The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-06

THEN AND Now.-During the firs
lyear of my ministry our quarterly
meetings lasted two days, and we held
a number of two-days' meetings, and
we had conversions at every two-days
meeting and at the quarterly meetings
But how is it now? Not unfrequently
it takes one week to get the members
warmed up, and then another week to
get the people of the world to believe
in conversion then comes a revival
either through the agency of the Holy
Ghost or through a certain process OF
management by willy workers. In the
early days of my ministry I had q net
increase of one hundred members annu-
ally. I did nearly all the preaching
that was done on the circuit, except al
the quarterly meetings. Give one
Methodist preacher a circuit to him
self, with few eXhorters and a good
class-leader for every class, and he can
do more good than five can now, each
belonging to a different Church, and no
class-meetings.
1t is pleasant to note in this connec-
ton that the gallant Gordon, down in
Georgia, was inaugurated without an
inaugural ball. At last accounts the
Commonwealth was doing quite as
well as when the inaugural "break-
downs" ushered in new administra-
tons. Alabama's excellent Governor
Seay utterly discountenanced the inau-
gural ball. He is none the less infiu-
entail, but more so, for asserting his
religious convictions in the matter.
Let all such worthy examples of dig
nifty and propriety be applauded. The
bobbing-up-and-down "society folk"
are not the sort of people to stand
sponsors for a new administration.
Let them handle the trifles with which
they are familiar, and keep away from
affairs of State, which they never
touch without belittling.
The TSmes-Democrat, speaking of
counting out' the prohibition vote
which was cast in the Southern States
in the last election, asks this question {:
"1s there any man, pretending to
sanity, who can assign any reason or
pretext for throwing out the few pro-
hibition votes of Louisiana or South
Carolina" We don't know the man
that can do that; but we know quite
number of men who voted that ticket
in this city, and they know their votes
were not counted! Can the Times
Democrat explain why their votes
were not counted?
Most wise men modify their opinions
as they grow older. They find that a
larger knowledge suggests considera-
tions which demand some change of
view. 1t was an apostle who said,
"When I wasa child Ispake as child,
I understood as child, I thought as
child; but when I became q man put
away childish things" In our foolish
and sinful pride we may hesitate to
acknowledge our change of opinion,
but this is to assume that we are the
people and wisdom shall die with us.
DECLINED TO SERVE AS A BULLE-
TIN BoARD.-A level-headed minister
of Cincinnati, who had been a good
deal bored by requests to read all sorts
of announcements from his pulpit,
astounded his C. ngregation on recent
Sunday morning by saying: "And
now I ask your special attention to this
last notice. Will the church and con-
gregation please remember that I was
ordained to be a preacher of the ever
lasting gospel, and not to be q bulletin
board for advertising purposes"
Meekness is one of the graces that
needs to be cultivated. 1t is not patro-
nized by the world, but is regarded as
inconsistent with the high spirit and
dignity of gentleman. Where are
those who when reviled do not revile
again? How few there be who when
smitten Oh one cheek turn the other
also? To learn this lesson of Christ is
to be despised by the world. Yet we
are to follow Him is his humiliation.
LAW AND GosPEL.-There are some
ministers who manifest pleasure in
seeing others give Especially if they
are the recipient), but fail largely
themselves in practicing and teaching
the Bible requirement of giving.
Anarchism is not indigenous to this
country, but the loaferism and drunk
enness on which this poisonous fungus
fixes itself is.
The poor mans penny, unjustly de-
tained, is a coal of fire in rich mans
purse.