Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-06-28

TON ARE NOT ANTAGo-
MYSTIC TO CHRISTIAN L
LIFE AND CHAR. e
AcTER. h
1t is easy to find fault, to break i
down, to destroy; but it requires a {
brain clean and bright, and heart I
pure and brave, to build up. to con-
stralct, to design that which will bet
ter human conditions and be an i'm
provement upon what is generally
known and practiced. The differ
ence between building up and break
ing down is well Illustrated by the
difference in the work of a gifted
sculptor with his mallet and chisel
and maudlin ruffian with a heavy
lbludgeon. The sculptor took
block of marble, and with patience
and skill, and taste and care, and
master mind, and gifted eye.
and a. steady hand, chiseled for
ImanN months until his marble
'lblock appeared like thing OF life.
Not absolutely perfect, perhaps, but
asl nearly so as hands could shape
Iit If was beautiful to look upon,
; ibut its beauty was destroyed in an
} instant by one blow from the up
raised club in the ruffian's hand.
Jnon one occasion a member OF
congress from this district, In de
: bate in the national house of repre-
sentatives, turned upon his colleagues
and truthfully said: ut is easy &c
criticise. 1t is easy to find fault
' 1t was easier for Tom Paine to de
: nounce Christianity than it was TO-
him to offer substitute bette
= suited to the wants of his age"
= We have been led to these obser
vations by what we regard as tn
deplorablej and distressing mistak
that is being made by some me
~ who are laboring in the ministr.
~ and attempting to strike down nea
10 Nv all the amlsements INDUCED
= by a great people, and strike thel
down without offering single sui
stitute in their place or stead. TIL
show or travelling circus, the soci
- game of cards, the quiet whist pa
ty, the dance and the stage are a
~ denounced in unqualified terms.
- 1t seems to us that the perse
- who mollrns over the corrupting j
= fluence of these worldly amusemen
= estimatesI very imperfectly u
" teaching and example of Christ, al
~ does no. properly understand the o
: ject of mans existence in this worl
The real Christ passed but few da
in solitude and lamentation. /
K. spent the greater portion OF his II
among all conditions of men,. al
carried with Him such a sunshil
for that He illuminated all the years
ort earth, and even earth's grave.
ich And He was true teacher, WI
ur- knew that it was necessary to OF
ted lime course of action when he d
or sired to change wrong into rigf
aid Take for example, this passaI
EN- from His sermon on the mount:
ion aye have heard that it hath BET
his said, thou shalt love thy neighb
and hate thine enemy But ST
unto you, Love your enemies, BILE
'sh hem that curse you do good
for hem that hate you and pray Il
he them which despitefully use 70
and prosecute you"
,a, That kind of preaching has II
,,e ring OF genuine mettle. 1t is n
~ IN elaborate denunciation Of fal
relation in life, but clear stat
,es ment of a better and more Chfi
tian way for man to deal with h
~, brother.
We do not believe that man W.
- ever designed by his Creator
avoid amusement and the sunshil
If life, and when he does SO, it
through his own ignorance, folly,
error.
David praised the Lord, saying
Thou hast turned for me my monrt
ing into dancing; Thou hast put
ny sack cloth, and grded me wi,
sladness."
= And right here we wish to say
" Jew words about dancing, and
~ saying what we do, we have no d
W. sire to run against any opinion
"a whether wei: or i'll founded.
"a Dancing has been INDUCED in |
se mankind on joyous occasions in a
ere lges. The Saviour of ma
an kind, when he spake l
So parallels unto the publicans al
on inner, told them about the joy
he fathers house over the return I
he prodigal son, told them how til
yer tatted calf was killed, and how whe
las he elder SON came near to til
raj novse ''he heard music and dan