Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-25
SINGLE COPIES TWO GENTS.
Monday February 25. 1884.
The Use of Lent.

Rev. MT. Nichols Breaches a Stirring
 Discourse About the Lenten Season
 and How to Ob erve 1t.
 At Trinity church last evening large con- greeation assembled and Rev. MT. Nichols, the popular assistant minister of the church' preached on the use of Lent, taking his text from the words of the prayer book version of Psalms, 69 and 11th verse: '1 put on sack cloth also, and they pelted at me-" -Tho preacher spoke of the faahio11 among men or otbar determinations and of no denom1na- tious at all to sheer at Lent and those who observe it. They speak of it, said the preacher, with tone partly of surprise, partly of commiseration and partly of irony. Many people, many of them good people, jest at Lent. These covert sneers result from ignorance of the true use of Lent. There are many who do not like to have their world Iv pleasure interfered with. Episcopalians do not observe Lent properly oftentimes.
 Lent is a healthy, natural season, whose existence is founded upon the characteristics of human nature. The main reason for Lent is because of the absorbing world. The church appoints it as a season TOT men to examine themselves where they stand
 They need to see whether they are masters of
 themselves Lent's use is for protesting
 Christians mainly. They must be held to
 their profession. There is too great deslre
 among many churches for new converts anu
 they neglect to sanctify those who are Tn the
 church By it's worldly quiet and rehRlous
 atmosphere. Lent draws m the worldly:
 How should Lent be kept? Primarily no
 rnles can be given. In our church no strict
 laws are given Protestantism rePuoiaseS
 all such formal rule as insulting tr nN "Lo
 gave us our personality. May say % .ha' <oi,e sne
 church rslaxes too much tne s cnucu iHiis
 because it does aStnos mn 1nnocent worldly
 r1easnre however becomes absorbing
 PPno1Ie oat excited over amusement to Inc detriment of their characters Men are overaowing with schemes for busi- ness to the exclusion of their higher natures, intellectual, moral, eternal l cannot tell the individual what or what IS not proper lor him. He knows himself better than do. As for me will stop everything that will hinder me from looking myself in the face. Each individual must make his own rules. One needs to keep his personal Lent With reference to himself Men have been making their own pleasure what they like the most, rather than what they ought. Attempt to the luxury of self qualification, what is tri- fling in reading without strengthen ing the mind. Some people think Sunday kept if the time be spent In the house over trashy novel. Better do the family securing, or get the lesson for the or take walk walk in the coun- try. The subject of conversation on Sunday and during Lent is important. The mastery of the best self should be reasserted in Lent. Those things that are most helpful in this direction are what we need to cultivate Prayer. self-examination, attendance upon the services of the church, practical devotion to works of charity, are essential. know we are told that Lent is for mal Alas poor human nature, in thy greatest earnestness, how thou dost lay myself open to Tidicule! The week of prayer is nothing but seven days. Lent invented within twenty years. RevivaIs are set times for special religious interest. Human nature needs such obserV- ances as Lent, as twenty centuries of it's ex- istence have proved. But we are told that Lent is irrational If thing is wrong in Lent it is always wrong, say critics. But human nature must have change and needs to be brought to a halting place. That is most essential which is most adapted to hu- man needs. But Lent is abused. Sorrow fully true, Greater and wiser things than Lent have been abused. But it is no longer true that the Episcopal church has monop- oly of worldliness. The Baptists and Meth odists are at the balls and theatsrs, and when is their fasting season?
 We are commiserated because we have to stop in the worlds gaieties while the others go on. Rejoice in it. Let us put on sack cloth, Christian sackcloth. The world may jest upon us The Christ in men is a more splendid thing than the world.