Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-12-08
"pRlIsE THE LO1D. {"
WATERFORD, SARATOGA Co., N. Y, |
December I, 1882. I


December l, 1882. !
Dear Interior;
went last Monday TO Troy, to attend
the regular Ministers meeting" which on
that occasion was a special one, TO consider
the political situation Of the city in par.
ticular, especially to take some action on
the better enforcement Of the Sabbath law
that comes into play Dec. !, Of the present
"year Of grace" eye msun KEN" again
that the city Of Troy, Of which the inhab-
itants are proud TO style themselves "Tro-
JAMS" q suspect, because being very
young city they banker after any thing that
will give them the dignity Of age) is Just
now in very chaotic condition, because a
new administration, protesting itself OPP
posed to corruption and stealage (which
the party out Of power, generally uses as a
petard to hoist the party that is in) is
measuring its might with the well organ
lied ring that found itself, the day Of the
last election, TO its Amusement, busted. The
battle is still going on, and for the past
week, 30 holly has the contest ragged that
the town hall has been barricaded and
Troy has been practically without police
force, that august body refusing to act with
the new Mayor, on legal technicalities fur
nished by an astute attorney Of the opposi-
ton as fast as needed. / wish to be under
stood as simply stating facts-not taking
sides. So the ministers, under special call
''came together about this matter" last
Monday, thinking the time propitious for
acting in body and giving the weight Of
their position on the side Of right in car.
rying out the forthcoming Sunday Statute.
listened to the well-put utterances Of
40 or 80 intelligent men, for the space OF
nearly two hours, and then, having enough
Of politics to last me long time, departed
for home and dinner. And as rode home
pondered the subject, and this is what
made of it. Here we're half hundred
ambassadors for Christ" arraying them
selves against the very classes the Master
sent them to approach and save. And all
under the fairest of pretexts, for surely it
is well to have quiet Sabbaths and Saloon
closed and newsboys silenced. On the last
point, one clergyman was most emphatic
in his remarks, insisting that, whatever &C.
ton was taken, the abatement Of the stem.
torian newsboy nuisance, breaking the
quiet slumbers Of laity md clergy Sunday
morning, must have prominent place, OF
the country would go to the dogs. One
could hardly fail to see that the memory
Of his own curtailed, morning nap gave
indignant emphasis 10 his really eloquent
speech. / couldn't refrain from a momen-
tary aversion to the little wretch whose
shrill "'Ere's your 'Erald, Tribune, Tines
woke the early morning echoes, and sent
"tired natures sweet restorer" off with
startled look fingers in ears, to return no
more that day. Surely the end TO be ac-
complished was wholesome one, forbid
ding nuisances one and all. But the old
question came baok-is the minister Of the
gospel Of the grace Of God the man to do
it? Does readiness for every good word
and work"-call him to the front in poll
tics? 1t Is the old question which is no
nearer a settlement now than in the times
when Scotland's clergy grasped the clay
more, and Americas preachers should
cred a musket and marched to battle. 1t
will not be settled till Jesus comes. 1t is
the old vexed question Of the lend jutify-
ing the means"-that has undoubtedly two
sides to it. For myself, l can not help
thinking that law and grace can not thus
work side by side. Jesus never appealed
to law, nor did Paul, except to his sorrow.
We are mot under the law but under
grace" and il we preach grace and then
act law, "the legs of the lame will be une-
quail" Jesus took TO his heart Of love
"publicans and sinners" without question
or condition, and 80 ii is written, "Then
drew near unto Him, all the publicans and
sinners to hear Him, and il ever there
were rougues, the publicans were such.
Even those who did not accept Him, as a
personal Savior we're not repealed, but
"heard Him gladly" He couldn't have
brought the law to bear on them. He
spared them, for il was all to fall upon His
blessed head and therefore they could 20
scot free. And what are we preachers but
those who are set TO follow in His foot
steps "who has thus set us an example, 1t
is very clear to me. 1t was not clear, how
ever to our so clergymen who, when l
left, seemed disposed to issue call for
"mass meeting" 10 the Town Hall, so that
all pressure might be put upon the new
Mayor TO prevent his slighting the unpop-
ular duties Of open war against the "rum-
mics" One prominent Rev. | heard, in
an able speech, protest against the clergy
leading in the matter, but even he did not
object 90 follow, or even march abreast Of
manufacturers, lawyers, bank
ers and others. Not one word did hear
Of saving the souls Of these men aud boys
for whom Christ died. IL was Law, Law,
throughout. Is il strange that il you 90
into any church you are struck with the
absence Of "the masses ?" Is it TO be won
dered at, that the vail SLOW shall We
reach the masses" periodically put up by |
earnest men, who really want to do good to
their fellows these so preachers are, in |
The main, such, verify believe) meets but
the hollow echo "How ?" And "the mass
es" still 20 pouring over the Niagara prec.