Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-06-16

a CrIiqNc 0D the Religions Of To-day, 'Uit
the Improvements NcccSsuyt to Fsrjcctim,
IFr5m tho Peoria Transcript
| Gods grsnary is tn Of precious seed, all CT
| o kind. lie gives the bssi TO tho hunblest
sower, With orders to drop it ss he travels.
With this apolcgy, even the ignorant may scn
| ture to crilieiso tho Chuych.
PrCf. Proctor tails us our elob, has many
mlIl0rs ct years before ii. Under this assur-
anco Wa may renew ono hopo that the c,uso of
Chtlst ls yet to triumph overall opposition, and
iScroase Cur efforts to keep His banner ehoat
en- the b.e1zo OF Progress. In order to respect
God Ws must know that lie is not only su-
rr2meiy wise, but successful. Wisdom that
meets With failure is &c better than folly; per-
! Ice. knoHledge results iG perfect practice. He
sa p TIC ills of humanity and provided certain
remedy ia His "Plan OF Salvation" Il is q
sure and practical thing; whore it fails to work,
wo nay look fer quacks and tricksers. for, i'm
ruritles aud ndulteratioas. All the good that
cones &c humanity i9 through this Church
WneCc7cr va s:e success Of nry kind. search
will reveal some qualify borrowed from our
clmprcn2n1lVo system ct theology. Religion
trlrgs whst tho Yernsus call lucky haud."
Ii follows us through even trivial tasks with
hstl1 Ptoviaantial AIDS; it adds graoo Of lis
own to every relation IN life, and sets TO music
tho usulod voices of nature.
Wnca wo SEQ disscusions in tho Church, COR.
| ruption in soc,ty, trouble IN families and feuds
IL communities We have o1ly to turn to the
Gospel Iighs and search Tor cause. 1t can be
| ioGnd, Gad tho aatlaotO is at hand. Oar press
may ligh5 rTblIo sins froun Gay to day; tho mat.
| Ter msy 10 Tiendsd, but not corrected. Whet
Ee want in Washington and Topeka, in school
! b2sr5s aad chambers Of council, in saloons and
s ores, Il Qal!ors and kitchens, is tho Christ
spiy!..
| Hawthorne 10 weird story, depicts the fate
OF QUO who auCled he had committed the "un-
| Ha;donsbo sln." Ethan Brand thus defines
dis dread and mytcrious expression: ''Is is a
sin that g7ew within NV own breast-a sin that
could grow nawhtrs els, The sin Of On in
teltc: that tIiumphsd over tho sense OF broth
erhood With man aud rovoreuc, for God, and
sacrificed everything to it's own mighty claim" "
Cnrlsl's mission was to dignity suffering pow
cr:y end labor; We are to study not only bis pre-
cep's, but his characteristics aud habits. The
artist OF tho tuturo will paiut us new Jesus n
| home!Y rugged man, o face turroyed by sorrow,
eyes dlmmed With tears, hairs touched by 10
timely iros 8. hands hsrd and toll WORD, gar
mcnts coarsj and shabby. This is tho Saviour
CT tho people. Ho camo to the poor, miserable
sinner, not to the gcatecI, the refined, the a,is-
tocratlo
There arc communities whore convcniionality
sua]s Up the cardinal virtues The popular
pTCachor is couvcotionsl; he must sugar ooat
gospel tOuics as we do the bitter quinine, aud
whiicTssh the grand old teuots of our fathers,
mtcr Lacilcr uuder flag Of truce, aud hobnob
@nlle negotiating for souls. Coeseiecc, goes
to c5u;ch to Go narcotz.d by luxurious sur
Touudlocs, Whilo the SOFT handed surgeon feels
afouad hidoOui moral cancers, plasterS them
over, aud tcnderiy baudagGs. but never removes.
God hates cluVentiooa!lsms. lie speaks 10 o
rew phontmcna cvcry day. From earliest ages
tic has avoided prec3dcns. The master minds
nt tlmo arc crystaiZ .tioos Of tho original,
Ministers need 10 shake off this ''old man Of
| the mountains who heugs upon their shoul.
dcrs. while Sunday alter Sunday they drono
out lifoess discourses.
| The Church needs 10 mako itself respectable
10 ,ha eyes Of business men. Like a wsyward
woman, she hides her fsuits bcbiud 90 assump.
ton Of wcakatss. Why the Church is the
stronsCs', boliest, most loving thing in life,
founded on the risen Christ, destined to tho
sraudcst SUCCESS, protected by Omnipotence,
provided for by the Owner of the universe.
| Why should she stoop to iaira aud festivals and
lottercj and mortgages. when her builder is the
| creator OF tho uaivcrsc? He cares nothing for
houses made by hands. His altar is set up
wherever th4ra is a human soul to save. All
about us ore human feG,s ''trampled in by tho
iron hoof Of sin; services arc waiting; 90 necd
OF bell or priest Shall they be between you
and the ragged boy, who gives you nickel
| Shine up, y this lovely morning. Or the poor
ccRr0 vino to morrow will bend over your wash
tub? o. with tho rosy babe, who c,ingi1s
ike i blossom to gour breast, leaned to you to
fiji Tor q heavenly Fathers caresaes?
Tho writer ofthe above paragraph is evidently
gifted with vision, also, aith the power OF terse.
iucsjve spccch. His words echo with ACCURACY,
tic Two profouudost connections filing the
DAP stands beEoft of spiritual energy. We miss
wcEu6s ,ro not probcd, neither are they modified
wi oinmoot. Without scapcl aud causery,
tho medication csnuot, in cur csse, Commerce.
Without the true balm and loiop, it cannot
issue in cure, Men and women cit complacsnt
and at case in church. What is their condi-
sion2 They sre condemned under penalty Of
Coos broken law. Thcir hearts are full Of
germs aud grcIiug roots Of unhallowed passions.
They u1derly the pepaty cf death, end still
multiply trsnssression. Suoh at least is the fac!
IS declared By creed. prayer book and psaIter;
as dec'sred By prophet aud apostle, az declared
with pre- eminent emphasis by Christ 10 bis
IspeeCa, by Christ on his cross. If all this it
delus!on tho pulpit is an inpettnenoe. Ii is
ia true, as these gentlemen profess to believe,
then VIC say their Sunday speeches do not ade-
iquatcly express aGd Insist fact SO tremendous
10 import.
From the pulpit NO turn to the body of the
"bfe!hren." Are they, living epistles? The
hell. These absorb everything into their intanse
and burning foci Are the brethren apostles OF
testimony By precapt and example concerning
these fundamental elements of the book7 Dc
they lot invite US 10 unbelief by the paucity o.
ardor On tae very themes which are central ani
tpirosl 10 everything in their faith? Our writer
lcriIque upon festivals and fairsi and mort