The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-04-10
THE MINISTRY.
ITS PART IN THE WORK OF RE.
FORMATION.
The Good 1t Is Capable of Ac.
cOmplishing.

If Christ could not select twelve
men without one of them turning out
traitor and money-worshipper, why
should we complain If a great many Of
the ministers Of the gospel of today
are mere children of Mammon and
slaves of anti Christ? We can not ex.
pect the earth to taste otherwise than
earthly.
But in all denominations and in all
ages there have been, in the ministry,
great and noble souls, who were ready
to do good even unto the flames Of
martyrdom. To all such, no matter
what dOgmas they may have taught,
mankind bows down in reverence, as
visible representatives of the AL
mighty's good will toward men," Dog
mas are the fruit of the mere ope ra-
tions of the imperfect mind; but the
characteristics of the soul rise above
all creeds, and unite the noble of all
tongues and chimes and times in one
universal brotherhood
Hence while complaining of the
clergy that they do not do enough, we
must not forget that they have done
much. Religion will always endure,
adapting itself, chameleon-like to it's
environment, and becoming less and
less matter of doctrines and more
and more matter of deeds. There
will always be darkness enough in the
world to make the lamp Of faith ne
cessity; and the wiser that man
grows the more clearly will he
perceive that all matter is
but the outcome Of spirit
ual, surrounding and universal king
dom, infinitely greater and nobler
than all the telescope can reveal to US,
with its hundred million blazing suns.
We are moved to these thoughts by
the reception Of very kind letter
from minister Of South Dakota. We
omit the words of personal good will
and quote the following extract:
"In the REPRESENTATIVE see fire.
Quent reference made to the minis
tiers Of the gospel as to the part they
are taking in the present political and
social struggle. AS one, of that pro-
fession, l am free to confess there are
more moral towards, per capita, in the
ministry than in any other profession;
and as humble preacher of the Cos
pei Of the blessed Christ, | know By
experience the vile abuse and persecu-
tion one of our number receives if he
takes the side Of reform in the present
struggle.
Zone of my elders and my Sabbath
school uperintendent left my church
because l accepted the nomination for
state senator in opposition to the
gang who looted this state of 1910, 900.
These men, with some pious souls in
the M. E. Church, with whom they
now worship thought it their privi-
lege to drive me out of my pulpit and
out of the town. But / am Irish, and
free-born, and never wore that collar
Keep the light in The REPREsEN-
TATIvE burning, SO that our people
can see the snakey head of the new
Silver Party"
There should be moderation in all
things. We would not have the clergy
turn their churches into political
club-houses or become themselves pot
house politicians. But every minister
of the gospel should realize that the
moral condition of the people depends
largely upon their physical conditions;
''it is hard for an empty sack to stand
upright;" and poverty is perpetual
strain on virtue: and want is weak
ness. Therefore they should carefully
study all questions which concern the
welfare of the people. and, in quiet.
dignified manner, give them the bene-
fit of their conclusions. Thus will
they become pillars of light in the
darkness OF contentious and corrupt
age; and men will gather around them
as natural leaders and benefactors;
and religion will take a new hold on
the hearts of men, because it will
come to them, as in the old time. as
civilizer and lifter-up; and belief in
creeds as to the next world will be
justified by deeds as to this world.
There was time when religion cul-
tivated the fields, cut down the forests.
built mills, constructed roads and
bridges, introduced new plants and
fruit trees, made garden of the
wilderness, fed the poor and protected
the peasant from the baron;-the Plu-
tocrat Of that age. What does religion
do now? There are noble exceptions,
it is true, but too often the clergymen
simply gives his followers common
place, hackneyed essay, once week;
and draws his salary. paid generally by
the rich, with charming punctuality;
and in return throws all his influence
on the side of the spoilers and oppres-
sors of the human family; and dies
and goes to judgment, leaving the
world worse than he found it. For
one we have more respect for one Of
the bare-footed, bare-headed friars Of
the olden-time, with sack-cloth gar
ments and rope around his waist,
hoeing his garden or feeding the poor.
than we have for one of our high
toned modern representatives Of re-
ligion, with tall silk shiny hat, and
broad-cloth suit, preaching about
"the incomprehensibility of the un-
knowable;" or sneering at the efforts
of the humble multitude to improve
their condition; while the poor man
avoids the door of his tabernacle, by
instinct, as If it we're pest-house.
Mov ho 1oyi1 FOL OF c,,o1, rl;c,rcoooro