Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-03-11
.SATU RDAY PRESS.
A Modern Instance.
MARCH II, 1882

Extract from w. D. Howoll's story I'M.
DEF the above heading in tho Century Ma
goz'oe Of December, 1881:
Religion ,horo Ind largely ceased TO be
fact Of spiritual experience, and tho visi-
bic church fourished on condition Of provid-
ing for the social needs Of the community.
II was practically held that the salvation
OF ono's soul must not be made too doprcss.
ing, or the young people would have
nothing TO do with IL. Professors of the
stornest creeds tomporized with sinners,
and did what might be done TO win them
TO heaven by helping them TO hive good
time here. The church embraced and
included the world. IL no longer frowned
even upon social dancing-a transgres.ion
once 30 heinous in it's eyes il opened its
doors to popular lectures, aud encouraged
secular music in it's easements, where
during the winter, oyster.suppcrs were
given in aid Of good objects The Sunday
school was made particularly attractive
both 10 tho children and the young men
and girls who taught them. Not ouly at
Thanksgiving, but Mt Christmas, and lat
torly even ut Easter, there wero special
observnncos, which the entsrprising spirits
having tho welfare of the church Mt hoart
tried to mako significant and agreeable to
all, aud promoiivc Of good feeling. Christ.
onings and marriages in tho church were
encouraged, aud claborntely celebrated :;
death alone, though treated with c1t
flowers in emblcmatic devices, refused to
lend itself TO the cheerful intentions of
those who were struggling to render tho
idea Of another and better world loss
repul.ivc. In contrast with the relaxation
and uncertainty of their doctrinal aim, tho
rude and bold iniidelty of old Squire Gay
lord had the greater affinity with the mood
of the Pnri'anism they had ou'grown.
He might be reading Hume or Gibbon, or
he might DO reading tho Bible--a book in
which he was deeply versed, aud from
which he was furnished with texts for tho
demolition of it's friends, his ndversaries.
lie rrofesscd himself a great admrer of it's
literature, and, in the heat of controversy,
he often found himself defender of its
doctrines when he had occasion to expose
the fallncy of latitudinarian intcrpreta
For liberal Christianity he had nothing
but contempt, and refuted it with scorn
which spared mono of the worldly tcnden-
cies of the church in equity. The idea
that souls were to be saved by church
socnbles filled him with inappeasablo ram
cor; and he maintained tho superiority of
the old Puritanic discipline against them
within fcrvor which nothing but it's rc-estab-
Ii nent could have abated. 1t was said
that Squire Gaylord's influence had large
ly helped to keep in place the last of the
rigidly orthodox ministers, under whom his
hbcraliziug congregation chafed for yeLrs
of discomfort; but this was probably an
exaggeration of the native humor. Mrs.
Gaylord Ind belonged to this church, and
had never formally Withdrawn from it, and
the lawyer always contributed to pay the
minister's salary. He also managed lit
tic property for him 30 well as to make
him independent when he was at last ask
ed to resign by his deacous."