Year: 1876

REV. MORGAN DIX on AMERICAN RIsIDILITY.


AT Trinity church Rev. Morgan Dix preached the
Sermon taking for his text Ecclesiatcs, vii, g.


Not all laughter, said the preacher. is the laugh
ter of the fool. The wise says there is a timo to
laugh and a time to weep And surely this laughter
which ghtens weary nature Of part ofts load and un
burdens the heart Of its and is sweet
and soacing gift. 1t is more sometimes II takes the
place of argument when the folly Of dsputants leaves
other legitimate to absurd reasoning than
the derison II deserves But after all laughter often
out of place. fit is ntruded upon serious themes,
II Through 1t sacred subjects far above the reach Of
ievty stripped OF the respect and veneraton due
them then il becomes indeed the laughter of the fool


And this fool the fool of Scripture, has marked
charactcrstics His impressions only skin deep
and he can hardly be held to any accounta
bility. His laughter is simply an uncon
scious confession OF inability to deal with
welghty matters admission that he cannot consider
in their true light the great subjects that most affect
the word send nations into night and death This
laughter Of the fool is significant 1t is symptom OF
decentralization preceding decay If men begin to laugh
when and national evils multiply, 1t evinccs that
things becoming hopeless. Louis XVI had min
lister who had jest every emergency; conveniently
rolling the evils Of to-day The thunder
OF the impending storm was then rumbed along the
horizon the drums of the Revolution were ready 10 be-
gin their long roll the guotne peered above the heads
Of king and people, yet the minister cstcd And
when people see evils closing round them, when they



undsturbed in the selfish enjoyment of to-day, they,
too strive TO drown their consciousness Of coming
harm in laughter and jest Among US in this land
there is disposition into that ightness denom
mated the laughter of the fool There are strange con-
tradictons generated IN our mixed blood On ono side
see that careful exhaustive attention TO business,
peculiar to this people yet strong inclination to
laugh at everything sober aud rdcue the most serious
themes. 1t may be


REACTION PROM THE TERRIBLE BUSINESS STRAIN
bear, but II so IL is extreme and, unfortunately i'll
directed Look at newspapers. Those of widest
circulation have built 1t up their facetious treat
ment Of all topics and too often upon the rdicue of
subjects with which il should be above their province
TO deal So with our lecturers They find that matters
must be spoken OF IN spirit of jest and frvoty to
tickle the popular fancy, and they gather in the
shokels from audience that to listen to arago
feature marks our books sound sense is a drug in
the market, and nothing unspiced with jest secure
rapid sales ana large profits These things would not
require complaint did not this love Of fun and
incline us 70 look upon all things through
medium of mirth. Sec how CHASTITY crimes daily
stances connected with them and so cover over the
hldeous onormiiy OF the offence with tissue OF raery
and wit Without scruple the names of the grosscst
offenders of the most shameless villains, are banded
about from mouth 10 mouth with familiar dmin-
utive tackled. on 10 them and associated with some
sportye sally the more readily 10 relieve the horror
with which would otherwise regard them. This is
the laughter OF the fool and this the laughter of those
who think that everything must be treated with Jest
and time reserved fer sober and serious thought
Sec those who the prolessed teachers OF Gods
word How many are there who have vulgarlZed II
under the patry preiex OF making 1t plain and prac-
tlcal How many there who stand up the temples
dedicated 10 Gods worship and


DELIGHT 4 LAUGHING CONGREGATION


with display OF their 1ocularty and wit With the
mcu who seek 10 destroy religion weapon is used
with such facility aud address as ridicuc One
deavors 10 conuovert the history OF the world told
In tho Bible another seeks TO dsprove the entire
ceptcd story ofman's creation. But each takes
TO point his arguments with keen irony, knowing
full well the disposition OF the people whose faith
he would unscttc destroy. In like manner the
politician OF to-day breads nobody much the
caricaturis saiirist He appreciates the depth of
the popular current which the bark Of his fortune
floats, and knows that keen thrust from sharp
rock will destroy IL and leave it useless hulk full
TO bo forgotten This disposition of ours laugh
at disaster and make merry good and
evil alike is portentous, 1t is harbingor
OF ILL., 1t indicates that the power ofiesstance has left
us and We suCcumbing with the best grace. When
this disposition Of lcviiy appears so broadcast we can
divine as its cause secret scepticsm. 1t Is an evil
hgion and charity There few gloomy sceptics The
90 do but laugh the ruin OF life and who feel
themselves unable cope with adverse fortune
tend against the worlds ills ain seek
comfort But let Us remember that to be in this world,
TO uphold the responsibilities have incurred, is
great and honorable position. Let take the tasks
set US and pursue them collected and
And let US remember too that there subjects with
which to jest is TO be proane, and paces-of which
Gods temples are somelnto which raIlery the Jest
should never enter Lot think of these things and
of the Judge TO meet, before wnom all faces
shall blanch all tongues be specchess and before whose
thronc lcvity have place