The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-20

painful, pathetic, urgent business. The
world might come to an end any min
lutte. Immortal souls were dropping into
the burning lake, even if the great cat
aclysm had not come, and we, or those
most dear to US, might now be standing
upon the verge of the awful gulf, UNI
conscious of our peril.
How often have we heard the hymn
break upon our ears like blast from
the Judgment day trumpet:
That awful day will sure come,
The appointed hour makes haste,
| When l must stand before my judge,
And bear the solemn test.
Strong men quaked for fear and
groaned for mercy. Delicate women
sobbed, and wrung their hands lest their
husbands and children were numbered
among the legions of the damned, ban
ished from heaven, cursed, blackened
and blasted forever and ever.
Read Dies brae.
| Show me any power of appeal in re-
ligion to-day that has anything like the
commanding interest of the old time
! religion. The moral earnestness of the
modern pulpit is tame in comparison
with the vehement emotions and tear
full responsiveness of the old time
preacher who saw sinners hair hung
and breeze shaken" over the yawning
| chasm of hell.
Where are the themes to-day that
have the awakening power, or deterrent
effect of the crack of doom that re-
sounded through christendom for ages?
q if,rr N the
Salvation army, or in the back-woods,
but 1t is no clarion blast or wild, clang-
J ing of fire bells in the still night. 1t is
rather, in view of the awful fate threat
ened, like the pipe of a toy whistle or
the squeak of a mouse in an earth
quake. DR.. Seldom III. Talcott, in his
annual report of the Middletown, N. Y,
Insane asylum, calls attneiton to the in
sanity of children, often caused by
preaching the doctrine of eternal dam
nation. In reply DR.. Robert S. Mac
Arthur, pastor of Calvary Baptist
church, says: II feel quite assured that
there is comparatively little teaching Of
future punishment In any of our
churches which is likely to increase the
sensibility Of fear" A minister in In
dianapolis remarked recently that
when it was preached, it was done with
perfumed delicacy." 1t is reported that
one of the Methodist bishops, repre-
sented modern preaching as follows:
Brethren you must repent, as it were,
and be converted in a measure, or be
damned somewhat"
A minister said to me that when he
had occasion to preach on everlasting
III. k,.to i -
tender and refined in his method of pre-
senting so delicate subject. Sup
pose the high school building was
on fire-would you break the news to
the principal tenderly? Some one is
rushing to an alarm box. will you stop
him and say don't wiring up the fire
department, rudely, but with discretion
an aesthetic taste. Would you order
the firemen to put on their Sunday
clothes and not forget the cushions on
the engines?s
Among the thinking people the fright
is over, the danger signals are pulled
down and people breathe more freely.
They do not lie awake nights thinking
about their souls unless souls consist of
stocks and dividends. They are at ease
III N<ioiiJ yea, WY iiiuSli a. NeioS' IL
is easier to raise the dead than to
rescue perdition from it's lost es-
tate. The fiery pillows of hell scarcely
raise a ripple on the surface of soci-
ETY.. The blowing up of the Maine stir
red the American people with deeper
horror than all the sermons preached
on perdition for year in the whole
country.
From these considerations, the con-
trast between religion as it was, and as
1t Is, must be apparent. Being no long
er a dire necessty-the demand for re-
ligion must materially abate. The weak
demand shows that if religion is what |
it is said to be, 1t is not vital thing
or else it is not real thing. The lib
eral churches claim to have the most |
rational and up-to-date relig- |
ion. These churches have renowned |
the medieval doctrines and forms. Yet |
the unchurched masses do not attend |
these churches. If religion is not dead |
and is in demand-then, plainly the lib |
eral churches have no more of it than
orthodox churches, for both are avoid |
ed by the multitude The truth
in the case is this: Relig-
ioIl las cedSeu 10 ne a specialized ana
all sufficient concern. If taken at all
it must be diluted with earthly Joys
If expressed at all it must be in terms
Of culture, such as social interests, lit
erature, art, science. ethics and aesthe-
tics. Religion has expanded into what
we call culture. 1t has ceased to be a
local church prayer meeting and closet
affair. Temples, cloisters, shrines and
affairs will never again have just the
same meaning. There is no holy of
holes, no Shekimah, but the human
heart In the fields of toll and amid
busy crowds must the Christ-mind be
exemplified. Everything that improves
The mind and body will be considered
religious. Sanitation, general enlight-
and the well-being of COM
nunity are now good religion 1t has
come to be a part of the patient, toll
some development of human progress,
onward and upward. Instead of being
IN exceptional experience, it is now a
part of the regular, common life of the
world. 1t ceases to be supernatural and
axes it's place in the natural order of
human history. Instead of a narrow
policy for the insurance of a soul, it ;
becomes concerned for the welfare of
Ill souls. The old way was a broad
way, but to death.
Broad is the road that leads to DEATH
l