The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-04-18
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.
Written for the Democratic Advocate.
BY MEMO.

and ministers. Let us ab once take tne
first of these important features of life as
text for a 'Rainble Like other ser
mons it may wander all around the sub
eet in regular ministerial style Too
often, you know, a text is merely string
on which to hang inconsequent generalities
that have no more vital relationship to the
string than seaweed has to ships cable.
The generalities aud seaweed may each
cable and TO be foulboth.
During the transition from youth into
manhood and womanhood there almost
certainly comes time of restlessness under
authority and a general feeling of oppo-
sition to things as they are. 1t arises in
thinking youngsters, because Of the fric-
ton and lack of accord between conditions
that are real and thoughts that are ideal.
You girls read book, redolent with lofty
thoughts, and rise from its rosy and de-
lightful pages to be met with the neceS-
sity of taking care of one more of the
never ending series of meals and dish wash
ings that fall to your lot. You boys FOL
low with eager eye the thrilling adventures
of the worlds battlefield heroes and you
awake from your day dreams to find your
self still confronted by the dull gray of a
very ordinary and a very narrow career.
You are neither Of you mentally broad
enough vet to see in full measure the lofti-
ness of simple duty well done, or to un-
derstand herOism that never figures on
battlefield You grow discontented 1t
is we'll Your discomfort shows at any rate
your ability to think and to more or less
roughly weigh things in the scales of good
and bad 1t is an evidence of individu
atty on your part. 1t is the very spirit
that brought forth Bryant's '.Thanatop
sis. 1t was the same spirit that drove
Napoleon, in moody and resentful, yet
planning solitude, to his little cave in Cor
sica. Yet it is also, if not rightly handled.
the very spirit that makes many of us in
effective and sulky in our tents during the
most vigorous years Of our lives. just
because things around us are not perfect
we hold aloof from this thing and that
thing and other thing instead Of leaping
forward in the strength of resilient youth,
working to improve that which we feel in
our hearts is imperfect Do we wander
somewhat? Glide me not This is SER
mon.
In the coneeit of our budding Judgment
4, \ th..
clearness of our youthful vision, many of
us rise up and condemn the church Of our
fathers. We mouth against it. We learn
that hypocrites are in it, parasites live on
it, and jangling voices fill it, and it be-
comes kissing and reproach with us
In all sincerity, many a conscientious youth
has turned his back upon the church
But we who stand up to criticise established
things must watch that we be not narrow
minded ourselves. In the first place,
immature judge, all church members are
not hypocrites; not 1.-THE, not ten per
cent of them are. Do you doubt it, be-
cause defaulting cashiers and prominent
breakers of the seventh commandment
seem almost always to have church affilia-
tions? Then join church in humble
spirit, and there will be at least one mem
Der that you can believe in. As well
might traveller say that the Mississippi
is nothing but snags, just because an oc-
casional one thrusts its scraggy branches
up through the gliding waters. The very
rarity of these distractions and their en-
tire lack of conformity to the stream
around them makes them the more notice
able just so with hypocrites. The total
difference between them and their church
back ground throws them into bold relief,
TO use an art expression.
Immature Judge, lend thine ear once
more to the thoughts of one outside the
church Never mind if some few minis
ters make a ''fat' thing out of their min
istering. There are more who do not, by
ten to one For the years of college prep
aration, the conscientious concentration of
his powers upon spiritual lines, many
minister reaps the notable reward Of less
than $500 year. Verify he must be
rolling in the lap of luxury at that rate
He is too often poor in this world goods,
but rich in faith and in children. To
thinking man, this patient toiler along the
higher ways of life, the mountain tops of
thought, where personal gain is forgotten
is benefactOr to the race, for under our
present conditions Of civilization. churches
are absolutely essential to society. If you
follow me you will see this clearly They
are the social and mental salvation eve
will leave spiritual out as this is above
my range of ability of large sections of
our population Especially are they the
mental salvation of women Two-thirds
Of our entire population live outside of
towns. The men are largely isolated from
their fellow-men by reason of their toll
some farm duties The women are almost
entirely isolated, because of distance from
neighbors, pressure of home duties, and
distaste for walking The chief thing to
bring them together, to relieve the tedium
of constant effort, to give them by word of
mouth broader view than their own mar
rowed horizon, is the church 1t is a
common visiting house. 1t is an idea ex-
change. 1t is very store house for kind
~ greetings one toward the other 1t is
the chamber of winds to drive the cobwebs
of solitary life from off the weary brain
We animals are gregarious like sheep
We pine when alone We become the
victims of miserable phantasies and I'M
healthy growths of thought The church
steps in as the Divine nervine to give us
back our mental tone Immature Judge.
then raise not hand to pull single beam
from these social centres OF our rural life
Rather step within to upbuild and extend
their influence until they in some measure
coincide with the broad gauge ideals that
are floating in your own mind
A few words and we can dispose Of the
dangling Voice objection to all the
varied denominational splits Stand on
lofty mountain and look around you. Do
you see all the view? No The view Of
the mountain from the valley is absolutely
beyond your ken, unless you change your