The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-06-02
OUR NEW CONTRIBUTOR.
ECHOES FROM THE NORTHLAND.


st. Paul, Mimi, May 25.-As L live
longer in this Northern city, and as I oc-
casionally pay visit to her twin sister,
Minneapolis, am constantly being i'm
pressed with the great number Of young
men who are located in these two metro
politan centers. 1t is a source OF con-
slant surprise to one accustomed to as
sociating with positions Of responsibility
in wealthy establishments, manufsctur-
ing as well as mercantile, persons whose
hair has donned its silver sheen, to find
here in the managerial positions, high and
important ones, too, SO many young men.
But it must be that they are capable,
else they would not be in these positions,
for few men of wealth do business on
principles where friendship or sentiment
forms the basis. How is it in the churches?
Well goodly number Of young men are
there, but oh, how many of them are not!
I look at these great throngs of young
men on the Sunday afternoons, crowding
the streets that lead to the ball parks,
and say in my heart of hearts: Young
men, God don't preach over therel I
would you could realize it. 1 am not,
believe me, by nature pessimistic, but I
tell you, my reader friend, the nation or
the city, or the individual that treats
our Sabbath with seorn, contempt or neg
lect, is on dangerous ground. No Bible, no
Sabbath, no church-then n othing-noth-
ing but an anarchy -tinctured civilization,
not worth the saving. God forbid that we
should leap into the abyss of ignorance
and crime that yawns before the nation
which turns it's back on Him.
x****
just now in st. Paul the members of
the Congregational faith are lamenting
the departure from their midst OF DR..
M. McG. Dana, for ten years the popular
pastor of Plymouth Church. DIR. Dana
has identified himself with very many of
those interests which, while outside of
UNCONVENTIONAL and church lines, are yet
helpful to man. He was prime mover
in the scheme to establish in Minnesota
the State Board of Charities and Cor
rections, has been a member since its or
ganization, and, it 1 mistake not, was it's
founder. He was the moving spirit few
years ago, before the city had attained
it's present great size, in the formation of
high school for st. Paul; he has taken a
deep and active interest in the questions
of prison reform and CO. relative human
itarian movements; he has been prom
inent in the church councils and church
societies of his denomination, and has
been leading pulpit advocate of high
license as stepping stone to prohibition.
In short, he is one Of the best known
ministers in this State, largely because
he has had so many irons in the fire. Do
you believe minister can take an active
interest in so many things and be a sue
cessful pastor? As look at it, it will
be phil work for him. DR.. Dana is a
man whose large congregation would be
up in arms in a moment at the sugges-
ton that their pastor would allow him.
self to neglect his pulpit through love
for outside things. Do not un derstand
me as holding up DR.. Dana as a man de-
relict to duty, for he is a man for whom
have a warm personal friendship. But
the fact that one man may have extraor-
binary capabilities for varied work, il ~
way argues that the next man has the
same capabilities. 1 take it that it is
the first business of a minister of God to
be preacher. Yes, preacher; real
old. fashioned name know, and apt to
be supplanted in some places by other
more modern terms. $50 ye into all the
world and preach. that's what it says
that's what it means. 1t is no child's
play to preach to men. Ii man
shall find that he has the greatest intel
lect of his age and he is preacher, shall
he find that intellect too great, too large,
too mighty for his work? Nay, verify the
grander a man is in the ministry; the
more he towers above his fellows; the
more he stands like loyal lighthouse
along the crsggy shore; the more he will
be found doing one thing
1t sounds very we'll to say that one pastor
does this or that work, or that he is a
leader in this or that humanitarian re-
form, or that he holsters up this or that
scheme for the mere socialo moral ad-
vancement of his fellows; but 1 tell you
that in the vast majority of cases, the man
who is ahame with the zeal caught from
the torch of the Master will have no time
for these things. God speed DR.. Dana on
his mission to another field; there are
fewlike him.
Did you ever stop, dear reader friend,
when you are passing along some coun-
try lane, or riding in some fast speeding
railway coach, or mingling with a vast
crowd in some thronged city, or alone
with yourself in some lesfy solitude -
do You ever stop and think how won
drous good God is to you? 1t seems to me
as the years come and 90 God constantly
grows better to me. He seems to show