Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1879-02-07
THIRD EDITION..


AAuAwOm In the rev.
A learned bishop, in commenting r-.
Gently upon the change that has taken
place in the relations between the
Christian Church aud the world, re.
marked that Mammon now rents pew
aud bel 3 to conduct the establishment
II would be an interesting experiment
il some one would take the book of the
Acts of the Apostles and try, just for
amusement, To imagine how the nara
tive would have read if it had been
written as record of the movement
Of the church and the church people
nearly two TIL - years later. Sup
posa, for example, that such record
should contain information like the toll.
lowing; Peter went To Joppa to carry
the gospel To Cornelius, but upon ar
irving at his destination he discovered
that he had accidentally left all his
sermons behind at Jerusalem, and as
he did not know how to speak extern
poraneously he was Obliged to pos pone
the intended Sunday service until he
could send and fetch his manuscripts.
Again the church edlfce at Antioch
cost e375 600 two-thirds Of which re-
manned as a mortgage upon the build
ing. The brethren strove earnestly to
reduce the debt, and with tkis intent
they held a fair at which pin cushions,
ice cream, fried oysters and other re
freshments were sold, and during
N inh tt,aro
a rafie for cake. The gold-head-d
cane, that was offered TO whichever
clergyman obtained the greatest mum.
Der OF votes, was awarded to Paul, who
had 3Sl votes, while only 27O votes
were given TO Peter, and H. scattering
The attempt to false The money hav.
ing, however laiIed, the ediiice was
sold BY the she III, and was purchased
by a Roman, Who lifted it up for cir.
Gus. Or Philip, having for many years
performed pastoral duties faithfully in
a parish Ut Ethiopia, number of mem.
beers OF the con tr-s alton grew tired OF
him, and they cat down his salary Ia
get rid Of him. When hs resigned, a
younger man was called, and as no
body extended call to Philip, he was
admitted TO the home for Decayed
Clergymen, where he ended his days.
Or Paul preached at Corinth with
power and tervOr, and at the conclusion
of his sermon he asked that hymn
should be sung. 1t was given in an
artistic manner by the choir, the solos
for the soprano and alto being uuu.
sually brilliant, while Paul was espe.
oially please with the extraordinary
eft hand playing Of the orgsnist. Or
again, when Paul visited Ephesus, he
was entertained by Alexander the Cop.
p 'rsmith, VINO, although not believer,
held pew in the middle isle of the
church, belonged to the vestry, and
contributed SO literally to church OBJ
jscts that he was more highly regarded
than any OF the converts whose circum.
stances were not 30 good.
Paul, while in the pulpit, preached
with force against sin, but, OF course
carefully avoided saying that might
hurt Alexand,r's feelings.
anu ~ lolGI. n mar i've winch
should treat such a subject in such a
manner might b. open TO charge of un
due levity; but such an accusation
could not fairly be made by those per.
sons who approve of the things upon
which the treasury is based. The
Christian church to-day sanctions, to q
greater or less extent, these very
things; aud it is not any more shock
ing to imagin. St. Paul approving an
effort 20 reduce a church debt by the
holding OF rattle thanit is to regardthe
fact that such methods are actually em.
plOyed. The church OF to-day is pow
er for good and it contains tens Of
thousands of good people. 1t is Doing
noble work and doing it earnestly; but
Mammon does sit in the pews and helI
pay the expenses; aud there are few
ministers who have courage enough tC
stand up in ~ pulpit and to tell the
rich sinner in the pew the honest truth
about his conduct
The modern preacher is in a sense in
the position OF a sportsman who could
fire straight at his prey while the prey
was far apart from him, but who wa.
deeply rerpIrXrd what to do when q
bird when ne wanted TO shoot came
and perch-d on the Darrell Of his gun