Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-25
THE DEYIL AND SUMMER "a
CATIONS.

More than half of the pulpits OF the coun-
try are now empty. The ministers have
gone to the mountains, to the seaside OR to
Europe, to be absent until the cooling
breezes of autumn come. Meantime their
congregations are left to find their own re-
ligious sustenance here, there and every
where. The more fashionable and wealthy
have followed their pastors in search of
pleasure during the dog days, but the major
lty can afford 10 such luxury, and remain
perspiring at home, pursuing their regular
avocations during the week, and visiting
contiguous pleasure resorts on the Sabbath.
The churches that remain open present at
fractions only to the few of their own mem
bership, and the remainder seldom stray
within their doors.
While these preachers are off in search of
pleasure, it might profit them to call to re-
membrane the fact that the devil never
takes vacation. He is always at his post,
working mischief from morning till night.
The absence of those whose mission it ia to
redeem fallen humanity spurs him on to re-
newed activity. BE invests the saloon, the
concert hall and the beer garden with fresh
attractiveness, end lures the unwary on
ward step by step down the road that leads
to perdition. He is tireless and ever vigil
liant 60 take advantage of the weaknesses of
human nature, and while the ministers of
the gospel are off their guard he reaps rich
harvest,
For nearly three months in the year the
in the country that can be depended upon to
combat the wiles of the wicked one. They
never rest. Day after day they give their
record of current events aud teach whole
some lessons by showing how hard the way
of the trangressor is. They rebuke sin with
out cant. They point out the true duty of man
to his fellow man without wearying their
readers with abstruse essays upon mooted
theological theories. They labor to make
men good citizens, good neighbors, good
husbands and fathers by pointing out the
advantages of such life and the dissdvan-
tages of contrary course. In this labor
they should be sustained and supported by
the clergy, but are not. They are left al
most alone to battle for the right against the
hosts of Satan.
The SUNDAY GLOBE is anxious that some
thing should be done by the religious world
to compensate in some degree for the alb
sence of the pastors during the heated term.
There are various expedents that might be
tried. If the churches are too warm for
comfort let religious picnics be held and
resort had to some quiet and shady grove
where fresh air can be had, and service of
song held. supplemented, perhaps, by the
reading Of good published sermon. There
are many lay brethren who would gladly
ure to listen to the earnest words of the
eminent divines Of this and past gene
rations. A lunch might be partaken
of ID the shade, and the after
noon passed with harmless, health-giving re-
creation, interspersed with mild religious in
struct1on. We say mild instruction, be.
cause in hot weather the mind can no more
easily master obstruse theological problems
than the stomach can digest the stronger
varieties of food. By such means an inter-
est in religious subjects might be maintained
until such time as the ministers returned
from their vacations refreshed and ready to
renew the contest with the adversary of
mankind,
There should be no such thing as a church
vacation. Ministers may need rest, though
they do less mental and physical work than
any other class of professional men. But
when they forsake the sheep there is no
cause for general stampede of the flock
to the wolf country. They should keep
together as much as possible, and by mutual
counsel keep alive the fervor of religious
thought and keep off the devil who is walk
ing about as roaring lion, seeking
whom he may devour. The min
listers should understand, however,
the great risk they are running by leaving
their sheep without shepherd. When they
return in the fall, they may find them scat
tered to the four winds of heaven, and it
may require years of hard labor to repair the
damage done during their absence. By
such course as it is now fashion
able to pursue, the church loses
thousands of members yearly, and the
opportunities for doing good that are wasted
are incalculable. 1t is growing impression,
and one that seems justifable, that the ma
jority of the clergymen care nothing for the
cause of religion save so far as it furnishes
them easy employment, good salaries, polite
associations and summer vacations. MANY
of them unquestionably manifest but little
esrnestness in the work they have under.
taken, and are always ready to take sivan.
tage of any excuse to shirk part of thei,
duties. If they would escape this imputa-
ton they must show more zeal in theil
work, take fewer vacations, preach freshel
sermons, make fewer exchanges of pulplts
with their ministerial brethren, and devote
themselves more closely to their pastoral
work.