Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-06-29

y
were never SO crowded in the history of
the city. AS far as the eye can reach TO
the north, to the south, to the east, 10
the west, rolls the endless tide OF hui
mainly, wave on wave, 10 stories high
The simple fact is they have been
drowned in an ocean of humanity hunt
ing for people. And yet the simple truth
Is they have not tried to find people.
MAGNIFICENT MAUsoLEUMs.
Fourth-We are convinced of their
practical death from the fact that they
are so still. There is no motion, move
ment, stir, about them. There cannot be
growth without movement. Action is
necessary postulate of life, and growth
is predicate of life. Many of these
churches have grown cold and numb.
They never have a sensation. Dead peo-
pie never have sensations of any sort.
The dying object TO sensations. In pro
portion as people are dead they are free
from sensations. Christianity is SEN
sation. Christ was a sensationaIst. He
spoke on sensational themes. He spoke
in a sensational way. The great prob
| lens of religion are in themselves soul
stirring. No man can believe them in
vital ways and not have his soul set on
fire.
From the beginning of Christ's minis
try to its close his history is the history
of one sensation succeeding another.
And yet churches built in his name in
this day believe that they are disgraced
if they have a sensation of any sort in
the pulpit or in thepews. They are cold
and stiff and numb and formal This is
the hand of death. The dead are stiff
and dignified. In proportion as men die
they grow stiff. Speed, force. are pos
tulates Of life. Many Of our churches
are magnificent mausoleums in which
the dead move with silent tread, sit in
solemn silence in solemn pews. They |
need life. They need a sensation to do 1
them good; to have any sort of sensa-
ton for a change. Some of them never |
get it except an accident happens.
| saw the other day howfhat a parson
in certain town long ago had habit
Of putting OF till tomorrow what ought
to have been done today. Having some
thing to do with bottle of aqua FORTS,
which he should have used on Saturday
but which he put off till Sunday, he
went into the pulpit with this bottle in
his pocket. In the midst of his sermon,
while his hands were uplifted and be
was about to close a fine sentence. he
leaned heavily against the pulpit, and
smash went the bottle. With hands up
lifted, still with his unfinished sermon,
he rushed down the pulpit stairs, through
the center aisle, out of the church, and
all the congregation followed him. Had
the good man gone crazy? On he rushed
till he came to a pond short distance
from the church, into which he plunged,
while the congregation stood in amaze
ment, wondering if their pastor was
about TO commit suicide. He explained
the action of the aqua FORTS and in
short time secured some dry clothes and
TO the pulpit and finished his
sermon.
think myself little of the aqua forts
would be good for some of the brethren,
and it would be wholesome perhaps in
some of the pews. Weneed the old negro's
prayer to be fulfilled here in New York
He prayed for the northern brother who
came down to preach for him. He said;
Lord bless dis yer white man OATS
come down from de north to preach for
Us. Fill him with de flame of de spirit,
lnnint him wild de kerosene lie of saliva
lion and set him afire." :
FIGHT IN THE CHURCH.
Fifth-They show that they are dead ::
N the fact that they have no ear to hear,
10 heart to pity, no arm TO save the ,
suffering thousands that
urge about their doors. There is a
cry about the city that goes to !,
he heart of one that knows its distress. ,
/ is like the low moaning of the wind .
before the storm, and he whose ear is /.
uned TO its weird music can hear it in
he MONDAY rush above the din and roar:
an hear it in the silence of the night
Ibove the city's groan. for it never
leeps And yet there are hundreds of :
hurches that hear this cry and hear it
They are complacent in their !,
ase. They have gotten in the old ira !
litional jog trot and think it is all right. !,
They jog smoothly along and never hear
thunder, and if anybody suggests that !
t thundered they are shocked. because !
hey have been disturbed. They are :
vedded to the mechanics of tradition :
/ progress that is no progress at all :
hat is simply the refuse of small minds "
nd weak personalities. :,
Many of these churches have been cor "
upted by the forces Of orr corrupt civ
ization. Fashion and pride and wealth =
ave made their inroads and erected !
heir standards around the very altar Of !,
he Most High God A pastor was re- = !
emily driven out of one of our great :
hurches because of an old fight in the :, =
hurch. Four years ago minority Of :
he members of the church attempted to !;
Drce him out. and on what grounds do .
on suppose they brought their action? =
irst, he was not an orator; second, =
nat he paid too much attention to the "
DOR. Amazing fact! And vet Jesus y