The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-24

evangelical denomination in this city, who
breaches to thin house, would procure
a tame Gorilla, and take him with him 10
his morning services, and especially if
the creature was educated to perform GER
tain amusing tricks-like the Educated
Hog,-that by such device he could fill
his house and reach the masses" Or
If, just before the commencement of the
evening services, he should have dis
play Of fire works from the belfry of the
church, we have very little doubt that
such performance would draw" Or
If he were to parade the lanes of the city
with hand-organ and a monkey, he
would, at least with the juvenile popula-
elon, black and white, undoubtedly have
following We do not see much diff
terence in principle between this method
Of procedure and that of the Salvation
Army, with its brigadiers, and commits
sioners and female captains and lieuten-
ants, and its helmets and banners, and its
official notes addressed to the Mayor of
New York ''in the name of the Lord God
of Hosts
One fatal objection to these proceed
ings seems to be the part which females
play in them. The classes" are appa-
rently the principal figures And the
whole thing is contrary to the sober and
decorous spirit of Christianity. One of
the first principles of Church activity is
that all things shall be done decently
and in order" God is not honored by
cheese mountebank tricks to recommend
his salvation to men. The great tragedy
which was enacted on the Cross does not
need to be brought before men as if it
were some quack medicine, by a drum
and fife and some fantastic figure sitting
IN a cart dressed like wild Indian or in
The plate-armor of the days of.chivalry.
What should we think if in the place of
what actually occurred, we had had a
Captain Paul and Lieutenant Lydia
going about in the apostolic age with
horn and flag preaching the Resurrec-
lion Of the Dead General Peter and
Corporal Mark and a lot of uniformed
women, all gotten up for spectacular eff
feet, marching to and fro like company
Of showmen among the cities of the Ro-
man empire Would Christianity have
been established by such spurious methods
as this? Would it have challenged the
respect and the confidence of the world
1t would not it might have been "a nine
days wonder, but it would have per
ished like all other humbugs.
1t is urged that the only object of these
sensational adjuncts is to secure the at
tention Of the multitude, and get hear
ing but should we deem it admissible ifI
Noah, "a preacher of righteousness,
while the ark was a preparing" had
gone around with a parti-colored coat
and a band Of music, calling upon "the
world that then was to flee from the
wrath to come, and save themselves from
the approaching debacle? Does God
work in that way? Does his religion
have need Of such contrivances
Christianity = brought into disrepute
by all such yiolences to good taste, and
by any form of extravaganza. Gods
grand work Of bringing back the world
to Himself is infinitely insulted by all
these coarse and ludicrous associations
1t IS IN another spirit that there must be
revival Of true religion among men It
is not by degrading Christianity that we
shall sink its foundations deep and broad
in human society; it is by a manifestation,
In the way Of Christian example of it's
profound spirituality, its pervasive char
lty, its transcendent purity its transform
ing energy, that it must win its way and
establish its empire. When Christians
wake up to full realization of the idea
Of perishing world, then men will 90
forth with power to proclaim the gospel
when the sacramental host open their
eyes to all the significance Of the mission
Of the Church in the world, then the
banner Of the gospel will wave trium-