Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-08-24

man seeks only wealth, dlsclOseS MS own
sordid nature There are thousands of
young men who wish 70 live life OF USE
fulness and command the respect Of their
fellow men; who wish to feel that they
have an influence for good. Let us turn
our eyes for a moment upon the church
and its practices, and see if it contain not
in itself one of the real causes ofthe dinin-
ishing number Of divinity students.
Were we called upon to name the one
thing which is the source of all the disor.
der found in the churches, we would re-
ply insincertty;; or in other words, ancon-
sistency Of profession malpractice. A few
weeks ago minister of the Gospel in
Wisconsin was guilty of conduct entirely
inexcusable, if not positively criminal
He did not acknowledge his guilt, step
down from the sacred position which he
had disgraced, and humbly ask for for
g,veness, as the sinner is told to d.. He
plead not guilty, but admitted his indis-
cre:ion. A farce of church trial declar.
ed him innocent, and nine of every ten
who heard the testimony believed him
guilty; and so loud was the demand of
the community for fair trial and justice
that he was arrested and will be brought
before a civil court Again, not long ago
minister in Iowa was known to be gull.
ty of the most abominable and wicked
practice for minister or for any body; yet
he was allowed 10 desecrate his pulpit
and afterward to flee the state and escape
justice. There are but few such cases;
yet If but one 60 unpublished in the
church, the supposed home of purity, it is
too much. If these most fragrant cases
are whitewashed, there is no certainty
that any receive their deserts. Let the
church punish its delinquents. as it has q
right and duty to do, then will it be more
likely to be believed when it says that
Ged will punish sin, and men will feel
that it IS an honor indeed to be called to
lobor in its cause.
1nsincerity is what no man likes to be
charged with; yet he can not escape 1t in
the pulpit, and is very likely to wink at it
in the pew. We are glad that we believe
that there are thousands Of earnest Chris
tian ministers truly working for God, de.
claring the truth without fear or favor
and we are very sorry to believe that
there are many ministers who prea CHI to
entertain, who do not dream that their
doctrines will be needed, men who prefer
nice coat and servility to rags and Paul's
fearless declaration of truth. And worst
Of all, it is too commonly believed tina;
the sermon is for Sunday, and the
church for the purpose of securing to one.
business and social standing. People
who really believe in Christ and his reli-
gion, do not with most holy VOWS accept
him and his work, and then live, act, dress
talk and do business just like other folks
And how rarely is one expelled from the
church! In the New York Stock Room
a member who breaks his word is dropped
without mercy. It's true that the church
is to be mercifal and forgiving; but if i
be not just and what il claims to be, i
wears the garb of insincerity. And how
humiliating to preach against any sin, Il
declare 1t contrary to the commands o
God and the rules Of the church, and ye
feel that your congregation half discred
it your words and continues the practice
from one years end to another. II thu
churches, both pastors and people, car
show that they are in earnest, that they
have something Of the highest importance
to accomplish, there will be no lack O
suitable candidates. But if to-day min
lister is prosecuted for preaching a broad
charitable doctrine, and tom orrow another
is most easily excused for gross immoral
ity, there will be an unsupplied demand
for ministers. Attacks on state institu.
tons and establishment of denomination
al schools will not raise the percentage Of
young men entering the ministry, mol
advance the cause of true education. i