Year: 1861




III.


The Rev. Paul Clifton rose early on this Sum
day morning, and was the first man-after the
saxton-to enter the church. To say that he
felt comfortable would be to make him out
fool, which he was not. 1t was a novel situa-
tion; and dare say il costs a gentleman more
serious thought to preach to congregation of
Indiana farmers than it does Peter Cartwright
to expound his Gospel to a Fifth avenue au-
dience. When he had seen his church Tor
meeting house when he had made the ac-
quaintance OF the sexton, and some others of
the leading members - when he had slept
upon his Impressions now, on this bright
Sunday morning, was arrived at the climax of
his troubles, the reader who can realize that
the Reverend Paul was not only an honest
young fellow, but also a man who though mod
estly of his own abilities, will not be surprised
that ne sat in uncomfortable anxiety for the
result.


For to fail here was to fail utterly. am
ashamed to refer again to Mr.. Darwin, (whose
philosophy, by the way, distinctly repudiate,) J
but here was what that eminent naturalist
very properly calls struggle for life"


twas only in these two days that the solemn
question. What is the full force and meaning
OF this office have taken upen myself" be-
gan to crowd upon him in all its wide and
serious bearings


And what, indeed, is it to be what we call
indifFerently preacher, pastor, missionary?


The Natural History Of the Clergyman is
still to be written. 1 do not intend to bore the
sufficiently impatient reader by interpolating
IN this place any attempt at so important a
work. Bst pending the advent of the great
ecclesiastical Agassiz, who shall prevent me
from sitting down here my little preliminary
Essay on Classification ?'' See: there is,


l. The wishy-washy young man. who would
starve In any other calling, and therefore
literally breaches for living;''


The fuant bo l..
cause that is the most impressive way of saying
nothing;
8. The ambitious young man, who sees that
the prefix Reverend gives, even in our Prot
estsnt America. a certain power and influence
10 its pOssessor:


that for him there is no such easy way to gain
bread and bstter and honor, (and rich wife,
as the pulpit;


D. The studious young man, who turns cler-
Syman that he may gain leisure for his favorite
books and studies;


The young man who has a certain intel
lectual theory of Christianity, with which he
thinks 1T desirable TO quiet the world. This
one. sometimes think, lacks only a little true
piety to be indeed the model clergyman of the
age;


And, lastly-net to make this list too long
there is your man who, feeling not only his
nsighbor's but his own pride, and selfshness,





OF all good words and works, feels also that
above all mere dickerisg for place, or power,
or superiuous bread and butter, or any low
ambition whatever, is the divine office of lead
ing his fellows from these abysses, where devils
lie IN wait for their souls, to those green fields
where Christ the Shepherd ever waits His
sheep To such men, He said Of old and says
to-day, $50 ye into all the world and proclaim
the Gospel to every creature, beginning at Je-
rusalem To such Christ is He who "came
into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
chief" These are they, the true ministers of
His word, following and teaching Him with
that divine love and charity which compels the
rudest souls. Shall we complain if any such 60
forth comprehending their great work vaguely
looking out upon ii "a through glass, dark
ly, Doubting-hesitating- fear and trem-
bling! Like Gideon the son of Joash, asking
vain signs of their Lord? think few men set
out on their hke-wOrk-if it be ANYTHING high
er than mere selfish toil-with any clear ideas
OF what they are to do. Your logical man is
your thorough rascal. So let US not doubt of
Paul Clifton, if his heart sank down into his
boots as be sat in his pulpit on that Sunday
morning watching the entrance of his cOngre-
CATION, who now began to slide in in little awk-
ward squads Of six or seven, bashfully exam
lining 'tne new minister as they pushed up
the aisles into their seats


They need not strain their eyes to sec him
Here was no dim religious light, such as some
OF our city churches affect, and which is 30 ad-
mirable an anodyne that don't wonder wea-
red Wall street cultiyates il. The broad
pleasant sunshine poured in bodily through that
part Of the open and curtainless windows not
obstructed by the opaque bodies of sundry
Hoosier lads who. preferred seat in the win
dow ledges-a luxury refused them on week
days, when slsb-sided Jehorsm Baker, the
how TO shoot


And now as Miranda, her face com posed, and
her hand holding her brothers. arm, marched
that reluctant youth up the aisle, her dres.
caught one Of the intellectual popguns which
lay at random about the floor: whereat small
boy, coming behind with his mother, gave an
anxious glance, then dove down desperately
into the crowd, crying out in a shrill treble,
Dog on 1t, that's my speller " Then brand.
isned aloft the precious dog scared volume he
had rescued, and was incOntinently suppressed
by his Irate mother, who looked maternal
thunders at the unlucky urchin who had dared
to "holler in meetin'."


Paul smiled as bis eyes took in the scene
whose grotesque humOr relieved him for q mo-
ment from his load Of anxiety A man who
has really laugh in him never carries il
nearer the surface than when he is thoroughly
wretched. And now the service began


If you think am going to give you the ser
mon-or any part Of it-you are mistaken. A
mere sermon don't often convert ANYBODY
not even the preacher. Old John Wesley
augured badly of the man who told him that
he (Wesley) had converted him; and begged
him TO pray the Lord to do il over


Webster defines a sermon to be pious and
instructive discourse. Now, il can't be pious
without being Instructive; and moreover, Dr.
Webster's definition excludes a considerable
class Of sermons, which are neither pious nor
instructive, but only logical, or theological
which is worse. For believe, with one Of our
greatest preachers, that all theology comes Of
the devil; and when a man gets in TO his pulpit,
and begins to lay out the Christian doctrine to
me by rule Of thumb, or by any other rule but
that golden one Of which Christ said that he
who keeps this fulfls all the law and the
prophets-then 1 try very hard to run my
thoughts of on some little side track of nv
own where they may quietly take another
train and go to aquite different place from
the preachers.


When Paul rose he read aloud those beauti.
full promises Of Christ on the Mount. And as
he read, his heart, so long dumb with fear be-
fore this strange people, grew strong and full
with the dear love which speaks in every line
of those blessed words. 1t Is not so much
words a speaker needs thoughts; and not so
much thoughts as the one great inspiring