The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1901-08-10

find so little vivacity in the pulpit ana
in the pew9 We want. like the LORD,
TO plant in our ermou md exhor'a-
tions more lilies of the fed. We want
fewer rhetorical Celebrations and
fewer susquipedalian words and when
we talk about shadows We do not want
10 saw adumbration, and when We
mean q~ueerness we do not want TO
talk about idiosyncrasies, or II stitch
in the back we do not want TO talk
about iumbsgo; but, in the plain YER
nacular Of the great masses preach
that Gospel which proposes to make
all men happy, honest, victorious n
free. In other words, We want more
cinnamon and less gristle. Let this
be so in all the different departments
of work TO which the Lord calls us.
Let us be plain. Let US be earnest
Let us be common-sensical. When We
talk TO the people in a vernaeular they
can understand, they will be very glad
TO come and receive the truth We pre-
sent. Would to God that Queen Balkis
would drive her spice-laden drome-
daries into all our sermons and prayer
meeting exhortations!
More than that, We want more life
and spice in our Christian work. The
poor do not want so much to be
groaned over as sung to. With the
bread and medicines and garments
you give them let there be an ac-
compartment of smiles and brisk en-
couragement. Do not stand and talk
to them about the wretchedness OF
their abode, and the hunger Of their
looks, and the hardness Of their lot.
All, they know it better than you can
tell them. Show them the bright side
of the thing, if there be any bright
side. Tell them good times will come.
Tell them that for the children of
God there is immortal rescue. Wake
them up out of their stolidity by an
inspiring laugh, and while you send
in help, like the queen Of Sheba, also
send in the spices.
We need more spice and enlivenment
in our church music. Churches sit
discussing whether they shall have
choirs or precentors or organs or bass
viols or comets. say take that which
will bring out the most inspiring mu-
sic. II we had half as much zeal and
spirit in our churches as we have in
the songs of our Sunday schools, it
would not be long before the whole
earth would quake with the coming
God. Why, nine-tenths of the people
In church do not sing, or they sing so
feebly that the people at their elbows
do not know they are singing. People
mouth and humble the praises OF
God. but there Is not more than one
out of a hundred who makes a joyful
noise unto the Rock of Our Salvation.
Sometimes, when the congregation
forgets itself and Is all absorbed in
the goodness Of God or the glories Of
Heaven, | get an intimation OF what
church music will be a hundred years
from now, when the coming genera
ton shall! wake up to its duty.
Now, ! want to impress you with
the fact that religion is sweetness
and perfume and spikenard and SAT-
from and cinnamon and cassia and
franklncense and AL sweet spices to-
gether. oh" you say, II have not
looked at it as such. ! thought it
a nuisance, 1t had for me a re-
pulsion. held my breath as though
1t were a malodor. have been ap-
palled at its advance. l have said
if l have any religion at all l want
to have just as little Of it as posi-
bic to get through with" Oh, what
a mistake You make, my brotherl
The religion of Christ is a present
and everlasting redolescence. It coun-
teracts all trouble. Just put it on the
stand beside the pillow of sickness.
1t catches in the curtains and per-
fumes the sitting air. 1t sweetens
the cup of bitter medicine and throws
a glow on the gloom Of the turned
lattice. 1t is a balm for the aching
side and a soft bandage for the tenn
pie stung with pain. 1t lifted Samuel
Rutherford into a revelry of spiritual
delight while he was in physical ag-
onies. 1t helped Richard Baxter un-
til, in the midst of such a complica-
ton of diseases as perhaps no other
man ever suffered, he wrote THE
Saints Everlasting Rest" and IL
poured Light upon John Bunyan's
dungeon-the light OF the shining
gate OF the shining city.
Have you read of the Tai Mahal, in
India, in some respects the most ma
jestic building on earth? Twenty
thousand men were 90 years in build
ing il. 1t cost about $4,000, 900. The
walls are Of marble inlaid with car
nelian from Bagdad and turquoise
from Thibet and jasper from the Pun
jab and amethyst from Persia and
all manner of precious stones. A trav-
eler said hat IL seemed to him like
the shining of the enchanted castle
of FURNISHED silver. The walls are
PAS feet high, and from the top OF
49, a--!--- A. IN