Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-04-04
OBSER TATIONS OF 4 RETIRED
VETERA ~

man simply because he has the manners
and dress of one. The bare fact that at
some period of his life, oftenest the period
of youth. when the mind teens with odd
fancies and ambitions, a man has con-
cluded that he is called to the ministry,
has successfully gotten through theology
and been ordained, forms too uncertain
foundation on which to base reverence.
which is one of the most solemn emo
tions of the mind. But do respect ard
reverence the credentials of an earnest,
God fearing and self-sacrficing life hich
are found with these men, and | am
obliged, in excusing this weakness, to say
| that in long and varied experience with
| them. these traits have been charac er1s-
| tic of those have met. But it is rot N.Y.
| lack of reverence that intended to write
| about, it is the contradictory way in
which those who are under their cl arg
view this matter. The practical, effective.
and active irreverence of protesting
| Christians astonishes me as much as it
puzzles me. They believe, or ass, ne to
believe, in the sacredness of the ministry
| and in the reverence due ministers as such;
how do they show it It seems to me tina
! the architectural custom of elevating the
pulpit above the heads of the people arose
| out of the congregational custom of shoot
ing at the preacher. You may tell me
what you please about the worlds people,
| but it is the we'll directed volley from tn
communicates pews, generally fired from
ambush, that does the business for the
preachers influence. Did you ever think
of the marked absurdity in the contrast.
The subject of calling preacher is pre-
| faced by prayer the Almighty
is invoked to send a man of His choice;
the man is installed with impressive cere-
mony and much prayer; he is introduced
by other ministers at the installation with
illusions to him az the under shepherd to
whom is to be rendered obedience and
reverence. The new man then goes heart
| lily to work for God, and the congregation
| goes heartily to work-On him. They cri-
'lcise his style, peck at every imperfection
Intellectual and social. and soon put him
| in state of siege. If the Almighty, who
it was at FIRST claimed, sent him. deliv ers
him, he is in luck; but the usual end is
that the congregation itself effects his
deliverance by giving him the same warm
| experience that the terrapln undergoes
when it is desired to see him walk After
a persistent hamstriDging of the minister
| ial horse, the congregation are astonished
that he cannot pull his load I am bust
ness man and in many years have had
many men in my employment. but moth
| ing would have more astonished me at any
| time in my business life than to be told
| that L was Systematically impalring and
obstructing the usefulness of the men that
[ was paying to work for me and from
whose labor [ expected some profit. 1t is
the most inexplicable inconsiste cy to me
in congregations, which generally include
a large percentage of business men.
have used the word Systematically, be-
cause it seems to me that it is system
which pervades to greater or less extent
| all congregations, of all denominations.
] and is confined exclusively to no one. Nor
| is it the worst element IN a congregation
| that is guilty of it; am sorry to say that
| it is prevalent among even the best mem
| bers Even that excellent woman, Mrs
BoyZy, whose mind is often tortured by
| the apprehension that absence from
church service will seriously affect my
future prospects, often regales me after
| church with keen criticism of the sermon
nd ha IF
vet that estimable woman on hearing our
eldest daughter indulge last Sunday in a
similar strain, warned her against the
wickedneSs of her irreverence. l beg you
to understand that am not taking the
part of pastors against congregations any
more than would dare take the part of
our little girl against her pious
mother, but what J write is merely to
blaze the way, as it were. to a settlement
of the question; whether a pastor ia a
shepherd set over a congregation by the
Almighty, or whether he is man whom
an angry God has delivered into their
hands that he may suffer for his sins.
And now let me wander out of the
church into the theatre for a moment. A
friend expressed to me the other day his
incredulous surprise at the statement you
printed for me, that Taylor who was in
the Janauschek company was gentle
man and without vice. 1t is a great
mistake to suppose there are not many
most excellent people in the theatrical pro-
fession to whom the title of ladies and
gentleman cannot be denied. 1t is now
nearly thirty years since l knew the fami-
ly circle of the now famous Joseph Jeffer
son, the comedian, in Richmond, where
he played several seasons as stock actor
His salary then was. think, only $50
week and he boarded at the old Swan Ho-
tel. know of no family, of the size,
which has more household virtues or as
many accomplishments. 1t consisted of
Jefferson, h's wife. Miss Mary Develin a
protege Of Mrs. Jefferson and who after
wards married the famous Edwin Booth,
and little son aud daughter. The Sun
day evenings in the Jefferson parlor on
the 9th street corner of the hotel were as
unexceptionable as any that you could
name, and made most improving evenings
for those whose fortune it was to enjoy
them. Poor Mary Devlin then looked for
ward to great career on the stage and
was evidently striving by extended read
ing and hard study to fit herself for it,
But her marriage with Booth took her
out of the profession and with her first |
baby her young life passed away. AS girl |
and mother she was one of the purest and |
best of women. don't think | ever saw |
the absolute dependence of the mass of |