Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-07-06

to say is that there seems to be disposition
to tone down the harsher truths of God s
word, lest we should give offense and
drive our hearers from us.
Not so the fathers. True, they were not
as well eduated thenas now. and could not
discourse on such variety of subjects
aside from the simple and unadulterated
gospel. Nor did they wish to. They
were in a sense One-tded men. Their
great work was to save sim rs On this
work they concentrated all their energies.
They preached sharp doctrinsl sermons
They met intideity, Calvinism, Unitarian.
ism and Universalism, and against these
theological errors they dealt unsparing
blows. But their preaching for the most
part was experimental and practical.
They declared the whole counsel of God,
without fear or favor Of any man. They
could say with the apostle, "knowing the
terror of the Lord we persuade men," They
insisted that in us by nature there was no
good thing, that morally the whole head
was sick, etc. That man must be born
again. That old things must pass away
and all things become new. That Christ
is an almighty and all-sufficient Savior
That without holiness no man shall see the
Lord. They did not blush nor deem an
apology necessary. nor deem it impolte to
tell all, whether high or low, rich or poor,
who were neglectors of this great salvation,
that he that believeth not shall be damned
They aimed at and expected immediate
results. and were not disappointed nor
frightened if the truth took effect on the
hearts of the people, and they cried out In
tho dam of
what shall we do to be savedp In those
days almost every sermon was closed with
powerful appeal to the unconverted, and
these were backed up by several warm
exhortations from the brethren and sisters,
At the present day the gift of exhortation
has well nigh died out of the church; we
hear but little Of it from the pulpit except
mt our camp meetings, and seldom, if
ever, from the lay members of our church.
The labors of the early preachers were in
cessant preaching, usually three times on
the Sabbath, and on their circuits almost
every day in the week wherever the
people would come together TO hear them.
Nothing was said about long sermons or
too much preaching, Since that day our
people have, most of them, become homeo-
pathst in religion. They want very min.
ute doses of the gospel. The cry is sing
short, pray short. preach short, read a
short portion of the word of God,-and
don't give us this very often,-one short
sermon week is all that we can digest.
do not think there is as much pastoral
visiting now as there was in my early min
istry. Our excellent discipline makes it
the duty of the minister to go from house
TO house, to 60 into every house in course,
and teach every one therein, young and
old, to be Christians inwardly and out
wardiy, and anticipating the objection that
would be made, that we should not have
time to study if we did so, it says, if ynr
can do but one, let your studios uione. We
ought to throw by all the libraries in the
world rather than be guilty of the loss of
one soul. | think most of our ministers
fifty years ago were careful to observe this
part of our discipline. They sought an
opportunity in every house to have pr-
vate interview with every member of the
family; and it was expected by all that
when the ministers visited them that they
would be questioned with regard TO their
spiritual interests. fear this is too much
neglected by some OF our brethren. re
member few years ago hearing one of
our strong preachers say he never in his
life asked Il person if he or she enioyed
religion; and another one in quarterly con.
ference report that during the quarter he
had visited four families 1t has seemed
to me if the same divine unction rested
upon us that WAS upon the fathers, and we
preached with the same simplicity and
power, and followed up our preaching with
faithful pastoral visiting and persistent
personal effort, we might witness as great
results Gf not precisely the same) AS the
fathers witnessed in the early history OF
the church.
The discipline of the church was more
rigidly administered in my early ministry
than now. If Il member Of our church at
tended theatre or circus, or dancing
party. or n card party or negro ministries,
or broke any of the rules of the church he
was labored with, and unless there was
confession and reformation he was cut off.
But at the present day our people in too
many Instances patronize these debasing
amusements and nothing is said. and why
should there be so long rs we have, at
least to some extent, introduced them into
our church gatherings; in our theatrical
performances, lotteries, post Offices fishing
ponds, grab bags, ring. cakes and the like
So that at the present we hear of no one
being brought to trial except for some
tlagrant act of wickedness.
A marked change has taken place as to
dress, not so much among the male mem.
bers, except it is in the ministry. Our
ministers fifty years ago,almost without an
} exception. dressed their necks with white
handkerchiefs without collars; most o
them wore broad brmmed hats, and round
, breasted coats and vests so that Metho
dist minister was known by his dress
} Now, this style of dress is seldom seer
among US. But our sisters observed the
apostles rule. Whose adorning let it no,
be that outward adorning of plating o
hair and wearing of gold, or of putting or
of apparel; but the hidden man of the
heart even the ornament of meek and
quiet spirit. So that in those days we saw
no bangs, puff,, waves crimps, or frizzes
among them. Nor did they wear flowers
feathers, bows, rutfles, frills, fringe, tas
sells or furbelows of any kind; neither die
: they wear jewelry, but dressed so pair
, that they were known by their costume a.
: well as Quakeress is now. A grea
change in this regard has taken place, SC
that our Methodist sisters of the presen
day dress as fashionable as other ladies
: Whether this is right, do not say. NJ,
opinion is that whether male or female We
should dress so rs to attract as little atten
tion as possible.
!, Kneeling in their religious worship was 6
common practice among the Methodist
b fifty years ago. They bowed down ant
f knelt before the Lord their Maker. Bu
, at the present day this practice in New
England has been abandoned in public
} worship, except by the minister This We
regret. Would that when the minister
> says. let us pray, we could see the whole
J church PROSTATE themselves before the
Lord. This seems to be the most suitable
the most becoming posture while suppl
J eating the mercy of God.
Our people were more emotional and
demonStrGtiUe then than now. They sale
} Amen when they felt like it. They shouted
and praised God in manner that woulc
, make many of our modern Methodsts CRY
> out Fanaticism, widire,-but, thanh
God we believe little wildfire is better
, than no fire at all Tho nolitical orato,