New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-24
IN THE CHURCH PORCH.
NOTES HERE AND THERE.

a liberal Christian church. the motto OF WHICH,
printed in big red letters the pulpit was Dceds'
not Creeds' In one respect indeed, the church lVcd
up this motto for 1t had creed or rather each OF
its members had a misty negative creed OF his own
But when YOU looked for deeds" you failed 20 find
them. In the first place. the congregation was char
acerzed by that icycoldness that seems so often to
90 with an Intellectual religion When they met to-
gether for worship once a week. they hardly spoke to
each other. The minister good man and an
admirable preacher but he was listened to simply with
cold critical attention. You felt that you were
worshippng in religious fee house. And while tho
members generally upright In their daily life.
they among the hardest and most unfeeling
people in the village, always in their Judgment
OF sinners, and always ready to mpute the most I'M
worthy motives. OF course I don't mean to imply
that this is general characteristic Of liberal Chris
tians but 1t is fault to which they very liable
Mr. Ernest Felix Potter Is making a great reputation
as the organist and chOrmascr OF old Christ Church.
Norwich, Conn. Mr.. Potter became widely known
a very successful director Of hne choif IN
st. Johns Church. Elizabeth, n j. where no was for
three years. During the period he was the
leader OF the Elizabeth Gee Club and the director OF
the Berloz Vocal Society of Perth Amboy There
are comparatively few really good trainers OF oov
choirs in this country that thnK
,boso rho dovoIon Gift In that
direction should receive word Of praise. AS rule
boy choirs in the United States pretty poor; many
Of them indeed beneath criticism. But TINS s'a'o
Of affairs Will soon cease when we have raised up
large body of efficient trainers like Mr.. Potter, and
many Others who might be mentioned
was talking the other day with rugged old
clergyman who has never allowed the sharp angles OF
his creed to be rubbed off by the modern spirit OF
| |
he said but can't fall into the wfangled methods
Of preaching that popular now. In my day
the preachers didn't spend all their time In dssecuhg
the Christian religion I'm their pulps they just TOOK
It for granted, and preached it strongly as they
knew how But nowadays there IS tone OF uneasy
doubt running through great deal OF our preaching
that can do no good and do great deal OF HARM
1t is as If the preacher should get up and say
Brethren there IS a good deal to be said for and
against Christianity. Between you and me, think
we shall have to give up good many of our old
beliefs, for these scientific arc terribly Strong
don't know how 1t Is all going to end, but humDly
suggest TO you that the whole had better hang
on TO our religion long as possible. And maybe
we can revise 1t, and patch it up so that 1t won't
seem so absurd TO the men Of science. Now how
do you suppose such preaching is going to have any
effect the world The very idea is absurd''
Sand thenp continued the old gentleman, so
many OF modern preachers live almost entirely
in tho supericialities Of religion. l don't impugn
either their eanesness or devotion. but they are
earnest and devoted about mint, anise and cummin
can imagine such at the last day thus CIV |
ing an account Of his stewardship Lord. have
done all that could in the parishes of which was
pastor was Jealous in putting in artistic early
English, stained glass windows. l so preached and
labored that nearly all the pews were rented at
high figure. l worked hard to raise the standard
of music I made the church entertainments so
interesting that all the socially desirable people came
to them l attracted many wealthy people to my
churches and increased their revenues; and In all
nv career I never said anything that could expose
me to the charge OF unOrthodoXy Ot course, you
think this is carcaure, and may be you won't print
IT, But It is the honest opinion OF an old man who
was taught think much of the realities OF religion
and who perhaps, doesn't appreciate he ought the
new methods that obtain to-day. Just give It as the
opinion of an old fogy whose course Is nearly ended
and who will be only too glad TO learn that he Is
utterly mistaken in his views.'
The fact that so many Of the clergy take pretty
long vacations nowadays is often used as sheer
against them. We are told that they can't be very
Jealous or they would stick to their work all the
time "Look at ST. Peter or ST. Paul. eXclaims
one acrd critic. &" Did you ever read about them
taking a vacation! Does the New Testament say
ANYTHING about st. Peter getting cheap supply for
the church at Jerusalem while he went OIL fishing |
for three months in Asia Minorl Or Is there any |
record of St. Paul lying "f for or 50 because
no had the clergyman's sore throat? Not much.
tell YOU the modern minister may be a follower o!
the Apostles but he Is long way behind Thur
the acrd critic.
NoU, the critic may mean we'll. though sometimes
bc &c a bit of a humbug himself. tremendously
earnest and jealous as he IS in his business. that
fact doesn't prevent him from taking very ey
tendcd and luxurious vacation when he can Afford
10 do So Then why should he impugn the earnest
ness Of hard working clergyman who docs the
same thing1 No. Mr.. Critic. it doesn't lie with
YOU TO Judge others for resting. until you sell your
Yacht and get down NJ business al eight O'CLOCK
In the morning, and stop going to the theatre two
mr. three times a week. and in other respects WORK
as hard as you did many years ago, before you
made your pile
Moreover. It is unfair to expect that the modern
clergyman shall work under the same conditions mat
obtained in the days of the Apostles. The Church of
he APOSTLES was an idea; the Church of to-day IS an
organized institution The Apostles laborcd in season
and ont of season. because in that way they could
nest propagae the idea Of Christ that enthraed them
put every age has It's methods of work. and today
the most satisfactory work IS done by The men who |
,conomIze their energies and mingle recreation with
man for not living like John the Baptist or 81. Paul
would look upon a workable John the Baptist a
i,sreputablc tramp and would spurn him from their |
,oo,s Maybe the clergy have become conventional |
md Tins have lost some of that fiery zeal that charac
'crizcd the Apostles. But any large view of HE |
tier shows rs that they only succeed at all by
icing conventional. \ John the baptist crying aloud
in The deserted churches of New York in midsummer
would do very little good. The plain fact IS people
get as much preaching as they want in summer /
n thew wanted moro the clergy would DC glad enough
10 give IL TO them.
And this leads me 10 ask why preaching is virtually
The only recognized function of clergyman. Take /
,be city I'm the summer II doesn't want TO be |
nrc.cbed TO- II doesn't even want to 20 to church !
vary often "Very WELL" the clergyman says, II
Won don't want to hear my sermons, we shall have |
n suspend work until you do; for preaching IS my |
business IL seems the churches are weak |