The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-07-18
CHRISTIAN cnNsc1nrsNrss.

With all TINT has been said upon this sub,
jcct there is much ia the popular sentiment
that indicates wnnt uf IL on the nnrt of
many who benr ito Christian name as 20
vealcd I'm the line ot DIR. Andcrson's article
In the Religious Hrrdd Of MAY -. upon
Church lottcrics There is lack of ON
sciousness of that which Is unChristian. A
need of a more discriminating Christian cul-
turc. There is manifest too little "for
Chrsts sake and too much allowed for the
sake of the rocuuary gain, and for the en-.
joymcrt of sensual pleasures The banqucts
for raising funds for benevolent objects, tho
entertainments for missionary purposes, the
balls for city missions the various things
suggestive of the lottery, all call for dis
criminntmg b tween that which is Christian
and ihnt which is not, lest the Christian, or
the Christian church he placed in an entirely
false position. At best, one is liable to bc
placed in doubt in regard TO his duty.
DR.. Washington GLADDEN., in his work up
ON applied To Christianity represents tho
philo.' ply Of the church in the past upon
popular anus mcnts, to have been largely
embraced in the advice of Douglas Jcrrold To
those about to marry, "Dou'tn Blu wo
should mo- therefore lice 10 the opposite oX-
trcmc without discrimination.
Henry Ward Becch,r. whom no on, will
accuse If ing over scrupulonS or too ro.
Il, ictive either In princpl' orprlCtlc' says,
I'm all cnso' where men Hr' IN doubt and
pcrplcNIty rs 10 what IS right and what is
b 81, rs 10 what you may do and whgt YOU
may not dp-lcsur to give the great, AL ,ah
{ 81 60 the moral element. II YOU mike a
mistake let It b. ON tho right side II i4
better that a man should not avail him,'if Of
lihrrtio, th,t he might take than that ha
should avail himself Of advantage, that hr
should not take. II is better for u man tu ho
too careful and scrupuluus, than for him -
ho uuscrupulpus and careless. Men that look
at everything simply IN the light of their
own inter, SIS, grow nnrrow mean aud
foolish and at last come to stand in their
own light
Again he says n man who IL attempting
20 live Chri,'iin life on ono side and a
worldly life on the other, Is like "a sick man
who has made up his min that whnt the
doctor saws is all folly, and that, since hc
d' cS not like the reg men and the medicine
ho will do that which is most agreeable 10
him. When the physician and nurse Are
out, he steals into the pantry and lunds his
stomach with things that aggrayato the dis
ease.
The suggestion Of Dir. Bushnell, to tho
young lady inquiring as 10 the pruprirty of
indulging in nmuSem"nts about which peo-
lie Il ifcrcd, that hc was sorry her mind was
troubled with the mat cr. II would bo far
better not 10 want them but 10 b, dcslrous
of far highpr sOurC of enjoyment. IL
would settle ut once many questions II
doubt.
There Is place for amusement in life, but
1t is rs means not ~ an end.
It is n way of refreshing the mind and in
vigorating the strength; but wh'n enter
tainmcnt is the principal thing sought, when
in the pursuit the mind is enfeobl d. and the
health injured it becomes pcrvcrsion 0nd
waste Of being, degrading and ruinous.