Daily Republican., 1883-04-14
The Successful Preac her.

''N>N~''-
of Methodism, or the days when Find
ley and other Presbyterian revival, ts
planted Calyinism in the West. The
successful minister of those days was
known by hi, works, his revivals and
his persertl, onS. A Cartwright would
be cut of place in an eastern confer
euce at the present day-more, he would
be called IA crank and be given starved
appointment in amongst the pineries
or on some isolated island. The ten
dency Of the times is towards that re-
fnement that takes the place Of reli-
gious zeal and fervor. "a refinement that
in>idiously smothers and chokes the
old time pent up fires OF religious EN-
thusiasm. We are not disposed to be a
critic, nor would We say aught to re-
fleet upon the christian religion, but it
il ailowa BILE for us to review the reli.
gious situation and make such comment
in secular paper that religious organs
often fail to make. In reviewing this
subject briefly as we only can in news
paper editorial, we OF course must make
note Of the apparent decline OF spirit
uality in the church, and if not out of
place would ask the cause of it.
Without waiting for IA reply we will
venture ourselves to say that it is be-
cause the world is creeping in and TAX
ing too frin hold upon the hearts Of
TOO large number OF pro Tossing chris
tians. A resolution passed at the late
Wilmington Conference is taken as proof
that church member have been barter
ing their political franchises for money
selling their principles, like Judas,
for what the Apostle Paul called filthy
lucre. The shrew'lest politicians have
crept into the church-those who do not
hesitate to use the standing the church
gives them to pull political wires and
to use every means fair or foul for the
success Of their political party. But
these men have money and influence
and they are toierated--not only toltr
ated but encouraged and given cholcr
places in the church, because they have
money and influence. Like sinister
motives bring other persons into a
church organization and when wealth
and worldly influence march in at the
door spirituality flies out at the win
dow.
There are some unsuccessful minis
stels who lift their voices against thi,
entertainment upon the old time reii-
giOn, but they are unsuccessful The
rich hold the money strings and will
not pay such ministers and they gencr-
ally have their way. But what is the
modern day successful minister? He
who slips along without giving offence
He who breaches eloquent sermons to
suit the literary taste of the times. He
in gorgeous railroad train Of thought
running over glass tracks that make
not jar or motion.
The successful minister Ofthe pre-
sent day fails to rebuke sin, or if he
does it is in such manner as to carry
an apology with it. Such a minister
slips through his term, pockets his
out having given offence to anybody.
His church has been crowded, his ser
mons eloquent, his delivery good ms
gestures taultless, his language mild
and his words even attectionatc, but
he has failed to rebuke sin and sinners
are as friendly towards him as profess
ing christians.
He is said to have not an enemy in the
world-how could such good man
have enemies? Public admiration is
the glass railroad upon which such
successful and popular ministers are
flying along at the rate Of about mile
A minute
Must a successful minister have enc
mics we are asked NOT necessarily
but we will venture to assert that the
most successful ministers Of old times
had lots of them, and the most success
tut of modern times have them still.
Had Wesley enemies Had Cart
wright Findley, BascOm and the early
pioneer fathers of this country, enemies?
Lots Of them And the preacher Of the
pres Mt day who does his duty rs well
as 'ury, viii hav" as many and more
We near If men who, when they
CONF to Die, had not Al enemy and
mus, have been good men The stan
dar,l Of plcty seems to have been placed
at the lu enemy uptrh. W" hope they
werr good mrr hut their lights must
hayr been hidden under a btt~h"l. Did
our Saviour dnu his Apostles have enc
mics Yes, hu that wa, when the
world was wrecked and sunk in sin
We're there WORSE sinners then than
now? Are rh"ro not ,Inda,"- in the
church now ~ men Are there not
sorCcry Sjm,us I'm ia, church now as
then? They h..d rrernire. they could
not help bur "a hem, and the preach