Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-29
DECLINE or REVERENCE.
Painful Indications of fiippsnoy ns u
a..rxI Tltuus.


II sometimes seems almost thing OF
the past. Reverence for parents, for
teachers and persons in exalted positions
used TO bo observed with the Ftriciest
care, but ut the present day nothing
evinces the lax rule which obtains In
many families OF good standing ~ tho
utter lack Of respect or doferencc paid
by the young 10 those who are older ana
wiser than themselves. Deplorable rs
we hold 1t to be that tho old time code
Of manners and decorum IL 40 rapidly
passing away. there Is yet q far more i'm
portsnt consideration connected with
the general lack Of reverence prevailing
with reference 10 sacred matters.
We read the other days at IL very
easy to lower our standard Of reverence
for anything. We have only 10 speak OF
Il habitually In light way. There Is
nothing like It to take the life out OF the
most precious text of Scripture. We
may repent OF such sin with bitter weep
ing, but those words can never be to us
again what thoy were before. We may
have cut down bridge we shall some
day vainiy long to cross" We must
confess to having listened with astonish-
mcnt to what were considered clever
ronundrums asked by protesting Chris
tians, and made by twisting and turning
come Bible verse In the most ludicroua
manner, aud 80 making II serve to an'
swcr the laughablc question.
Years and years ago. In the thoughtlcss
years Of childhood. companion much
older than ourscf repeated portion OF
the Lords Prayer. making the sweet,
simple sentence 10 rhyme with silly, ir'
reyerent line. aud long after maturity
had been reached the foolish rhyme
would force itself into tho mind when
striving with all reverence TO repeat tho
puc and hallowcd prayer. And just 10
there comes 20 he verse after verse which
has been travcstlcd and made tho sub
feet OF riddle, until as tho eyes fall upon
Il In tho sacred volume. or as the min
lister reads II from the sacred desk, invoi-
unfairly into the niind darts the queer,
groteaque use which has been made OF
tho verse. Shame that II ever should be
40. And great pity IL Is that any ono
protesting love for tho word OF God
should bc willing 10 repeat even very
so-called CUTE conundrum, made by
misapplyine text Of Scripture capable
Of serving double meaning.
We believe that tho Tosiamcnts Of tho
Bible aro tho invaluable lcgacies by tho
study Of which the life can be- ennobled,
and through acceptance " their teach
ings the soul can DO saved. They come
to us from God tho Father and his son.
Jesus Christ. What would be thought
OF man or woman who would bc will.
ing to take the sayings or prccopts OF a
good parent and make fun. not exactly
Of them. but out Of thcml What right
minded person would regard other than
with contempt such really contemplate
lack Of reverence and respect. such lack
Of delicacy. Of iilial feeling and regard
The trouble u that "the standard Of rev.
ercnce." as before quoted, has been low
cred by allowing these things 10 be
spoken Of repeatedly. II not habitually,
In u light way.
A believer In tho precious truths Of
the Bible should rcmeinbcr two things
In this connections First. u loose. light
application OF Scriptural verse Ia gen.
orally the work OF some one who Il no
lover Of the preccpts themselves or Of
him who gave them; and ngain. there
comes n time when no other promises
than those Of the Biblo can sustain tho
fainting, dying heart, no other words
comfort and support the spirit when the
dark valley Of tho shadow Of death Is
reached. And yet some o. the most sol.
cmn words u the Bible have been used
time and again to make the thoughtlcs
laugh, and 40 cause them 10 forget or
overlook tho real, intense meaning Of
tho literal sense. We must sometimes
hear such things, but they never need be
repeated.
Parents, especially. who wish their
children to grow up with nm idea OF rev.
ercnco for the Bible and for sacred
things should never allow themselves
10 speak lightly OF texts Of Scripture. or
OF all things 10 repeat u witticim based
on some verse Of tho Bible. No one can
afford to mako light Of tho llfcboat
which ofcrs tho only chance OF ever
reaching the shore In safety. When tho
time comes to lean hard on tho rod and
staff which alone can comfort and sup.
port. Il viii be bitter thing to reflect
that whom In health aud strength all
thought Of coming dependence was east
TO the winds, while tho helpful yerse
was perverted 10 serve double mean
ing and cause careless laugh. Harriet
A. Choevcr In Christian at Work.