Smyrna times., 1893-08-16
The Old Times not better than the
Present.

Sunday was a clear, COOL braclng
day, just the opposite Of the preceding
Saturday. Tne auditorium Of tho
Methodist Church was well filled. there
being as is usually the case ia the
month Of July and August a number oi
visitors, and the preacher and choir
gave evidence Of winter strength
rather than summer lassitude.
The Rev. Mr.. Stengle preached a
very thoughtful and earnest discourse
from the passage, Where is the Lord
God OF Elijah p, the object of the
preacher being 20 show that the oft
quoted expression, the good old
times" used as a depreciation of the
present, was a delusiOn. This had
been the cry from the early ages on
down aud was today, but it was, he
said, because they only looked at one
side OF the question
After stating succinctly the history
Of the Incident from which The subject
was deducted. and the depression they
felt when Elijah was taken. they in
quired despondingly. where is the
Lord God OF Elijah when they had
greater and a uetter man in Elisha.
his i'm mediate successor. Tracing this
thought through ecclesiastica. and de-
nominaijonAl history, be made strong
application of j. 10 the condition Of to-
day We were constantly hearing
depTeciatory remarks about the de.
cline Of religion--ihat convictions were
not a strong, Zee !ings as deep, conver.
sions as clear. faith as triumphant aud
Joy a. ecstauc a in the early DAYS of
Methodism.
There was an apparent truth in this.
but II was apparent rather than real.
The difference was 10 manifestation.
That the people we're not so emotional
aud demonstrative now as in the days
OF our Fathers, grew out Of the fact of
superior education and social con.
ditions-they had learned the habit Of
proprieties and individual control as
against the Outbursts of grief or ioy
that characterized the people of the
former period.
Inc school house he said had been
chief factor in bringing this change
Education had wrought a mighty
change in the people e-eyenness and
steadiness Of demeanOr in the place az
that which. while it might be Of the
most earnest character, was often spa,
modlc aud at times irrational While
ne Hked the earne estuess. zeal aud fire
OF the fathers. 1t was on a condition
a dapted to its time, and not adapted 10
the changed condition Of things re
HgIon has not changed but its method
OF manifestation has. aud the church
must adapt itself to il.
tie believed, he said, there was more
religious life and activity 10 the world
to-day than there had ever been
There had never been time when
there was such "a manifestation Of love
the highest attribute CT christianity a.
now, there had lever been such zeal in
spreading the gospel, such expenditures
IN erecting church edifces, such liber.
ality in building hospitals and homes
to provide for the unfortunate and such
unity and harmony in the different
branches OF the church.
True, be said, that those who read
only the secular press which published
all the bad gathered in a day from all
the quarters Of the globe, might feel
the world was growing worse instead of
better If they did not read religious
paper to correct these Views.
be drew some strong comparisons
between the good old times" and the
present as spoken by the people in
biblical history and referred to in this.
and said that in every particular they
were tar behind the present day. No
one would like to go back to the con.
ditiOn Of things u hundred years ago.
There were sections now that could be Z
found fifty years behind the times. but
there was not an individual who so
lamented the good old times" who /
desired TO move there In conclusion |
ne held before his audience the su-
perior privilege and superior light |
which the present age with its develop. /
ments offered, and urged that religious |
life aud activities be their higher aim
10 the worlds grand march.