The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-28


lister and congregation together (stand-
ing), the congregation responding by CIV
ing the alternate verses. When DR..
Withrow made the prayers, he did not
say AMEN at the close, but half-sup-
pressed, musical "Ah-men" was waited
over the church from the choir and organ.
This appeared to me blasphemous. There
were flowers in the pulpit (or rather on
the platform-for there was no pulpit,
and one of the prayers was closed with
the Lords Prayer, in which all the con-
gregation Joined.
The text was from Cor. vii: 81, "The
fashion of this world passeth away"
The preacher used this text to prove that
there is constant movement in human
society, and that no generation of men is
exactly like that which preceded it.
There are fashions" for every genera
ton. What suited our forefathers might
not suit US. Dress changes, furniture
changes, hours for meals change, modes
of travelling change; modes of worship
change; the auxiliary appliances of the
Church change; the Sunday School has
changed; Church questions have changed;
questions that agitated the Church forty
years ago are laid to rest; new questions
arise. He illustrated by referring to the
disputations about the Trinity and the
subject of Future Punishment. The
world, he said, is not only moving, but
it is moving on the line of amelioration.
The sermon bristled with speculations
and queries, and the nearer was left in
doubt as to the opinions of the preacher;
only that he laid it down as funda-
mental principle that the world had
reached the great point, that " every man
has the right to think for himself" Evi-
IDENTIFY, the pastor of this congregation
ruled his little empire on this basis-that
every congregation is an independent en-
tity and may conduct its worship in its
own way. I could see from this single
service how all the churches of Massa-
chusetts- congregation started on
the same line-would soon be in a state
of ferment, and I could understand the
multiplicity of opinions and questions
which almost devour and drive the New
England mind to distraction.
There was nothing to object to in the
sermon perhaps SO far as the teachings
were concerned; but it was harsh, self
confident, unsettling. 1t appeared to me
that the strong-minded men and women
who were there might go away feeling
that they were Independent thinkers, and
knew how to maintain their intellectual
rights, but I fear there was lack of that
modest and gentle spirit of contrite sub
mission which the deeper evangelical in
struction engenders and lays upon the
hearts of the people. 1t appeared to me
that there was too much exaltation of the
human mind; and too little presentation
of the Importance and magnitude that
belong to the idea that all our help must
come from God, and that without Him
we cannot move one nach And there is
the secret of the decadence of the Church
at the North, and in the country at large;
this generation glorifes MAN, and puts
its faith in MANS abilities; SO has done
Germany; so they are doing in Great
Britain; so they did in France during
the reign of the Humanitarians. The
Church languishes because there is lack
of real reliance on God We do not be-
heve cordially in the supernatural; we
do not believe profoundly in the power
of prayer; we do not rely greatly on the
energy of the Holy Ghost. Never was
there truer saying than that injunction
"Work out your own salvation aOith fear
and trembling" We are commanded to
"work out our own salvation" that is
the human side; but that is not all of
the injunction; we are commanded to
work out our own salvation aOith fear
and trembling; not in spirit Of self
assertion and intellectual audacity, but
in spirit of holy and reverential awe
and modest diffidence and self-renuncia-
ton; with comprehension Of our utter
helplessness and wretched estate of ship