Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-01-04
Social Frivolity.
Presbyterian Banner.

many ways in which the pleasantries
of life can be exchanged, are becom-
ing; they Tighten heavy burdens,
smooth the wrinkled brow of care,
cheer the Responding and strengthen
the weak. 1t is n evidence of eth.
er sense or piety for man or woman
to pass through life gloomy, morose,
disconnected, complainings condemn
ing, and swapping. The world is too
bright for that. God has adorned the
world with beauty and gladness. He
is love. He $50 loved the world, that
he gave his only begotten Son, that
whatsoever believeth in him should
not perish but have everlasting life."
And his Son Jesus Christ, our Savior,
came "to bind up the broken-heart-
ed;" "to comfort all that MOURN"
"to appoint unto them that mourn in
Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes, the oil ofjoy for mourning, the
garment Of praise for the spirit of
happiness" And those that live
nearest the Master and receive most
of his Spirit are they who will have
the most peace, and joy, and glad
ness.
But this is altogether different from
that social frivolity which sees moth
ing earnest and useful in life, eX-
changes no information, speaks of
nothing that elevates or improves,
but employs itself mostly with idle
thoughts, silly gossip, or stalereports,
which finds its enjoyment in trifiing
amusements and talking about them.
This habit occupies time that should
be otherwise employed, and is injuri-
Gus to both the mind and the heart,
preventing all intellectual growth,
demoralizing to the piety of the
Christian, and turning the impeni-
tent away from all thought of God
and their eternal responsibility.
The card table is prominent in
stitution in neighborhoods where it
was formerly unknown, while the
dance and amateur theatricals are the
subjects of special interest to the
young men and young women. To
these profitable reading, the enjoy
ments of home, and the instructive
lecture, have been made to give
place. The spirit, baneful as it is, is
not confined to what, in popular lan>
guage, is termed "the world" but it
has entered the Church, demanding
entertainment and amusement there.
Devout pastors and earnest Christian
workers see this and bewail its effects,
especially upon the young. They
also realize the difficulty of stemming
effectually this tide, which sets in
with full force at this season of the
year.
TO such lengths, it is said, has this
deterioration gone that young people,
not only those who have had no con-
fession of faith, but those who have
prOfessedly given themselves to the
Lord, demand something in the way
of entertainment as a part of the
work of the church. They are not
satisfied to have the gospel preached
to them, to have the Sabbath school
and the prayer meeting, TO receive
the visits of the pastor, and to engage
in religious work for others, bat ask
the church to amuse them. There
can only be one result, and that has
beer clearly and powerfully set forth
by the great London preacher, Rev
C. H. Sturgeon, in the following
paragraph:
eve do not hesitate to assert tina
the character of many hopeful young
people have been shipwrecked, no
by the avowed haunt of vice, not by
the influence of the questionable en-
tertainment in connection with theil
religious relationships. Pleasant lee
lures and wholesome singing wer'
all very well when used for highe
ends; but there has been a gradua
coming down, till, in some cases, tn,
School-room has endured what thu
theatre would have refused as too alb
surd. The earnest warning ought t,
be poured like grape-shot upon thu
enemy, till the devil is driven t.
abandon the entertainments of relig
ious amusement. At present, il
many asses, the prince of darkness
feels himself as much at home in tn,
Church as in the world: and it is tim
that something was done to disturb
his repOse."
1t is said that to such. an extent ha
this spirit of unrest manifested itsel
in some places, even in pious families
that occasionally when the churcl