St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-02

respect the worshipers ever had or
have for him. 1t is an easy thing tor an
alert man to use words which two
parties may take differently and each
think the man using them is on their
side of their opinion; but it is dangerous,
and done at great peril to reputation.
IT does violence to true conscience, and
demeans man in his own eyes. No
condemnation can be too strong to use
OF any mans mode of speech. who in a
pulpit fails to do this. No refuge taken
DehlDd the reporters, no blame laid
upon them will save the reputation of
any. man when this is understood. A
business man has right to demand
honest use IN the pulpit of honest
words. for they mean realities, not fam
cles, or things which may be or may not
be; he Is also right in looking for a def
mite faith III things essential. Here it
is that strength is displayed. Some
things are true, or the minister and the
pulpit have no place in a world like
this. 1t is net not the Office of the pull,
pit to discuss them, it is rather its very
life to proclaim them in ringing tones.
Other men may doubt them, deny them.
reject them. be absolutely Indifferent
TO Them; the pulpit is not by
any or all of this to be shaken for All
instant or TO change its course because
OF this; but the rather, with greater
intensity of feeling, with stronger words
TO affirm, to herald the truth. There is
God. He made the world; created
man; gave him law, which has been
broken. That sin is an awful fact;
that Christ is the image of God, and
the saviour of the world; that God is
love; mercy His delight; that death is
real, Judgment near, and that punish
lnent of the wicked is sure; that the
Spirit it is which regenerates men and
brings them to repentance and to Cod
on these facts, which lie at the founda-
ton OF the religion of our church and
Bible, no man who stands in any pull
pit IS worthy of respect who gives I'M
certain sound, if he claims to base his
commission and authority upon the
BlUle teaching, as the church catholic in
ali ages and times has received them.
The business man has right to look to
the pulpit Tor some resemblance of the
life OF It's Master, Jesus Christ. i'll the
men who occupy it. Nothing can be
farther from the Savlor's spirit than
widely self-Seeking, time-serving min
lstry, which stands in mortal fear of
wealth. if it happens. as is frequently
the case, to be arrayed against right. To
keep Silent when it is demanded by
every dictate of justice and truth for
fear OF man, is to degrade the sacred
ofiic' or minister in the church of God.
The man who hesitates to speak in
trumpet tones the common brother
hood of man is unworthy of the place
he dlsgraces, and ought to be cast from
IT into an oblivion from which he will
never come again TO so demean man.
The peculiar work of the pulpit is to
sympathiZe with the poor, down trod-
den, the oppressed. In doing this it is to
remember that the rich have their place
of service as we'll as the poor; that they
have rights, that riches gotten honestly
are an honor, and in their use very often
indeed made a great blessing to the
poor; that the rich and poor meet to-
gether and the Lord is the maker of
them all; popular clamor, selfish inter-
est Is not 10 control the pulpit: justice
is to be its mill, mercy its Joy and love
Its guide. And so sure as right will find
an answer in the mind of man, so sure
III this path will the pulpit deserve and
receive the respect, hoIor and gratitude
or all classes of people. Because its
words and deeds are harmonious, and
harmony is the law of life, as holiness
means completeness, entireness, per-
lection. In this as in all things, on these
lines the pulpit is to set before the
world sweet reasonableneSS in life and
III doctoring which will stand in strange.
even startling contrast, with much which
mas been said and done in pulpitS.
in the name of Christ and His religion.
The pulpit, or some men who have
stood III it, have set forth views
which no man of rightly educated con-
science, head or heart could receive
views which are not decent carica-
ture OF justice. And these II en- de-
handed acceptance of these views. Oh
pain OF eternal damnatiOn. Men saw
the statements of these vaporing talk
ers and mistOOk them for authoritative
teaching, and SAID if that is your Chris
tianity l do not want it, and turned
away in disgust or despair. The busi-
ness man has right to expect that the
pulpit shall insist upon noble lives as
the outcome of correct cIeedS. When
he Is in his way, with all his power. try
ing to purify trade, to elevate the stand
ard OF morals in the world of commerce,
III which the greater part of his life is
spent, and he suddenly finds that
he has been most abominably de-
frauded by some man who stood high in
the church, because he was generous
with dishonest money, the business
man is not unjust or against religion if,
when he hears some man in the pulpit
"POiO9iES III hlOIS OCC0luoV vi tue COIIl-
petition of trade, instead of denouncing
the thunders of Sinai against such out
rageous evil. The pulpit cannot make
justification by faith to take the place
of honest cash in the worlds market.
The pulpit exists for the purpose of
telling men the way 10 heaven, and of
walking in that way as example with
its own success, or the want of it, in
worldly sense. The pulpit has no more
to do than L had with the making of the
world. Gods rewards are not promised
to the able, the gifted, the popular, the
eloquent or learned ministers. They
are for the faithful. even If he is called
upon TO lay down his life in the duty
given to him to do. This faithfulness
every business man, and every other
man, has God given, time-enduring
right to look for in the pulpit, to honor
it whenever found, to support it as best
he can, to proht by 1t as best he may be
able, till the pulpit and the pew Shall
vanish away, and the welcome rest for
weary souls be given in the paradise of