Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-06-13


He is many times millionaire and win
be missed out Of his party.
Mr.. Throckmorton OF Texas saws no 10
through with congress. and 40 40
springer OF illinois, Randolph Tucker and
yonn Baroour OF Virginia, Foran OF Cleve-
iSno, Patrick Collins of Boston, Ward Of
Ohlcago and Adams Of New York city.
Koran and Ward represent Republican
districts, having carried them by big ma
Jorltles on the workingmen's ticket. They
say they fnd 1t impossible, as congress is
now constituted, to do anything in the
interest Of labor, and hence they do not
care to take the responsibility Of running
on that line again. Patrick Collins came
TO congress with the same end In view,
and he retires because It is time thrown
away.
The house is run by small coterie of
shrewd professional politicians, who are
in absolute control. All this coterie has
to do is to crack the whip when they
want a vote, and 1t is given without
murmur or question. Unless this co.
terie take an interest In subject sug-
gested to them, it is needless to present
it for action"
THE POOR PREACHERS.
Turning from politics to preachers, did
1t never strike you as singular that SO
many clergymen, who had the benefit of
liberal education In what the uninitlated
would suppose to be the neediul require
ments in eloeution, oratory and habits of
concise thought, should really make such
a pitiable appearance in the pulpit?
In the great city of Philadelphia,
where there are nearly thousand
rich congregations, presided over by
some OF the best ministerial timber the
country affords, there are not above five
out of that whole number who make the
least pretension to oratory, while not a
few of them have such positive defects
that they should, for the good OF the
cause, be ruled out once for all. They
would be were they In any other line of
work. Why ought not the service OF the
Lord, If there is to be any service OF Him at
all, to command the same careful atten-
ton that worldly affairs do? | know a
rector of one of the leading churches
in this city who has small,
creaky voice, and is broken.
winded. Yes, sir; positively broken
wlnded--and he has the snuilles into the
bargain. Yet he goes right on preaching
mon sense the people stand it TO listen TO
him every week is more than / can under
stand.
Four great difficulties confront clergy
men in large city-the Capitalization of
churches, the crowded and shifting popu-
lation, the rush of business and pleasure,
and the tendency TO sensationalism. But
they are Just the difficulties that good
ministers are called from country parishes
to meet, and can meet If they introduce
into their work as much sagaclty and
purpose as business men put into their
business in order to insure success. One
reason why the churches fail to accom-
plish what is expected OF them in
large cities is that they are frequent
ly organized to be nothing
more than religious club-houses, which
one has to pay good smart fee for en-
tering. The eyangelization of cities Is
one of the pressing topics of discussion
in many religious quarters, and is one Of
the most important subjects to which
clergymen and laymen can give their at
tention. The religious clubhouse will
do nothing foI the people beyond its
doors. 1t does not have the laboring
among unattached people within its
view.
There is scarcely a meeting Of clergy
men in any quarter that does not feel
called upon to discuss the fact-only too
apparent to them-tbat they do not reach
the people. The congregations that every
week come to listen to their fayorite doc
trines eXpounded in what | suppose to be
their favorite way, are nine-tenths made
up of people who would be just as good
If they were not to hear sermon for a
whole year. 1t Is like a lot OF temper
ance enthusiasts signing a temperance
pledge, The common people pass the
doors OF our churches Sunday after Sun
dav, year in and year out, and never
once think of taking the trouble
to 60 inside and hear what the min
ister--if happily that Individual be not
on vacation--has to say. There mas
not passenger steamer crossed the At
lantlc in ten years, that hasn't carried
from one TO ten American clergymen
among its saloon list. The last time l
crossed, there were only six on board,
and It didn't seem TO be much OF ship
for parsons either.
Not long ago there came to Philadel-
phia one Of the leading clergymen OF New
York. He was announced TO spe9k TO the
Sunday-school teachers Of this city. He
was man of considerable reputation
among the ministers, and although it was
A RAINY evening the church was crowded
with the Sunday-school workers OF the
city TO learn II possible something they
did not know before about Sunday
school labor. They got not one
single idea. Not new thing
Of any sort was advanced. They had
their labor OF coming out for their pains
There we're easily fifty persons In the
congregation who could have written eX-
actly as good discourse, and delivered
II as well, too, as did this noted New
York divine. The teachers took 1t al
good naturedly. Why? Simply because
thew were used to just that sort OF thug,
So are other people used to that sort OF
thing. Those who come TO church either
by mistake, or once In awhile TO snow
tbeir new clothes, are perfectly wen
aware that they practically miss nothing
nv stayiug away. How many times nave
Won known IL to be advertised that some
divine of more or less note was TO preach
an a certain topic? You go. And WhAt
do Won learn that you did not know be-
foreY Nine times out OF ten nothing.
Here Is the reason the preachers do mol
rasch the people Let 1t not be urged
ANe@Ntf 1T the