The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-02-06
Cincinnati Times.l
Morality in the Pulpit.

Its thing that ought to be pretty
well understood by this time, that the
clerical profession is not wholly compos-
ed of saints. No more is it open to the
charge of universal hypocrisy, nor should
it always be expected to posture in the
attitude of offering prayer The pervert-
ed public sentiment which seeks to sepa-
rate ministers from common people, and
make them, both in imagination and
personal appearance, something super
human, is a relic of barbarism. 1t is a
hopeful sign when any of the class rebel
at the insult which ambitious merchant
tailors would putupon them in the shape
of clerical suits" which, as DR.. Eggles-
ton says. would proclaim II am not a
common man, but man of Coda kind
of Burmese sacred white elephant, to be
treated gingerly. Please hide your wick
edness lest it shock my delicate clerical
nerves. Gentlemen never swear in my
presence, any more than they would
smoke where there are ladies' In some
respects it would seem pity not to put
it on when, as the Doctor further OBJ
serves, this outward sign of inward
grace is to be had for the small sum of
twenty-five dollars. Even the basket
collections must be very poor not to ena-
BILE minister to display so much plety,
especially as there is a chance for cler-
ical discount of ten per cent. But this
must be a short disquisition on divines,
and we are not about to discuss the sub
iect of clerical attire. That which we
wish to protest against is the assumption,
that ministers as class, are any better
or worse than the same number of pro-
fessedly Christian merchants, or lawyers,
or doctors, or even editors, to make the
comparison strong, indeed. Why then
should thew assume. or society accord to
them peculiar sanctity and be unspeaka
bly shocked when one goes astray? No
toriously they are unfamiliar with prac-
tical affairs, and it is natural that they
should be- They know almost as little
of the world as a boy, who has just grad
uated from Reform School; but are not
wanting in the human tendencies which
impel men to commit breaches OF the Ten
Commandments. Albeit, they may know
the decalogue better than others, and
have no more profound respect for moral
obligations than politician. Hence, we
affirm, that they should stand upon the
same platform as respectable men in 9TH
er professions. The time has passed, if
it ever was, when the public believe that
any sacred JUNCTION passes to the candi-
date for clerical orders, with the laying
on of hands. Whatever he was he re-
mains, which is no denial of the truth
that some men are verify 'purged from
dead works to serve the living God. =
But so ought all men to be, and in the
right application of human endeavor, to
any lawful work, there is nothing incon-
sistent with holiness of life; and he is
the holy man, who loves his fellowmen
and tries to serve them. For the reasons
here suggested, we protest against minis
ters assuming social liberties, which
would not be tolerated in other men +;
and for their own sake, they should aban-
don the white choker and other, etc,
which have sometimes proven snare of
the devil Commend us to manly man,
of no peculiarly sacred pretensions, who
means to earn an honest living like other
men, in the service of his kind and who
realizes that no sanctimonious exterior
can add one whit TO the strength of his
own moral purposes or render his exam
ple if it is what it should be, more i'm
pressive or attractive to his fellowmen.