The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-13
Wolves in Sheep's Clothinr

~ Hi
All over the land. here and there. are
congregations which are. spiritually IN
condition of coma They are doing
ilotAiHS toward lettering the commune
ties around them, they have no inter
est IN either home Or foreign missions.
and they are but little esteemed nv
Those VINO i've in the neighborhoods
"nefe they are located. There are var
ious causes which may bring a con-
sfegaton to this deplorable condition
out Il member of such a congrega-
tion IS asked the reason for the Grim
pied ana paralyzed state of the work he
is very likely to answer: "A few vea,,s
ago We had pastor, Brother Blank
who was bad man When his raat
character was discovered it almost
broke up the church, and we have never
recovered from the injury he did US y
Inc unworthy preacher may belong
10 one OF three classes. He NAV h.. a
rascal fool or q schismatfc. If ne
Is the third he is also the first and sec
ohd. me rascal is the immoral man.
ne may be a brilliant orator and a
man OF winning personality. The
greater MS talents and influence. the
| greater is the crash when he is found
out The fool igor may be-a great
many things. He may be q man with
no sense of financial obligation who
is strong on borrowing but exceeding
~ weak on repaying, and who is given
20 buying on credit. The schisnatic
is both rascal and fool. A rascal for
introducing discord and inharmony
into the church, and a fool because
such operations are uniformly disas-
| trous to- those RESPONSIBLE
Once there was a mule standing in a
pasture. The mule had a pensive
countenance and q general air OF unut-
| terabie sorrow. There came that way a
! kind hearted wayfarer from a far
country. The ,wayfarer knew not the
habits and characteristics of mules. and
I his aeart was tot ned by the express
sion of unsatisfied yearning worn by
this particular specimen of the genus
jacas;icus. He pondered the matter
for some time, and then exclaimed:
| All, | have it. This strange beast
| nlourns because it's tail is not braided
Cheer up, poor thing, / will braid your
tail. He scaled the fence and es-
sayed to put his philan.hropic plan into
execution. The kind-hearted
Wayfafer was discharged from the hos
pital some weeks later He was not
| nearly so pretty, or symmetrical or
. active as he had been, but he knew a
/ whole lot more about mules.
WI 1T this anecdote lacks in classical
elegance it makes up in expressive
ness. Many a congregation has axper-
imented oftimes, through sympathy.
oh "A r,
wisdom at the expense of cIirpied USE
fuiness and impaired prestige
suggestion has been made that we
/ nave, IN California, Committee on
Ministerial Standing, whose duty it win
he 70 inform congregations as to The
cha acter and ability Of s.range Preach
ers seeking fields of labor The sug-
gestion is wise one and should be
acted upon. There would be nothing of
eccles,asticism" about such an ar
ranscment, for the committee would
nave authority only to supply informal
ton, leaving the local congregation 10
act as II saw fit. LII the past the Pa,
cific Coast has been too frequently at
filcted with wolves in Sleeps clothing
Unworthy men who were too notorious
TO operate in the East have sought
green pastures in the West, and have
frequently been successful in their
quest. What has happened in the past
may happen again unless there is put
in operation some plan for the protac-
ton of the churches
Churches win be imposed upon and
wrecked. however. as Ions as they ex-
ercise 50 little wisdom in their method
lof choosing preachers The '.frial car
mon" nuisance ought to be abolished.
as the first step toward a reformation
| IN this direction. This time honored
custom is a great boon to the unwor.
thy aspirant who generally is a glib
talker and has at least two good SER
mons, variously acquired, but is I'M
Just 70 the earnest. honest pastor.
whose whole work. in and out of the
pulpit. must be seen and known before
his worth can be estimated.