand
out on cold rock, although the finest
church in the world (the Temple of
Minerva) stared him in the face. They
never invited him to go in there. But
we, thank fortune, live in more liberal
age. When big preacher comes
amongst us we don't treat him in that
ill-mannered style. We show him all
sorts of attention; ride him about the
country in fine carriage, kill the fatted
hen, or turkey-gobbler; dine him, wine
him, toast him, give him a new suit of
shiny black, feast him from house to
hoase, have his boots BACKED, shave
him at the barber's, puff him in the
papers, dead-head him on the railroads,
give him donation, surprise parties,
send him to the watering places, give
him new gold watch, send him to
Europe for his health, pay his way
there and back, and his salary while
there, sympathize with him in his
s'arduous labors," and do all we can
to make him comfortable while here
below.
That's quite different you see from
what it was in Paul's time. Religion,
in these days, is none of your marrow
contracted, - ''selfish, !" "illiberal, p "un-
charitable, !" "bigoted" sort of thing it
was in the days of Christ, Paul, Luke,
Peter and those others. We take q large
and comprehensive view of things,
view suited to the advanced and liberal
age in which we live. Look, too, at the
facilities for religious service that we
enjoy in this age of the world. The
splendid churches, the Sabbath schools,
the Christmas trees, chuck full of new
toys and things for good little boys and
girls. The Sunday y-school books full of
pretty stories about pious little boys and
girls who never tell lies, steal sugar or
go fishing on the Sabbath, and other
naughty things. See what aids to relig-
ion and holy life in the church fairs,
festivals, oyster suppers, religious ratfles,
grab-bags, sweet-cake auctions, straw
berry and ice cream dinners, mite
societies, pagodas, wigwams, post offices,
and such moral appliances in aid of the
'Redeemer's cause" All they had no
such privileges in Paul's timel 1t must
have been a pretty tough pill to be
religious in those primitive times, with
its self-denial, bearing the cross, taking
the reproach of Christ, non.conformity
to the world, kissing one another, wash
ing each others feet, and all such vulgar
and unpleasant things but, thank good
ness, in this age of advanced thought
we see that all this trouble and bother Is