St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-11
ARE MINISTER rNAOTICAL?
some Queries Propounded by
Mathew Jinglekirk.

MaCneW OingiekIrK.
To the Editor of the Globe.
read some time since in your paper
very clever article on the ministers
and the letter of the law, to which 1
nave seen no reply, and upon which the
honored pastors have not preached.
Mr.. Editor, are you in fun, or are you in
earnest, when you ask the brethren to
put into practice the discipline against
women plating their hair, wearing
gold ornaments, members of the church
playing cards and dancing? You eX-
pect too much. Why, your plan would
empty half the churches. Do not you
know, Mr.. Editor, that many min
listers want to have the dis
cipline of the Methodist church
changed so the young people can
dance in glee now and them. Do you
want to see pastors live up to the rules?
They will not do it. Some people say
they dare not try. 1t must be admitted
that the law is made to keep, not to
break, whether in municipal or church
affairs. Are the ministers practical? is
asked. l will tell you, sir, subject
worthy your facile pen. when you have
got the smoke nuisance done away
with, and in this, l say, more power to
your elbow. The subject is, do the men
who lead the churches show much prac-
tlcal sense? The ministers are in the
saddle and set the pace. Look at
the way church work is arranged in
Minnesota, where all these shining
lights give light and heat in the pulpits.
Take small towns of 500 to $500 people,
and see how wise, kind, good and low
ing things generally are. There is
Roman Catholic church-that goes with
out saying; Methodist church mo viii
lage is complete without it, says a
MethodisD; there is a Baptist, often; a
CoEgregationalist. because, says a
preacher, "if we do not cover
the ground some one else WILL"
possibly a Presbyterian; Lutheran,
it would never do to be without one,
because we have SO many Scandinavia
ans, and, to bring up the rear. liberal
organization; anywhere from five to
eight guide posts to show men the way
to heaven. 1t will be said: ''Ail right,
cannot these folks do as they like with
their own?" Reply - These small
churches keep up contention, social di-
vision and much more effort to win men
tor a form of faith than toa noble life
of Christ-like usefulness. And the small
churches are made possible by the
large city churches, to the waste
of money, men and time in the small
towns so many churches could not exist
If the mission boards did not dole out
500 to $500 year each to support them
One good man well learned in noly
Writ, in the best modern literature. could
be kept without a dollar help from out
side in every town. The people would
be happier, have larger power for good
and be bound together, as they are not
likely to be while there are your
mission boards and practical ministers
intent OH the glory Of ''our system"
At least two parts out of three of all
the money given for missions III the
small cities is worse than thrown away.
There is no good reason why Presby-
terians, CongregationalistS and Bap-
lists. with the MethodistS, could not be
one. If one church is not big enough
for them few years on earth, what
time they will have OH the other side in
eternity. The Christians do a vast
amount of good, in spite of
divisions, but common sense will
teach them, if they are wise, to speak
little and write nothing about the prac-
teal, much less the economical side of
their concerns. In love of law. in
warm desire to see it kept. in patriot
ism, | will not take back seat for any
minister. For all the good they do l
thank them, but they will do we'll to
follow Christ i'll desire to lift the fallen
and help not the tittest TO survive. but
to restore the sick and make the halt
strong, and so make that which is ready
to die able to live. l speak this word
in your ear, Mr.. Editor. and am, yours
honestly, MATHEW JINGLEKIRK.