Year: 1872

There are generailI TWO OF three per
sons in every church who, inflated 10y 4
mistaken sense of their own Importance
or made uncomfortable by some arrow
of truth ranking in their conscience,
make habit of opposing all the meas
ures brought forward for its temporal
or spiritual good and as magnetmay
be moved among filings OF the precious
and baser metals, yet will only gather
OF its kind, SO these gather TO them
selves a few followers, who have neither
grace enough to resist nor penetration
to discover The false position thus is
sumcd.


Does the pastor suggest that 10y 4
systematic bcneyUlence the contributions
would be Increased without burdening
the church at once there l> 4 cry made
of innovation. and the alarm is sound
ed, but fortunately only falls with ct
feet on the ears OF a few. who thlnA
that, because salvation is free, it is
wrong to ask OF their hard-earniugS to
spread the glad tidiugS. 1t they have
anything to give they prefer to be the
almoncr,s of their own bounty.


DO the trustees. in order to meet the
cXpcn>cS Of the church, propose To raise
the pew-rcnts. vet, although the year :
rental be less than the tobacco hll. or
the mantua-makcr's ill for 4 single
dress. they say this cNtrayagancc>houId
be checked. and the servants of the
people" learn to keep their expenses
within bounds. So the root may leak.
the carpets run to rags, the credit otthg
church be impaired, and Tie house OF
the Lord lie waste.


DO the pastor and elders feel the re
sponsibility resting upon them to look
after the baptized children of the
church, and seek to unite more closely
in sympathy the Sunday School and the
church, \. and Is. at once dcnouncc IT
us arbitrary, and assert that the school
is a distinct organization, capable OF
controlling itself without aid or advice
from the spiritual officers of the church


What would be thought of the sol
dicrs who, when the command was glr
Ell to fall in, and move to the front To
meet the enemy, were 10 step To one
side, and say they took exception TO the
way the batjlcwa set in array. and cn-
dcayor TO excite discomfort among those
in the rear and although there came
down from the front along the whole
line the clad shout of victory, annonn-
cins the enemy discounted and the field
won, vet in sullcnncss continued to dc
nouncc and undermine the officers and
men who noblypcrillcd their lives in
the fight Surely they would be
thought little less than traitors, and a
drum-hcad court-martial would soon dc
fine their position and punishment.


Now this, to our mind, is just the po-
stion Of A. aud B. The command has
been given to fall in, and all along the
line of the Christian church may he
heard the buglc.notc sounding the
charge. Strongholds of Satan one after
another are falling; the banner Of the
cross has been planted on hcathcn tenn
pies, and the forces OF sin are sorcly
pressed. Already the hosts OF Gods
elect are sounding the shout of victory,
while from mountain, and valley, and
fertile plain asccnds the glad refrain
"IIallclujah, the Lord God Omnipotcnt
rcigncth.


Yet there are some who take no part
in the contest, and aid the enemy by
their inactivity and discomfort In that
day when the great Captain of our 81.
yation shall gather his faithful around
him, to hear the report of what they
have done, can y. and i. join i'll th,
response, Il have fought = GOOD fight,
have kept the faith Wilt suffice to
say | did not like the way the conflict
was conducted, and So took no pant IN
the struggle !-FreSJy'rion.