The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-26
OUR RELIGIOUS CONTEMPORARIES.

The pastor of a city church, if he puts
his might into his pulpit, taxes his
powers to the utmost.
THE WORK OF a National Senator de-
PREACHERS. livers one set speech
session. Some Solons
never open their mouths. One speech
does duty for a campaign for Congress
or the State Capitol. The congregation
of a ..First Church.: demands "a telling
and taking sermon twice on Sabbath, ana
there must be ginger" enough on We'd
ncsday night to keep every eye open.
'.Who is sufficient for these things
The pulpit is but a fraction OF the task.
II a list of the things done IN a day by
city pastor were printed, the Wonuer
would be when did he find time for his
sermon? Statesmen pay men to collect
the material and marshal it for speeches
The notables OF the pulpit like Spurgeon,
Talmage, and that sort, with big salaries
have readers to search libraries lor
ammunition. Beecher and his class did
none Of the pastoral work that con-
sumo hours. They had assistants. IN
their churches the lay clement ATTENDED
to many things. done by the Metho iise
minister In fact. eloquent and popular
preachers vannot be seen till late IN
the afternoon. We recall one whose
study was not known even to his
wife ''The Decor IS in his study. but
where it is I do not know" said the
sexton-Christian Advocate.
All human beings are, at one time, per-
formers, to play upon musical instru-
ments, and, at another,
THE MUSIC OF they are themselves,
THE SOUL. organs or instruments
played on by outward
things, or by one another. AS these last
We range from the simplest instrument
IN to the great church organ. And the
things that perform On us range. from the
least Of created beinSs up to the Great
Creator ana Governor Of all things, to
whom all hearts are open,A all desires
known and from whom no secrets are
hid who knows each Chord its various
tone-eacE string its various bias. q
r We mediate chat is, we play upOD
the great ocean, upon the starry heavens,
upon the splendors of the opening and
closing days andBithey pour forth to our
soul a divine music though unheard their
nealing by mortal ears. So man plays
on all the works ef nature, and all the
works of God respond glorously, without
voice Or sound proclaiming, The hand
that made US is divine"
This unheard music it is that most pos
sesses and swells the soul. It's highest
reach is when '"With angels and arch
angels and all the company of Heaven
we magnify" the glorious name of God.
Irhoirs and great organs are not needed
to lift up the soul to he Father.-South-
ern Churchman.
Those who intend to prune their vines
at all had best be a work. The sap that
went down into the
THE LOOPING roots for q winter hid
| OFF PROCESS. ing place will start up
again before long. Now
| is the time to cut away the long shoots
while they are dry and empty of life.
| Pruning is very careful work, but most
| important The value and growth Of the
vine through all the coming season de-
| nends on the skillful use of the wlletted
knife. In the days of the Hebrew pro-
| phets there were pruning hooks: and long
before that. i'll the times of Moses. vine
yards We're pruned and digged at the
| proper season.
Our most important pruning is quite
| near at home in our own hearts and
! characters, There are wild lower shoots
| which spring up quite close to the earth
| that need attention. The growth that is
above and reaches up into the light may
! well be cherished and esteemed But that
/ which comes from the earthly and grow
! Cling in us is that which needs to be
| closely nipped They steal the life away
/ from the higher growth where there must
| come the rich clusters of fruit. The
| selishness and greed and evil passion
must be pruned away by self control and
| restraint by repentance and forsaking BIZ
| that ruling the spirit which makes a man
! greater than the hero who takes CIV,
Central Presbyterian