New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-19

which gives ght all the glory Of God on the next
Jesus Christ joy to be present at this Then we
shall walk in the light, and our eyes viii be opened WIDER
and wider. Dear brethren prepare to ENJOY duy ms
feast Let it be a oretaste you OF what is to come
And you may expect TO receive at II more th you Sn
ragged and torn and hungry, but washed O us SINS was
endowed win rich treasures.
DISSEMINATION IN ADJUSTMENTS
The Rev Dr. j. H. Ryanee a, ST. MdrS Protestant Episcopal
church.
The Rev. DR.. Rylance preached last night III
g. Marks Church on e eh -ion and Popular Amuse-
ments." His text was from Proverbs III, II: Her
ways ways Of peaSantness and all her pains are
peace"
That is said the preacher the ways Of wisdom the
ways religion. But religion has been very generally
represented anything but pleasant TO the or
binary tastes and feelings of m1ndnd, while
her maths have been made somewhat
thorny for travellers the Heavenly world. curious
illustration of this fen under my eye in the week JUST
passed In conference of preachers it stated at
some good had written essay on the Pear OF
God" TO cOunterbaance the effect of John Bunydns
Pilgrims Progress" the work of the Immortal
tinker being too light and entertaining, and sui
GENTLY serious since it pleased the unbeevers as well
as the elect" Now just think my friends, what that
and what it implies 1t is not alleged that Bun
vans book did do "unbehevers" good The
offence charged is that it pleased them, pleas
ure being of experience which must
be denied to unbcleyors even it he Of kim which
Is shared by the elect and although the deprivation
of the pleasure might deprive nbelieycrs OF great dea
OF good, religion being sort Of medicine which
must never rendered palaable but which, if taken at
all must Dc taken under protest of all natural taste and
appetite.
And the temper thus curOusly illustrated has ANNA
tel teachers of the Christian religion very generally.
All miI%h and spOrtiveness have been put
under ban. The sole business OF men and
women here upon earth to for the soul, il is
thp
teachers the renuncatiOn of all recreation and amuse
nent. Such delights disspating and degrading 10
The higher nature Immortal beings hurrying through
time 10 eternity should look upon all such distinctions
with a steadfast disdain. They worldly carnal,
sorrupting the baser sensual devsh. All indul
genccs the all qualification to taste and iee
ing except Of fairly spiritual kind. il is called, is
sinful, and dooms the soul to the eternal fire.
Now all this lofty religious, is heavenly and
mon crowds gather i'm Christian temples. And not
man among them seriously believes such cxtravacani
talk Al least not man among then goes away aD'o-
lutey bent upon living such me- or IL lac Ues ne can
not do it except at the cost OF peryerHg te nature Iod
al natural seusiby is to be crushed or denied ndug
ence, why did the Maker OF men endo| mem WIN suc
sensibihtiesf Ana Why mas lie maze s5o aDilaant
provision for their peasurable Indictment! HOW stump
from the siIbterlhs G ioy Anyr that bIews
by the rivers brink These things suggest very
different Interpretation Of the mind and purposes OF the
e~ITsss far worter conception OF the Divine Father
surely when we say that lie did to mock His
children by setting before them delights which they
ysere never to taste but that He means HIS creatures,
even the meaDest members OF the animal world, TO ma
Which His wisdom and goodness have provided that life
for the owiest should have a large admtAture OF
i5es Of elch orGee Of beings and accord
re re- 20 can G be no 4o2b thnE that the and
abuse done by fanatcsm TO the religion OF Jesus CHRIST
has wrought immense mischief ia the world, especially
i'm the hearts and minds of young people has eniused
on their moral instincts and Judgments II has ~ up
artificial standards OF character and conduct IL mas
fTowued all the nature humoT and mrth OF the hear
has threatened Gods judgments against innocent recre
and childish glee and by these things fanatlcism has
neS eS AND wi' enang the affections Of ali happy
tempered souls, while not few have been driven or
tmpered TO reckessness by this miserable perversion
Nearly akin this evil is another Of very disastrous
sort alude 10 the unTeality, not 10 say hypocrisy
which il introduces into church circles Inc preacher
gets up his place and in earnest uncu0us tones LAY
down the law or the guidance OF those before nm Ihhi
very severe in it, denial OF all indulgence 10 flesh and
relaxing of the human diverted energy; not
tho slightest allowance neaEt fnr mace anv,b Er ljr
aud refreshing for any pleasure or amusement TO the
lower nature. All such cravings are denounced as
to such LOFTY aud serene plane OF he-De must DC
pure and man 70 TAX thus FOR my
much they recommend others to i've But we ali
utterly i1npractcable; that the lite which
and women compelled to live viii not admit OF a
consistent application of the ghostly c0unsels which
they receive sunday As matter of fact there Is a
fined understand
ers and the people, that some mgatlon may De haae
from demands of the law az laid down from the pulpit
tne preacher allowing II 10 be understood tnat he ala
mean quite all that ne balu III MS last heJ uo"l
r!atlon OF wOrldliness -. ,
n il surely high time that dealt honestly with the
thngs which Christian people profess 10 nave III
hand admit mon and women to the Lords supper
knowing be in ali substantial qualities OF char
ecter as good Christians | am But these people |
know 80 sometimes to the theatre or 10 OF tey
sit down 10 a game OF cards, OF they JON
a. the eocol dance 0ccasOpally or otherwise dispOrt
themselves But does not the Bible require al that
nQalip "A -
or the will be found very damaging ~ tue BlDo
she Jews a happy-tempcred gorgeous people,
given to music and merTymakiDg ana dancing, even III
taeir sacred soenitie Their very fasts were estlv-
ties Jerusalem having had AS we conceive OF H. Fery
much Of tae aspect Of ROME at the carnival season.
Jesus himself went up, as we learn, to marriage AZ
Cana replenishing the stock Of wine which had failed
10 tue expressed qualification OF His fellow guests But
there nothing ia the Bible essentially at ennity with
the healthy recreation OF the bodily powers, or with the
wholesome qualification OF aninalappettes ana feelings
But have nothing specific to say as 10 whether men
balls about, 90 TO the play or the opera No. nothing
specihc; but simply 10 command discrin patlOn
would deal with theatres and billiards ana All such
emusements deal with hundred other things law
ful in themselves but OF different degrees OF merit or
demcrit-goOd. bad and indifferent. would discrfmi-
bad barely tolerant of the indifferent
approving and patr0nzing the good would zeal Wild
t6eu just deal with the meats when go 10 he mar
tet just deal with the books as they lie on the pub
Gshers tables Just deal with the cut ana material OF
the vast variety OF wearing apparel that Is offered Tor
sale would reject bad aud approve that which Is
excellent And lin the religious world openly
this principle, teaching its members 70 discriminate In
their choice Oh amUsements, cesng all blnd ana aant
Rbenmcn ana TO the decisions Of the conscience as TO
what OF how much amusement IL lawful unlawful.
continue to have very much their catering 10
popular tastes and appetites, while there VIII continue
10 be a good deal OF skulkng SHINING going on among
those VINO profess TO have abjured SUCH vanities.
NOT LOVERS OF THEIR OWNSOULS.
The Dr. AymitaGs al the rim Aeenue Baptist Church.