The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-12-04
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
A MIXTURE or Sis AND GODLI.
NESS his THEaIE.
SERMONS aud Circuses Discussed From
tho Philosophers Standpoint.

sumo on tho grandchildren and turned
them over 10 a friend. They had never
seen one and were happy. Nov they
have Sol 4elhing 10 talk about for
month. What a revelation u is 30 tho
youthful mind. remember II we'll.
My father took me 10 one when
was several years old, and it still
seems like that was the best one.
Away back IN those days menagerios
and circuaoa were not combined. They
did not travel together nor come at
The same time.
WhRn old John Robinson Grst start
ed out he didn't have any animals.
The menagerie was orthodox; tho cir
Gus was heterodox. Christians could
90 to the one and sinners 10 the other.
But by aud by the circus was attached
10 the menagrio and together they
caught oil kinds and oolors. tits like
asunday excursion train TO q taberna-
Gle meeting. The devil knows how 10
mix up tEolio and fun with prayers
and sermon.
Yesterday / travelled with a score or
two Of preachers and elders who we're
going 10 Athens TO attend the synod.
They were bright and genial and had
on their best clothes. They are good
company. They wear q subdued Chris
tian hilarity and have q fund Of ortho-
dox anecdotes to tell each other on the
way. About four times O year the
preachers go somewhere to a religious
convention, aud each one is expected
to bring with him q fresh supply Of
wit and incident-some pepper and
salt TO add zest to the religious feast
In the old solemn times of DR.. Wilson
and DR.. Patterson and father, wit
and h%or were under the ban. II
they We're not sin they were on the
verge Of it. Sidney Smith was con-
sidered almost hereto and bis clerical
wit as unCalvinistic, if not something
worse. l grew up under the solemni-
ties of old school Presbyterians and
had good time on Sundays, listening
and nodding assent to DR.. Wilson's
sermons on predestination and original
sin. IfNthe good old doctor was living
now he would attack DIR. Robbins and
his hook with oil the accumulated
weapons OF century Of study aud
then seek to knock him down with
Calvin's institutes.
But our modern clergy are more like
human beings; more like human nat
ure; more like urselves. They are
not 80 'qustere aud solemn. They are
social aRd some of the younger ones
will 60 Fishing or play ball and the
older ones tell anecdotes and smile
quite audibly. We were talking about
the circus yesterday and one Of them
told how he attended q synod once at
Townsville, and it was circus day and
there was a grand street pageant with
music and banners and all the animals
were on dress parade. The synod was
in session, and as the inspiring strains
of tR& martial music fell upon the
synod'5 ears a lay brother couldent
subdue his feelings. He rose forward
timidly and said:
"Mr. Moderator, it will be impossi-
BILE for US to transact any business I'M
til that music passes by, for we can't
hear anything that is read or spoken.
I move you, sir, that VIC take q recess
for ten minutes.
Wh@reupon an old Calvinistic
preacher bounced him and squelched
him with indignant sarcasm:
"Recess indeed Recess for circus
to pass by; recess because the devil
with his satellites is in sinful process
sion at our doors. No sir. We will
talk louder and draw nearer, but nc
recess"
Nearer aud nearer came the band,
and when the lion gave an unearthly
howl, preachers and laymen began tc
tiptoe, out until there was nobody lef
save the moderator and Che old man.
In due time the music died away il
the distance and the delegates tiptoed
back to their places.
A layman whom everybody loved
then told how one of these old-Uime
solemn preachers fquelched all til,
hilarity out Of him. Said he:
"I was born with lively sense o
the ridiculous and sometimes hav,
hard work TO restrain my rlslbles
One day our good old preacher asked
me to ride out with him to see mai
who was partially paraly1ed and wa
likely to die impenitent unless it wa
the Lords will that he should b.
saved. So, we visited him and afte
the usual preliminaries the old preach
er said
ssMy friend, would it please you fo
me to read chapter from the Hol,
Scriptures and have prayer in you
behalf?"
Well, I don't mind. I'm willin
to oblige you, if it will do you an,
good, said he.
"The manner and tone in which h
nnid IL exeited me. but | bit nv lil