The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-08-01
Half and Half.
Obediah OlischooI II, Interior.

Obediah OldschooI in Interior.
When Nehemiah went to Jerusalem,
nearly century after the first compa-
ny Of captives had returned under
Ezra, he found the people sadly de-
moralized. Even the priests and no.
bles had intermarried with idolaters.
The result was, as stated in chapter
13, verse "a, "Their children spake
half in the speech of Ashdod, and
could not speak in the Jews language,
but according to the language Of each
people," What jargon How that
mixture of Hebrew and Philistine
must have grated on the ears of the
pious cup-bearer ! 1t was Jehovah and
Dagon in the same breath. And no
doubt the manners and customs and
worship of the rising generation were
half and half as well as their dialect.
/ Nehemiah knew that if this state Of
things was not promptly arrested the
next generation would be at least
three-auarters Ashdod, both in speech
and worship, and that in less than a
century the land would be wholly
given up to idolatry. A man Of a
community half corrupted is like
barrel Of apples half Of which are rot
ten. The sound fruit will not save
that which is decayed, or even save
itself. The only hope for apples or
men is to separate the good from the
bad. And knowing this, the puritan
ical cup-bearer contended with the
Jews, and smote them, and plucked
off their hair, and made them swear
that there should be-no more inter-
marriages. That was radical, and it
was effectual. From the days of Ne
hemiah until now the Jews have been
separate people.
When reading this latest historical
record in the Bible of the Old Testa-
ment Church one is tempted to ask:
What if some Puritan or Presbyterian
of the eighteenth century should visit
us to-day ? Would he not feel as Ne
lhemiah did ? Would he not say that
the speech in our nominally Christian
homes is only half Christian I? Our
grandfathers and grandmothers taught
their children to repeat the Catechism
and to memorize the Scriptures.
Their own language, even when talk
ing about secular affairs, was largely
Biblical. It was with grace, sea-
sloned with salt" They would not
permit any worldly literature, or any
conversation about worldly matters in
their homes, on the Sabbath. Per-
haps they we're in some things over
strict, and in their sIsrictness a little
pharisaical. But they were noble
men and women; and they left us
noble heritage. Are we conserving
that heritage as to transmit it unim-
paired to our posterity, or arc we de-
preciating it by conformity to the
world ? Are we mingling the speech
of Ashdod with the conversation that
ought to be Sin heaven 2" Let US
listen for moment.
Two sisters in Christ are going home
from Church. One says to the other:
.tWasn't that beautiful sermon our
good pastor preached this morning ?
Some Of his illustrations were just too
lovely for anything And did you
notice Miss Smiths new winter bon
net It is the first of the season. We
will have to get ours before next Sab
bath" And 80 they 60 on talking
about the services and the fashions in
as strange jaragon as that of the
Jewish children in Nehemiah's time.
The family gathers around the table
to enjoy its Sabbath dinner. 1t isnot
like the cold Sabbath dinners Of a
hundred years ago, but the most elab-
crate repasts of the week, because
there will be more time to enjoy it.
A blessing is asked. The children
are called upon to repeat the text.
Some remarks are made in regard to
the music and the decorations and
then the conversation drifts into Ash
dod talk about matters secular and
sensual. The program of engage
ments for the week is discussed.
Perhaps the news in the Sunday pa
per is read and commented upon. A
suggestion is interposed, now and
then, anent the weekly prayer-meet-
ing, or the Woman Monthly Mis-
sionary meeting. But all sorts of
topics are jumbled together, like the
Hebrew and the Philistine words in
the street talk that angered Nehemiah.
And we have this mixture of world
illness with Christianity indeed as well
as in word. Think of Young men and
maidens dancing or playing progress
sive euchre until IL o'clock Saturday
night and then coming to Church Sab
bath morning. bowing their heads and
repeating after the minister, "Lead us
not into temptation" Think of
man making public conservation Of
himself to that Saviour who said, "H
any man will come after me let him
deny himself and take up his. cross
daily and follow me, and then spend
ing more in carnal comforts and SEN
sual indulgences, that single week
than he gives to missions in a whole
year Think of man who goes to
the meeting of convivial club at the
hour VIXEN his brethren assemble in
the church for prayer Think of the
woman who talks piously in the ladies
meeting, and then gossips about her
neighbor's faults and fol. ;s as soon
as it is over. Have not some Of my
readers met this good sister Nay,
can not some of them see her face in
their looking-glasses !? 1 am not max
ing assertions, / am only asking ques-
tions.
I cannot refer to all the illustrations
of this modern mixture. There is
Miss A. She sang a solo, hymn OF
praise and conservation, last Sabbath,
so sweetly that many hearts were
thrilled and many eyes moistened.