The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1891-10-15
CHURCH LOCALS
AND RELIGIOUS NOTES OF GENER.
AL INTEREST.

school house, nesr the home of DIR.
Douglas, next Sabbath at $3.50 p. m.
He may find it we'll to have month
ly appointment out there.
THE Woman's Parsonage and
Mission Society will meet this after
aeon Thursday at 8 o'clock, at the
residence of Mr.. and Mrs. w. R.
Power. This is newly organized
association. 1t has gracious aim
and is doing fine work throughout
all the conferences.
EACH one joining one of our
strongest churches takes upon bin
one vow of many of a peculiar and
strong character. Other churches
may not have such a rule in SO
many words, but in spirit, all have
it. 1t is in the following words: II
will not be guilty of "uncharitable
or Improbable conversation, partic-
ularly speaking evil of magistrates,
or ministers" magistrates" means
judges or administrators of law.
ministers" means pastors or Cos.
pei preachers of Gods righteous
ness. To ''speak evil'' Of either of
these, is to think evil before speak
ing evil. To think and then to
speak evil, is to lower the standard
and destroy the influence, for good,
of these two, upon whose success
depends the whole fabric of society
and the upbuilding of every good in
the land, So to be guilty OF this
sin, is not only to be a spiritual
perjurer-for you have sworn not to
do it--but it is to be an enemy Of
all good. II either hath done a
wrong, let him be impeached before
the proper tribunal. If guiltless of
wrong, though he may not admin
lister his Office according to my no.
ton OF things, | become a false
swearer when [ speak evil of him.
The judge has taken on oath to do
right. 1t is "uncharitable" to be-
lieve him a conscious false swearer,
because he does not meet our ideas
of his function. The pastor has
upon him, if possible, a more sacred
and binding oath, than any magis-
trate or judge in all the land. And
because he does not do things &C.
cording to our conception Of right
because he does not, personally
suit us, or because we do not per.
sonally like him, it may be for q
reason we would be ashamed to con.
TESS, to speak evil of him, to impeach
his honor and purity; to rot him Of
his character and good name by evil
speaking is not only violation OF
our pledged word, taken at Gods
altar, but a crime against him and
the people he is sent to save.
IT is marvellous to know even
something of the evil things thought
and said of pastors. There is no
other man In the world who could
stand the strain. And there are
reasons for it. In the frst place, it
is not the man that's hated and
spoken evil of so much as the truth
he represents. "They hated me-"
said Jesus, without a cause" And
so secondly, those thinking and
speaking evil, do not believe their
own evil thoughts and words, and
then but few who know and hear
such evil thoughts and words, be-
IleVe 10 nave any truth IN them.
The only thing the pastor has for
himself and family, is his good name
is the character that he has made,
And such as these seek to rob him
OF that-rob him of his all-that
can IN no wise enrich them. No
meaner thing can be done, in the
mind Of this church, having such a
rule. And hence to save her mem
bers from such a crime requires
each one to promise and vow that II
will rot indulge in uncharitable and
improbable conversation, partlcu-
larly speaking evil of magistrates
and ministers"
1T is likewise marvellous to know
how many of these evil thoughts
and evil things said, that have alb
| solutnlv no foundation in fact mr. In