The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-07-10

nelLner TOT my commentator nor my
advice. But am glad there is a grow
ing disposition among managers of
Home Mission Boards to cease dividing
small communities into struggling and
antagonistic interests, that they may
occupy fields actually destitute. There
is more work of this kind than we all
can do. Small communities ought to
be urged to combine their religious
forces. 1t is sight edifying to neither
gods nor men to behold village of
few hundred people divided into half
dozen spectral interests struggling for
the mastery. Let them combine. Let
the lines at least be drawn only be-
tween orthodox" and 'liberal." A
multitude of petty and insignificant
sects is the disgrace of Christendom and
the laughing-stock of the heather.
A sensible editorial in the Daily 1fi-
bune, of Minneapolis, at the time of the
Presbyterian Assembly, says: "The
impending pulpit famine is stock
theme in ecclesiastical gatherings.
Figures are quoted to show that the
churches are increasing more rapidly
than the pastors, and that the planting
of new churches is impeded by this
lack of men. X There is an
other side to the question, which does
not have the consideration it deserves.
The real, operative laws Of supply and
demand are the same for the ministry
as for other professions. While there
is some honest and sincere solicitude in
the appeals made to young men to keep
the priestly order from depletion and
extinction, there is also much sham and
nonsense in them, and young men have
the right sometimes to be disguised.
In making these appeals, each denom-
ination ignores all others. Each as
sumes that it has upon it's own Shout
ders the task of providing for the re-
ligious needs Of our growing West.
For example, the Presbyterians COM
plain that they have not men for more
than half their churches in Iowa. y
They omit to say that most of these
pastorless churches have been planted
in little towns which had already twice
as many churches as they need or would
support"
4. Though our age is different from
any other, amid all changes not one
thing vital is destroyed. We still have
God in the heavens and in the heart !:
and though this age is one that recog-
nizes the doctrine of human freedom,
we must show that the forces of our
being are to be directed upward and
develop towards God that sense of re-
sponsibility. His claims are still to be
urged, and all the more as we begin to
realize, in some measure, our ability to
meet them. We still have Jesus, our
Teacher and Lover, whose character is
our example, the influence of whose
life and death strike from us the chains
of disease and sin. His words. of wis
dom and tenderness remain. Before a
restless and unsatisfied age, his majes-
tic repose of spirit must be presented.
We still have hope of a life beyond, a
sphere of triumph beyond this bloody
and dusty arena. The demonstration is
yet wanting, but the hope is sure and
steadfast. Our boat drifted in the
shadow by the shore one summer af-
ternoon. Only here and there, through
the foliage, stray sunbeam fell upon
| the golden rod or broke in diamonds on
the ripples. Upon the other side of the
lake the glory of the afternoon mantled
house and tree and sail and shore. Our
life barks are in the shadow here. We
have only ray or two to cheer US. But
we look across the sea, and on the other
side the sails are furled and the sun is
bright. These truths remain to US.
They are eternal verities. We must re-
instate them and adapt them to our own
day and generation. We must blend
them with the omnipresent idea of
duty, and find in them inspiration and
help for every task to which duty sum-
mons.