The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-10-06

and shuts the door. 1t wants no book.
forms, no crucifxes, no vase of flowers
no music. The deepest communion with
God requires absolute simplicity; the
sinner in the presence of his God wants
to shut out all the objects of sense.
The trouble about spiritual exercises
and this is the object of worship-is that
men Will not give their whole soul and
heart to the subject. Men do not like to
go to the bottom of this matter. Now in
preaching to unconverted sinners, or in
an assembly Of worshipping Christians,
the fundamental business is to stand face
to face with God 1t is the most serious
act that a man can perform to give his
undivided attention to this subject. If
the mind is engaged in this way, it has
no use for forms or environments. On
the contrary, many ceremonies, routine
OF forms, is merely distracting-and here
comes in the attractive" feature which
we have so much talk about; men are in
disposed to grapple with the main sub
Ject, and so in real business assembly
for religious work, they don't like it, -
they are too indolent, or their spiritual
frame is in languid condition, or they
care nothing about it, and so the Presby-
terrain service seems "bald." 1t is not
" bald" if they want to save their souls,
or If they want real spiritual nourishment.
No, we are very well aware that the
work of attending to the salvation of ones
soul is not attractive" 1t involves
mental action and mental struggles, and
trampling under foot "the pomps and
vanities of this wicked world, and OBJ
tanning the mastery over the passions and
appetites of corrupt nature
The Presbyterian service may be made
more attractive" by being made less
simple and less straight to the mark; and
persons may be attracted" into the
church who otherwise would not be; but
hot supper would also make it more
" attractive, and a lowering of its terms
OF salvation would make it yet more at
tractive. 1t is its very badness" that
enables sinners to understand precisely
what they have got to do, and which con-
tinuaily forces upon its members thor
oughly honest and practical way of deal
ing with their spiritual condition.
The Apostles used no liturgies. Igna-
titus, and Clement, and Polycarp, after
them, used no liturgy. Justin Martyr,
IN the succeeding age, had never heard
of any. Clement of Alexandria and Ter
tullian, in the next age, knew nothing of
them. Origen knew nothing of them.
The first liturgy is given in the so called
Apostolical Constitutions, a. production
of the Sd or 4th century.
The apostolic and the primitive Church
was too much in earnest for any thing
but direct approach to God They
prayed, and they sang, and exhorted, and
read the Scriptures, that was ALL
We do not deem it inconsistent with
these remarks now to add, that, as an
original question, we should favor the
use of the Apostles Greed in all the
churches. That is notable Confession
for all the people to rise and repeat this
creed.
The introduction of meagre liturgical
service, to be used at the option of indi-
vidual churches might, if it rested there,
be unohjectionable; but the danger in
this matter arises, as we know, from open
ing the door; the appetite for novelties
increases; and safety lies in four bare
walls and a perfectly simple conduct of
the worship.