Year: 1867

Magazine.


From the Pulpit, for November.


We infer from what we hear in pri-
vate conversation, and what we read in
the public journals, that the public
think it very marvellous that so many
of the clergy arc wrecked upon the rock
of seusuality. The astonishmsnt is not
astonishing. People who do not make
habit of thinking, will hardly be
thoughtful enough to know the fact
with reference to the matter. The fact
is that there is no profession, class, or
avocation, so exposed to or tempted by
the devil of sensuality as the ministry.
Tho very sanctity of their office is an
occasion of their stumbling. The office
is cOnfounded with its occupant. The
sanctity of the former is made the pos
session of the latter. Now, the office is
an invulnerable myth; its occupant is
a man of like passions with other
men. No temptation is sufficient to
overcome the office, while so stout
faithed au occupant of it as Peter,
the apostle, may fall grievously at the
first approach of the adversary. I'm
thinking women may seem to be only
tempting the office, when they are I'M
Willingly laying snares for its occupant.
By their persistent exhibition OF conf
dence in the Office they are confding
persstently in its occupant. And so II
came to pass in this way that the min.
lister, with all the flesh and blood about
him, has the door of temptation thrown
open to min and then closed behind
him. Blind confidence on the one side,
and unguarded sociability on the. other,
lead to equivocal circumstances as to
beth. No man in the world has so few
conditions imposed upon him at the
threshold of society as the clergyman.
His passport to social life is almost a
carte blanche. Women of both States
and all ages are his companions, social
ly and professionally. The rules of so
cial intercommunion between the sexes
are, in his case, virtually suspended.
What would be an indiscretion with
other men is matter of course with
him. He shares, or is alternately ad-
mitted to the privacy of the sick room
with the physician. Wherever spirit
ual advice is called for there he reigns
above and molested. And he is a
sedentary man, of nervous-sapguine
temperament, and like all men of this
sert and life, feels the law of his flesh
warning against the law of his religion.
None have such passions as those of
sedentary life. In proportion to the
idleness of the muscles, is the activity
of the passions. The devil tempts the
industrious idle men tempt the devil.
The clergy should give more earnest
heed to the muscular Christianity"
But not only is their life afflicted with
deficiency in bodily exercise, 1T is addl-
tionaliy accursed with the temptations
that take advantage of this feebleness.
Half the crimes Of sensuality come of
physical feebleness. Considering, then,
this nervous combustibility, this supeI-
abundance of sexual heat from a def
cheney in physical exertion and this
extraordinary exposure to the wiles OF
the wicked, aud the insinuative i'll.
fiuences of unsuspicion, the marrel, nay,
the miracle is not that so many but so Cea
of the clergy fall into the sins Of sensuatity
The wonder is, not that so many yield
but that so many staEd firm.


And so far from these clerical sins Oi
stIlSudilty oCiuS thC ihS3PbNouit
lapse they are represented TO be by tie
public press and the private Grundys
they are not only the least surprising
bat the most ercusable sins the clergy cGI
commit. But We do not excuse, we ex.
plain them. We are giving their com
parative and not their actual criminal
ity.


While we regard sudden trip int
sensual sin as comparatively the most
excusable of the obliquities of which
the clergy can be guilty, We certainly
advise all those who are thusguilty, oil
feel themselves in danger OF being, tC
quit the pulpit at once and forever
And let none go to the sacred office wh'
are not strong in the mesh as well as il
the Lord, and let the physical feebl
who are in it leave it, lest worse fat,
come upon them. Divine grace will
not make amends for physical inErm
tiles.


As for seduction, that is crime thai
which none are more heinous, inferna
and damuable, let who will commit il
The man who is convicted of il de
serves every twinge of tho torture Z


which he can be subjected by the retri
butive laws of che Divine Government
Nor is there any explanation to be ei
fered for that horrible species of th