Year: 1870

Limited Range of Religious Thousht.


A careful perusal Of our weekly budget OF
sermons for the last five or six weeks must
convince any person that the range of religious
thought, at least in our local pulpits, is very
limited indeed. It is true that the reports to
which we refer covered the period Of the Len
ten season, and the topics Of discourse would
naturally be more or less clrcumscribed on |
account of the scenes connected with the Sa- |
viours life, character, sufferings, death and |
resurrection, which are now commemorated in |
Catholic and Protestant churches throughout |
the world. With these memorial services other
denominations also largely sympathize. But
even making these allowances, we think that in
an aggregate of more than two hundred ser
mons reported in our columns the number and
the variety of subjects treated in the pulpit are
very limited. And it is equally so in the re-
ligious press of our city. Among the topics not
directly bearing upon the sufferings and death
of Christ we find the following 1.-THE Power of
Jesus Word; Seeing Jesus and Following
Him; Persevering, Victorious Faith; The Ne
cessity of God to Our Existence; The Good
ness and Severity Of God; The Brevity Of HUI
man Life; Preparation for Death; Dependence
upon Gods Providence and Trust in Him;
The Fall; Love to God and Man; Love and
Labor; The Fatherhood Of God; Bible Ethics
for Everyday Life; The Power of Eternal
Life Progression of the Soul; The Truth and
Falsity of Human Life Religious Intolerance;
Catholicism versus Professionalism The Bible
in the Public Schools and the Distribution of
State Money to Sectarian Purposes; The Art
of Pleasing; Papal Infallibiity; Protestant
ism and Civil Liberty; Lessons from the Fif-
teenth Amendment; Religious Selfshness, and
few more of the like sort In the treatment
of these topics also there are very few new or
original thoughts or ideas presented. Indeed,
on the contrary, many of the dscourses
manifest an evident want of study, of care
full reading, of maturity Of thought-in
short, of individuality. AS the ministers of
former generations preached so preach those
of the present; as the fathers taught so teach
their sons. There does not appear to be among
the general run of ministers of the present day
that searching after the deep things of God
which characterized former periods in the
history of the Christian and Reformed Church.
While progress has been made in arts and
science, invention and discovery, theology
appears to stand still. It may be replied that
we cannot know more of God and his works
and ways than we do know; but this PROPOSE
ton cannot be maintained-''For who knoweth
the mind of the Lord, or who hath been His
counsellor?" David declared that there are
wondrous things contained in Gods law, to
behold which he prayed that his eyes might be
opened. But the teachings of our local pulpits
do not present anything new or wondrous.
From generation to generation they run in the
same theological groove, from which there is no
turning aside.


| We will be told, of course, that nothing better
than the teachings of the fathers can be given.
| This we do not deny. But when the people
are obliged to depend 80 largely upon oral
instruction for their religious faith and ideas
| the forms and modes Of presenting even old
truths might proftably be varied. The cause
of religion would not be injured, but greatly
|
people" in the pulpits of every denomination
A little turning aside from the beaten track
not, however, from the vital truths of Chris
tianity-would undoubtedly be profitable tc
preachers and people. We can readily under
stand what reception any other kind o


instruction would have, and what effect il


would produce upon mankind, if administered


by the same man from the same pulpit, ant


virtually in the same language, from yeal


to year for lifetime. The proprety o


Methodists, is therefore apparent. The fac


that the complexion of congregations changes


very often does not alter the case a


all. because those who leave one churcl


hear the same things, told in the same way


in another. Such preaching and such churche


very much resemble Ezekiels vision of tn


valley of dry bones. They require the breatl


of the Lord to give them life and to put fesl


and sinews on them before they can accom-


plish anything. The minister and his elders


and deacons may wonder why their churches


are empty and their pews unsold; but the


reason is patent to others. The people ar


dying for lack of knowledge, but not for lacl


of pulpit preaching. Religious instruction


should not claim exemption from the applica


ton of the same principles that make an


other kind of teaching interesting and instruc


tive And we know how ''dry" lecture


would be served if he attempted to talk on th


same topics in the same stereotyped phrases


the same congregation for term Of years


And we have no doubt at all that it is only tn


sacredness of Gods house that saves many