Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-11-22
Sentimental Religion.

Why not understand that which
you pretend to, and more especially
in q religious sense? That which
fans the passions into an imaginable
momentary shouting is delusion
and Phsrisseicsl in the sight of God.
Our heavenly Father is in wisdom.
purity and practice perfection, hence.
He cannot approve any method Of
worship in which there is deception,
and every person who thunders the
praise of God, without a soul stirring
reality is deceiver, and ignorance
will be no justifiable plea at the bar
of Judgment, If it will be, then the
heather nations are saved. The
duty of religion is to subdue evil in
clinations, increase brotherly love
and neighborly protection. Genuine
religion guides, and makes holier
mans aspirations, gives radience of
beauty to the countenance ,brilliance
of delight to the eyes, peace and joy
in the heart, with an inexpressible
desire to do more and more for the
Master. How many have such a
craving to do their fellow man good
Many cling to and console themsel-
YES by the following: "Where little
is known, little will be required, "and
assure you little will be given and
enjoyed hereafter. 1t is wise to go
to church to listen and learn, from
a capable instructor, but degrading
to be deluded by preachers" whose
purpose is to excite the natural man.
into q sentimental shouting, in Or
der to get the dimes, quarters and
dollars-the souls for which he is most
anxious Hence the woeful state Of
affairs existing among our people.
These things may hurt-they ought
not to, for they are truths and none
but hypocrits and deceivsrs will be
insulted. No professional men have
SO much power to do good and ele-
vate the people rs the preachers and
Xet it is fact that thousands Of them
are contentious and pretentious
stumbling blocks, who will be tram
pied into the earnest and hottest
punishment by the maddened waiting
army of deceived misery bound mil
lions. Better take warning no, step
down and out of Gods temple and
pursue that which you are better fit
ted for-plowing, chopping wood.
clerking, etc. 1t is shocking to hear,
our preachers say, "We must have
shout tonight !" "who will be the
first to praise God?" "Be still, the
holy ghost is coming" etc. The
people are so habituatcd to shouting
it is considered "a dull meeting with
out it, and the preachers laugh and
talk about how they made ''sister
Jane and brother Tom jump /
appeal to every community in which
these shouters exist, if nineteenth of
them are not the worst people you
have. They are fond OF chickens
and don't care how they get them.
Their chief business is to rob home
Of its joy and hearts of their hopes,
also virtue of it's jewel. After leav-
ing the church, by getting around
corner or where no one sees him, he'd
choke whiskey bottle to death,
while getting from it some more re-
l!gion. The preachers, as a mass,
are to blame for this mode of false
abominable worship. / mean those
preachers who have been reared up
on plenty of corn bread and fat meat,
whose religion has SO sweetened their
taste that light brown sugar curls up
their noses and piece Of fat bacon
nauseates their stomachs. I mean
such divines as have run raccoon
for miles and night after night have
walked as many more to see their
sweethearts, whose religion will not
allow them to walk a short distance
into the county to hold a meeting
I mean such preachers as consid-
CT it disgrace to work and
and whose religion teaches them it