Year: 1879

CRITICISM.


Am therefore become your enemy because
ell you the truth?--GALATIANs w: l6.


In Paul's epistle to the Galatians he told
hem many unpleasant truths. he re-
them bitterly for their unfaithful-
ness to the cause of Christ, and for the acts
of contumely they had offered to him. When
they irst gave in their adhesion to the new
religion they were earnest and Jealous, yet
they soon cooled off, became indifferent,
careless and even reckless, allowing all the
fervor that had characterized their first con-
version to die out 1t was necessary that
they should be spurred forward to renewed
earnestness in the cause, and the apostle sp-
piled the prod without stint. He chided
them with their coldness, upbraided them
for their unbelief, exhorted them to renewed
zeal and threatened them with the divine
displeasure if they did not heed his words.


In every ago there have been some por-
tions of the church neglectful of the high
duty they owe to the cause they espouse.
The members become worldly, and have
allowed the pursuit of pleasure to absorb all
their attention. They rely upon others to
maintain the interest in religion that can
only be maintained by concerted action of
all those who profess Christianity, thinking
that duty performed by proxy is sufficient
to meet the requirements of the law. AT
such times or in such localities the inevitable
result is manifest-a great lack of spiritu-
ality and corresponding stagnation in the
growth of the church. Where men delegate
to others that which belongs to themselves,
it is apt to be poorly attended to or not at
all. The fact holds good in religion as well
as in other things. In order to attain the
highest success and the greatest progress il
is necessary that there should be constant
stimulation to vigilance and effort. Lack
ing this, the church will soon die of sheer
inanity.


It is perfectly natural that the church
membership should dislike the frequent
proddings which the.advocates of Christiani.
ty feel called upon to administer, for no one
ever yet had an affection for chastisement
At best it is disagreeable, but it is neverthe
less necessary. Hence we find that few
nominally Christian men object to the crit
icisms of the SUNDAY GLOBE on the faults
and foibles of the church, and charge then
| to a disposition to hinder the progress O.
| religion. Such is not the purpose nor tht
effect of these criticisms, for it is noticeable
that since the SUNDAY GLOBE has pointed
out some fragrant errors of conduct an(
discipline, an earnest effort to correct then
has been made, and very observable i'm
provement can be seen in every direc
tion. If the churches were allowe.
| to go on from year to yea
without reproof, the errors Woul'
fast accumulate, until before long but few o
the real elements of Christianity would re
main in those organizations. A censor is a
necessary as an exhorter, and oftentime
does far more good, for censure often stir
men to activity when nothing else will.


The tendency to look upon all who criti
else the faults of church members as scot
fers of, and enemies to, religion is highl
reprehensible. Pursuing the same theor
the church may denounce Jesus as an enem
to tho faith, for none criticised the faults {
the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees MOI
energetically than he, and none poured OF
such maledictions upon the heads Of thos
who professed to be but were not follower
of the word. His famous discourse, just b.
fore his crucifxion, in which he poured fort
the vials of his wrath upon those wh
transgressed the law while assuming t
obey it, is one of the most terrible phillipit
to be found in literature, and yet who wi
charge that he wished to destroy religio
because of the condemnation he pronounce
upon the hypocrites who made of religion


sham. Paul criticised the Corinthians, th
Romans, and the Galatians in no tende
language, pointing out the errors that ha
crept into their theology with fearlessnes
only to be commended. In modern time
all religious reformers have been more
less censorious. Luther, Knox, and all {
those who aided in dispelling the superst
tions of the middle ages added to their g,
hortations and arguments the most fearles
denunciations of hagrant sins that had foun
foothold in the church. Criticism {
church polity or of church morals ought
} be welcomed by those who have the welfa1
of true religion at heart, for there is nothin
chat contributes SO much to stimulating tt
church into that activity which constitute


its surest guarantee of success. It caus'
inquiry into the hindrances that obstru


progress, and induces effort to correct abus


that might go on unobserved for year


Sweet are the uses of adversely, but sweet
still to the Christian church are fearless cri


cisms of its dogmas and of the conduct


its membership.


SUNDAY EXCURSIONS.
The summer season has come, the air
, pure and balry, the fields and woods q
clad with verdure, and all nature smiles wi
, Joy. It is q season when humanity is WOO


from the noise and dust of the city to rev


in the cool shades of the woodland, to flo


upon the placid bosom of some quiet inla1
) lake, or chase pleasure through pasture al