The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-03-08
I'D YER TZSINT TEXTS.

The services in Protestant churches on
the Sabbath day usually consist of the
reading of the Holy Scriptures, prayers,
sermon, the singing OF psalms and
hymns, and the benediction, the object Of
all being the worship of Almighty God
and the edifcation of the people. When
any other ends than these are sought, the
result is the secularization of sacred
things, and the consequent loss of rever-
ence for the divinely appointed ordi-
nanoes of the house of God.
1t is very desirable that these services
should be attended, not only by protested
Christians, but by the protesting por-
ton of the community as well and some
ministers doubling the attractiveness of
the institutions of worship ordained by
the great Head of the Church. attempt to
supplement this lack by devices of their
own. One of the measures upon which
they rely is the publication in the secu,
lar newspapers of sensational subjects for
their Sunday sermons. Accordingly we
find IN the column containing religious
notices advertisements of topics, some
times novel and sometimes grotesoue ::
evidently inserted with the view OF
drawing" outsiders who would not be
interested in the themes ordinarily dis
cussed in the pulpit. The unhappy re-
suits OF this course are manifold. First
the effect is bad upon the very classes
who are enticed in this manner to attend
church services. They look into the Sa-
turday and Sunday papers to see what
themes are announced in order to find
those which promise the greatest amount
OF entertainment. If the subject is an
unusual one, their curiosity is awakened +;
II it is diverting one, they hope to find
some amusement; if it is simply dramatic,
they expect to enjoy the excitement OF
aroused emotion; if it is literary, scien-
tltic, or political, they are sure that they
will escape the WEAKNESS of having to
listen to an old fashioned gospel sermon.
Thus they scan the column of "reli-
glous' notices as they would a play-bill,
and having selected their church for the
day, they enter the sanctuary with the
equipment of itching ears" as pleasant
substitute for the preparation of the
heart. The final issue will be that those
whose fastidious eclecticism has been cul-
tlvated in this school will cease to come
to church at all when they do not think
the subject announced captivating enough
to pay them for going.
And next, the effect is equally bad on
the preacher. He is tempted to search
for subjects which cater to the tastes of
the floating public, and while pandering
to its morbid appetite his own spiritual
relish becomes vitiated, and by and by
the old adage, like people like priest"
will find its illustration. That he has
become unwilling or afraid to rely on
such themes as repentance, faith, and
growth in grace, is evident from the fact
that he does not advertise topics like
these. And having begun to publish
sensational themes he is tempted to make
them more and more spicy, on the princi-
pie that he, who peppers highest, surest
is to please" He has found more ex-
cellent way Of attracting hearers than the
Apostle who determined to know nothing
but Christ and Him crucifed. What is
such an uninteresting theme as that com
pared with, "HIsthetics in Eden, Ewes
Apple and Apron" or Noah and the
Raven, Quoth the Raven Nevermore :" or
Jacob said to his mother, behold Esau
is a hairy man and I am a smooth man,
| Gen. xvii il or Joseph's coat not
monochromatic?" or 1.-THE wisdom Of
Moses in taking the Serpent by the tail -
/. Exod. iva or Israeltish bellies, with
round tires like the moon, and the Mod
ern Bonnet" or When Paul fetched a
compass to Rhegium, was it the Mariners
Compass?" Acts xiii: 10. Cali We'll
come !"
But why should the minister stop here 4?
IF it is his great object to attract the
crowd, why not make himself as ridicu-