Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-03-17

said, "your ministers do not believe as
they used to-" And we fear that in too
many instances this is true. One may
sit Sabbath after Sabbath for mouths TO.
gether and listen to the preaching in
some of our churches, without hearing II
direct personal appeal made to the i'm
penitenU. He may hear good moral
essay, but much of the preaching of0the
present day, to me, is strangely wanting
in the great fundamental truths of the
Word of God. We hear but little about
the deep, dark, damming depravity of
the heart, the necessity of speedy re-
pentance, of being regenerated by the
power of the Holy Ghost, Of the sinners
danger. Indeed, in too many of our
pulpts the word ''helr'' seems to have
become nearly obsolete. Who would
supp Sc, on visiting many of our
churches and listening to the preaching,
that the minister believed part of his
hear, rs were every moment exposed to
an eternal hell? If he did, would he not
he terribly in earnest in warning them to
flee from the wrath to come? AS Bishop
faint far beyond its own pale. The eX-
ceeding sinfulness of sin is toned down
by hints about second probation aud
jealous, faithful preachers at the present
is not denied. What we wish to say is,
that there seems to be a disposition to
tone down the harsher truths of Gods
Word lest we should give offence and
drive our hearers from us. Not so the
early Methodist preachers. True they
were not as well educated then as now,
and could not discourse on as great a
variety of subjects aside from the simple
unadulterated Gospel. Nor did they
swish TO. They were in sense one-idea
men. Their great work was to save
sinners. On this work they concen-
trated all their energies. They declared
the whole counsel of God without fear
or favor of any man. They could say
with the apostle, "Knowing the t rror Of
the Lord, we persuade men,
Our people were more emotional and
demonstrative in Vermont 40 or so years
ago than they are now. They said
"amen" when they felt like it. They
shouted and praised God in manner
that would make many of our modern
Methodists cry out, Fanaticism! Wild
fire! J" But, thank God, we believe a lit
tie wild-tire is better than no fire at all.
The political orator stirs his hearers by
the presentation of some great political
truth; they are filed with enthusiasm,
and manifest their zeal and devotion to
the cause by clapping of hands, stamp
ing of feet. and shouts of Hear! Hear!
Hurrah! Hurrahr' This is thought to
be all right. And why may not the
Christian, whose heart is filled with the
love of God, while listening to those
glorious truths which filled the air of
Bethlehem with angelic halleluias, give
audible expression to his Astounding love
without being branded as fanatic? May
the day be far distant when our church
shall become SO cold and formal as to
deem it out of place to shout and praise
God with the voice of triumph!
The past Of our church in Vermont
conference has gone into history. What
our future will be, we know not. 1t may
and ought to be more glorious than the
past. We have the experience of the
fathers to guide us. We have such facil-
tiles for carrying forward the work as
were never before enjoyed. Let us have
a baptized ministry, church consecrated
to God and Methodism, our hearts set on
fire with the love Of Jesus. and we will
go forward from conquering to conquer,
till the whole state shall be converted,
and all our hilltops and valleys shall
overflow with the streams of salvation.