Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-06-18
johnny Sands" View of the Revival.


in your last weeks issue, the views of Mr..
'Johnny Sands" touching the merits and
dement's of the "revival." | take it that,
Mr.. "Sands" is a fair minded man, and
withal exceedingly good-natured, though I
have not the least idea in the world who he
is, or where his domici might be found.
Albeit, would infer that he is citizen Of
the neat little city of cities in the beautiful
Valley of Arcadia. That he is every inch a
gentleman may be accepted as true from his
friendship with the REGISTER people, es-
pecially its noble minded head. So far, the
way is entirely clear. OF one thing | feel
pretty sure, and that is, that our friend Mr..
"Johnny Sands, is at times. given to pleas
antry. This is clear from his notes on the
religious movements of the day, especially
Methodist Revivals; and with his evenly and
good temper while discussing these inter-
esting questions the most utterly squeamish
person cannot find fault.
But after citing all these amible qualities,
and why not call them virtues:-''I have
somewhat against" "Johnny Sands" Not
that wish to deprive him of 4 single par
ttcle of freedom either of utterance or
thought, in any discussion affecting public
morals, private manners, or the practice and
duties of religion. But, in reading little
between the lines, as we'll as the lines them
selves, thought 1 could discover want OF
candor on the part Of the writer in several
paragraphs Of the article on the Revival.
| Then again he would seem at times to aim
| at being little facetious, when speaking on
the gravest of subjects, but this may arise
from the super abundance of his great good
nature. Hence, pass over it lightly.
"Johnny," use the playful name that he
has chosen, in his animadversions on what
he saw during his pleasant visit to the NJ. E.
Church, meets with hell, and like many
more of us stumbles oyer it. But might we
not ask, Gu Bono? He is pleased to call it
old fashioned holland seems to prefer that
expression to the sheolized glossary, as he
saws, of modern times. He seems to stick to
the idea of "calling a spade a spade" Our
good natured friend is inclined to disfavor
the softer term sheol-"the sugar coated''-
s'the deodorized affair."" and goes after the
"simon- pure art;cle". He may find out that
the farther he goes in that direction the
worse he may fare. For myself. If haveto
take any of that kind of medicine at all,
will be in favor of homeopathic treatment
minute doses.
| But to be grave on this subject. is there
ANYTHING in the matter of future punish
ment, unworthy of our most candid and
thorough investigation! Is condemned
future life, if there should be any future at
all for mortal men, unworthy of the serious
consideration of our friend?
| In such discussion, the terms or modes
| of expression are but of slight consideration.
1t is the subject matter, the yes or no OF
future life for guilty men. | am always
hoping for the best, and cannot doubt that
brother "Johnny" is Of the same mind.
| And why? Because he don't seem inclined
| to take his own medicine. Above, he wants
the "simon- pure" the "undeodorized' ar
tlcle: but below he objects, when he declln-
ed ssto stand or go up" with the brother or
sister, to be denounced, and more than all,
to take "brimstone" pure and simple; that
is, "without the treacle." Johnny" shows
conclusiyely that he is like the most OF US
poor sinners: touching hell as other things,
he does not object to the smoother article.
Once for all-the place that we call hell,
and the pains thereof, have been spoken and
written of from the earliest times of which
we have any knowledge, down to this day.
Sheol, Hades, Tartarus, Geherma, He'll, ct
al, are found in the Bible, in the ancient
classics, in the religious Dogmas Of all ma
tions and ages, and have ever been consld-
cred and spoken of with the utmost rever-
ence, and is SO in this day by all classes OF
men.
| Toremoye all improper weapons out of the
reach Of innocently minded people, we will
say, that the methods of discourse on this
subject may have been somewhat modified
in recent years, but so have they on all other
subjects The advancement of human
knowledge, the wonderful development of all
scientific investigation, has so modified dis
course and the methods of thought, as well
as intellectual life itself, that the effects can
be seen and felt by the simplest observer.
Then in recent years the refinement OF
manners and expression has permeated all
departments of literature, The robust An
glo-Saxon of former years is rapidly giving
place to the softer and mlder spirit of the
G recian and Latin tongues, as may be seen
in courts of justice, in the vocabulary OF
medicine, in our schools of all grades, and
q f0rtiOri, in the pulplts of our land.
Language, like some have lately seen, that
fifty years ago would have been considered
innocent if not strictly proper, would be in
this day regarded as obsolete if not in some
degree obscene.
l cannot ask further space except for a
single additional paragraph. The close OF
our friend "Johnny's" article shows conclu-
sively what we apprehended at the beginning
of this, that the writer possessed good
deal of the milk of human kindness ia his
inward heart of hearts. Hear how he talks
of the good woman praying for the conyer-
sion of her husband or son who were still
out in the dominion of nature, where Satan
was holding his burning coronet of sin upon
their heads. Would he not bring the tear
warm and free from your eyes? And still
the common malady of men will crop out
he was on the side of the good woman he
graphically portrays, just like he or they
would he with "the under dog in the fight"
Our real selves always rises in the long run
and asserts the true dignity of our nature,
no matter which side is up in the heat of
battle. hope our good friend will continue
to go to church and learn more fully her
ways, accept her teachings in true and
honest heart, and then he will find out an
other mistake that he has somehow fall
!, len into-"that Ironton is a tough place"
The present writer has mingled with many
communities and in divers ways. but a