The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-06-03


singing, ''Sslvstiou's free,n to have
the preacher announce that the collec-
ton will now be taken up.
The Baltimore Methodist gives the
following criticism on prescher by
one of his dissatisfied hearers: my
trouble with him is that he don't make
any p'igts.; and when he's done and
through and sst down, / can't tell
what in particular he's been talking
about; only he's kept 9 good kind Of
noise agoin' for about five and forty
minutes"
-Beecher came to the defense of In
gersoll in q recent so-called sermon
at regular prayer meeting Of his
church. he said: "Robert Inger-
soil is not saint, but there Is not
q man on the continent, l suppose, to
who0 he would not give his hand, af-
ter putting it into his pocket and fill-
ing 1t with silver. sm not PERSONAL
" acquainted with him. / suppose
this to be his disposition, snd yet he
kicks over the New Testament and the
whole Bible. He swears at the minia-
tiers, and upjustly critlcises them, but
his whole nature couples him with his
feliow-beines,. aud this marks him as q
| Christian. l cay that the man VIII o
holds to the New Testament and passes
by on the other side of the street when
men need help and sympathy, is an in
fdel. He is orthodox for the outside
of the Bible, but an infidel for the in
side. Those who dispise their fellow
men and keep aloof from them, are sb-
solutely infdels, and men who do this
under q government like our own are
piteously intidel."
The Evangelist tells the story of q
young minister in whom the true spirit
of his calling is evidently present. He
went from Congregational seminary
to Missouri town about five years
ago. His church was the feeblest oHe
in the place, and soon men said: 'No
Congregational element in this town."
He created one. His salary was about
800 Through many ydiscouragements
he remained at his post, meyer once
complaining or ''craning" his neck for
a rich church, larger field, or more
conspicuous position. At last he began
to get Influence, and to use it arighr.
He had call to a stronger church at
$500 salary. He quietly refused.
Then a call came from a great church
east of the Alleghanies with an offer OF
$4,000 salary and moving expenses.
None of these things stirred him. He
never told of 1t to his parish. The
call was repeated. He said: 'sNo,
my work is here till God shuts the
door" And goodly inheritance is
his to-day. His salary is still less than
$500. But he has influence over all
the churches in his place greater than
any other man in that section.
The Telephone thinks churches
should hold the preachers to a strict
accountability. 1t says: "If the Rev.
Mr.. Briggs, of Galveston, struck for
notoriety in delivering his recent ad-
i. dress on 'Ingersollism,' he has GER
tsinly achieyed it. From all sections
of the state are heard expressions of
disgust and horror with Briggs gal
lows and scaffold' creed. 1t is we'll to
recall that when the Rev. Mr.. Veal ex-
hibited his amorous propensities at
Waxahachie, the Methodist Church
was prompt to put him out of the pul.
pit, because he had offended against
good morals and impaired his useful
ness as q minister of the NJ z. Church
South. When the Rev. Mr.. Phillips,
q talented Southern Methodist ministar,
of Galveston by the oy, was found too
fond of taking toddy, he was prompt.
ly relieved of his pastoral duties. He,
too, had offended against decency and
impaired his usefulness Now comes
Mr.. Briggs, expressing sentiments that
shock humanity, and outrage not alone
decency, but true religion. Has he
not brought reproach upon his church
and lessened his value as an expoundel
of the religion of love and mercy taught
by the gentle NazsreneG Can the
church afford to suppress Veal for hug.
ging q woman, Phillips for taking q
toddy, aud yetsustsin Briggs in preach.
ing his "gallows and halter" doctrinei
These are, or should be, serious con.
, siderations for the church, for Rev.
Briggs, unchecked and unrebuked by
his church, has done more, in that ont
lecture of his, to damage the cause ol
} true religion in this state, than Iuger.
/ soil would accomplish here in dozer
of his violent Trades against Christian.
: ity. Mr.. Briggs might be severely
/. quarantined-his church would certain
; ly be the gamer thereby.
The New Orleans Morning Sta,
(Catholic) reviews some discussion aI
to the tendency not only of men, but
. especially Of women, to drift into in
fidelity. Certainly the woman of to-
day does not give the same thought II
: church as did her mother ct the sam,
age, and it having been charged tha
this arises from the reading Of. Darwin
and Spencer, and Huxley and Tindall
and of the study OF sciences and tn,
higher branches of learning, the Sta
q says: Learning is like wealth; 1t il
q very dangerous thing unless one hsl
!. practical business use for it. A maj
I whose time is fully engrossed in hand
, ling money for business purposes 10 no
j exposed 70 any thing like the amount
! of temptation which besets anothe
J who has no useful employment anC
nothing to do but TO spend his money
And so with learning. he wht
: applies 1t practically in some prcfes
. sions ls thrown into contact witt
! rivals who soon teach him to .estinat.
! I himself at his proper value, while th.
, educated drone falls into cnmpan,
where he delights In psrsdipg bis su
periority. 6elf-conceit grows, and
self-conceit blinds the intellcctua
/, , vision. The Judgment which In prac
! ticsl life learns TO dIstrust itself, Wher
left TO its own pride becomes intclerani
. and arrogant. II has no active com.
: petitor watching to trip its needless
! feet, and so wanders far and wide
: through the field of speculation and
presumption. ASTo0ancs Is ths dau1htes
: Of ussless learning and The mother o.
skspticism. These supeTfuous educs.
, tions are always superficial. They
leave the mind only half trained, bal
, full Of self-reliance, just In the condi.
|, ton TO fall victim 70 the artfuI soph.
istries Of unserupulous sclentlsts.
Such persons-women &c well - mer
have tasted the pleasure Of repu.
tstion for superior intelligence, and
they seek eagerly after eli new the.
ories, not from any genuine love ol
truth but from an ardent desire "a
keep up their names - advanced
thinkers.
The extent of rich uDcultivated
] land In the Delta OF the Mississippi
river II nof Oenarnltv kuowu On fhfc