The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-02-17

complaint, and then crawl up to the.
pulpit, and the people say, Don't he
look heavenly ?" because he looks sickly.
Let the Church of God direct ra her
than attempt to suppress the desire for
amusement. The best men that the
world ever knew have had their sports
William Wilberforce trundled hoop with
his children. Martin Luther helped
dress the Christmas lrse. Ministers
have pitched quoita. PhilanthrOpists
have gone G-skatiDg. Prime Ministers
have played ball. This church to day is
filed with men and women who have in
their souls unmeasured resources of
sportfulness and frolic. Show me man
who never lights up with sportfulness
and has no sympathy with the reCrea-
tions of others, and I will show you a
stumbling block on the way to the
Kingdom Of God. Such men are csriCa-
lures of religion.
They lead young people to think that
a man is good in proportion as he groans,
and frowns, and looks ssllow, and that
the height of Christian mans stature
is in proportion to the length of his
face. 1 would trade off five hundred
such men for one bright faced, radiant
Christian, on whose face are the words,
"Rejoice evermore." Between here and
Fulton Ferry every morning by his
cheerful face he breaches fifty sermons.
/ will go further and say that have no
confidence in man who makes a reli-
gion of his gloomy looks. That kind of
a man always turns out badly. | would
not want him for the treasurer IF an
orphan asylum. The orphans would
suffer. Among forty people whom l re.
Ceived into the church at one commun-
ion, there was only one applicant Of
whose piety was suspicious He had
thelongest story to tell; be had seen
the most visions, and gave an expert.
ence so rapturous and profound that all
the other applicants were discouraged.
l was not surprised in year after to
learn that he had run Fl with the funds
of the bank with which he was con-
nected. Who is this black angel that
you call religion--wing black, feet black,
feathers black Our religion is bright
angel--feet bright, eyes bright wings
DElButs 1hklHB ucE pihCo AZ buo oVuAi
she pulls a rope that reaches the skies,
and sets all the bells Of heaven G-chim.
ing. There are some persons who, when
talking to a minister, always feel 1t polite
to look lugubrious. Go forth, o people,
to your lawful amusementg. God means
you to be happy. But when there are
so many sources Of innocent pleasure,
why tamper with any thing that is dan.
gerouB and pollutine2 Why stop our
ears to q heaven full Of eongsters to
listen to the bliss Of q dragon? Why
turn back from the mountain side, all
abloon with wild flowers and adssh
with the nimble torrents, and, with Bills.
tered feet, attempt to climb the hot sides
OF fire. belching Cotopaxi2 The day
comes when the men who have exerted
evil Influences upon their fellows will be
brought to judgment. Scene--The last
day. Stsge--=The rocking earth. Enter
Dukes, Lords, Kings, beggars, clowns.
No sword, no tinsel, no clown. For
foot lights, the kindliDg flames Of the
world. For orchestra, the trumpets that
wake the dead. For gallery, the clouds
filed with angel spectators. For sp-
plaHse, the Clapping foods Of the sea.
For curtain, the heavens rolled together
as a scroll. For tragedy, the doom to
the destroyed For farce, the effort of
serve the world and God at the same