Telegram-herald., 1890-06-09
MINISTERIAL COMMODITIES.


FsTss = stiai-rsEs' T4@4s eaasa.
Tst.~ E4tsf IS ta- Fs.ass..- asalAs.
Lately { elaaeed G. B0E.ee a. aricie
q t4e tsae7.- c9p.so frsm tle Leo1sF,
article lle BY Nj
sFa stle1 Ife aF-c-s ~
e1eee 90 up tie orgn4l com-
fall.ea tlem Mr Maryc Linseif
e4 las appeared "a tae ss1s ~ tie
Dsaete 1t ~ f-1e 81 b ELe NaF ere
Leaoest seslas. a1 lsles lo have become
a ,oEl ~ al arl tog -le ely clergy
ono have hrll shat nlay ~ called q
( sYmposl4ul taeren. Way IS ta Has
Brother BAL. lately been converted,
Ioe peTasal 90 Brother A5ran let
t1r arQCsea within nle q most heartfelt
feeling az sympathy for Use clergyn4en
le mentions. 4s Z had been ia some
-llc4 q dl-enla-4 myself some years ag0-
certain writer, lie save, vas Plead ia <
Tor solse kind ~ q nll sLeI a. unlon,
I Tor the purpose u enabling clergymen
b protect themselves against the ty-
r4nlF ot the self-aEpo.nted guardians
and champions OF orthodoxy ln tnelr
respective congregation, and % save
themselves from Othc.al cecap pitauou,
and consequent loss 0f salary II they
! chance 10 incur tae.r dIsDieasure. In
other words, th.s winter wants T. DEVISE
/ some way by which = preacher may
advocate whatever doctrines may seem
o. hlm good and true, whether tUelr Te-
/ -pectye congregations are OF the same
sentiment OK not. lie doubtless feels
himself crobcd cramped, con-
nled. lis straight Jacket gals him,
Ela Ian
OF untrammeiled thought and utter
ance lie is tired OF wearing label
which 40 longer truthfully represents
tne cont snts, and OF wearing a badge
which does NOT tell the order 10 which
he really belongs 10 seems much like
Jacob wearing Esau's clothing 10 de-
ceive Isaac.
This writer, who Is doubtless
a clergymen, IS only one OF
great multitude OF cl>rgymen who
IN these days of progress and resultant
theological unrest. are fast finding
themselves altering phraseswhich have
gradually lose their former meaning TO
them, while tlcy know the meaning i
/ still held by their hearers. The old
phrases sound hollow 20 them and II
they are at all CONSCIENTIOUS they are
much disturbed az finding themselves
saying certain things when their words
utterly fail to mirror their real thought.
/ They DO not want u be hypOcritIcal:
/ they do not wish 10 deceive; they desire
10 be honest, frank. free; but know that
/ should they voice their real doubts or
/ their real beliefs concerning the vener-
able dOgmas for which their church
has 80 long stood, and for which II
7 Osteusib,y still stands, they would not
/ only shock the feelings but also shake
the faith OF the weaker ones at least
I belonging 10 their respective tlOcks.
The dilemma IS indeed serious. Few
ciergymen who are abreast of our time,
and are familiar with the abundant
literature oil christian thinkers among
our advanced scholars, can any longer
I use the old shibOleth with the same
I zeal and UudOubted hcartlness IS of
/ yOrc. Times nave changed; and vet
the old fathers and mothers in Isrcal
I VINO mainly 10 the work and bear the
/ expense of maintaining the church,
have not changed. They do not desire
/ TO change. We NAV truly say they
cannot change. They are fixed IN their
habits and thought. They desire rest
| and peace. They love the old paths,
/ and the preaching of the Gospel as
| heard by them in the good old DAYS,
known as 'sOund doctrine" All innO-
yatiOns are considered destructive. All
I departures from the Old-umc interpre-
ton OF the Gospel are lapses into error,
and seen 10 threaten the very fOuuda-
ton OF religion.
/ There are good reasons for these
fears IN the minds OF these old fathers
and mothers In Israel. They seldom
read new books. The old are good
/ enough Cor them. They care little for
"ucv tangled notions ID clothing, fur
nIture or customs. They belong to the
past. Their faces are toward the set
ting instead Of the rising sun.
How then cam this preacher expect
them to be pleased at his new ideas
or customs. and why can he complain
because bis congregation are 10th 20
paw for what they do not ] Se and hon
cstIy believe tO bc perniciOu2 \
preacher is uudar the same limitations
as other men. lie has a cOmmod ty to
put ON the market, VIZ: certain
amount OF educ ttiOn. OratorCal ab lity
hur more particularly. % certain form
and substance uf doctrine. lie. 10 use
Mt Li1Coln's words must find "thp
fo.Ss who DIS .hct sort Of thing" and
then h.s commodity w'll he "tho sort OF
thing they v.il ike II bee can not
hud the people who Ike bis "sOrt Of
thing" nc bad better discard bis com
modify and try q row one. He ought
not t0 COMPLAIN that people Will not
p1y for what they do nos want. The
successful man must and does find or
creates "a WAIT.
DO rot taink this writer's scheme