按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to form any opinion about the subjects which they have been teaching； or trying to teach him； so long！
A minister must find it very hard work to preach to hearers who do not believe； or only half believe； what he preaches。 But pews without heads in them are a still more depressing spectacle。 He may convince the doubter and reform the profligate。 But he cannot produce any change on pine and mahogany by his discourses； and the more wood he sees as he looks along his floor and galleries； the less his chance of being useful。 It is natural that in times like the present changes of faith and of place of worship should be far from infrequent。 It is not less natural that there should be regrets on one side and gratification on the other； when such changes occur。 It even happens occasionally that the regrets become aggravated into reproaches； rarely from the side which receives the new accessions； less rarely from the one which is left。 It is quite conceivable that the Roman Church； which considers itself the only true one； should look on those who leave its communion as guilty of a great offence。 It is equally natural that a church which considers Pope and Pagan a pair of murderous giants； sitting at the mouths of their caves； alike in their hatred to true Christians； should regard any of its members who go over to Romanism as lost in fatal error。 But within the Protestant fold there are many compartments； and it would seem that it is not a deadly defection to pass from one to another。
So far from such exchanges between sects being wrong； they ought to happen a great deal oftener than they do。 All the larger bodies of Christians should be constantly exchanging members。 All men are born with conservative or aggressive tendencies： they belong naturally with the idol…worshippers or the idol…breakers。 Some wear their fathers' old clothes； and some will have a new suit。 One class of men must have their faith hammered in like a nail； by authority； another class must have it worked in like a screw； by argument。 Members of one of these classes often find themselves fixed by circumstances in the other。 The late Orestes A。 Brownson used to preach at one time to a little handful of persons； in a small upper room； where some of them got from him their first lesson about the substitution of reverence for idolatry； in dealing with the books they hold sacred。 But after a time Mr。 Brownson found he had mistaken his church； and went over to the Roman Catholic establishment； of which he became and remained to his dying day one of the most stalwart champions。 Nature is prolific and ambidextrous。 While this strong convert was trying to carry us back to the ancient faith； another of her sturdy children； Theodore Parker； was trying just as hard to provide a new church for the future。 One was driving the sheep into the ancient fold； while the other was taking down the bars that kept them out of the new pasture。 Neither of these powerful men could do the other's work； and each had to find the task for which he was destined。
The 〃old gospel ship；〃 as the Methodist song calls it； carries many who would steer by the wake of their vessel。 But there are many others who do not trouble themselves to look over the stern； having their eyes fixed on the light…house in the distance before them。 In less figurative language； there are multitudes of persons who are perfectly contented with the old formulae of the church with which they and their fathers before them have been and are connected； for the simple reason that they fit； like old shoes； because they have been worn so long； and mingled with these； in the most conservative religious body； are here and there those who are restless in the fetters of a confession of faith to which they have pledged themselves without believing in it。 This has been true of the Athanasian creed； in the Anglican Church； for two centuries more or less； unless the Archbishop of Canterbury； Tillotson； stood alone in wishing the church were well rid of it。 In fact； it has happened to the present writer to hear the Thirty…nine Articles summarily disposed of by one of the most zealous members of the American branch of that communion； in a verb of one syllable； more familiar to the ears of the forecastle than to those of the vestry。
But on the other hand； it is far from uncommon to meet with persons among the so…called 〃liberal〃 denominations who are uneasy for want of a more definite ritual and a more formal organization than they find in their own body。 Now； the rector or the minister must be well aware that there are such cases； and each of them must be aware that there are individuals under his guidance whom he cannot satisfy by argument； and who really belong by all their instincts to another communion。 It seems as if a thoroughly honest； straight…collared clergyman would say frankly to his restless parishioner： 〃You do not believe the central doctrines of the church which you are in the habit of attending。 You belong properly to Brother A。's or Brother B。's fold； and it will be more manly and probably more profitable for you to go there than to stay with us。〃 And； again； the rolling… collared clergyman might be expected to say to this or that uneasy listener： 〃You are longing for a church which will settle your beliefs for you； and relieve you to a great extent from the task； to which you seem to be unequal； of working out your own salvation with fear and trembling。 Go over the way to Brother C。's or Brother D。's； your spine is weak； and they will furnish you a back…board which will keep you straight and make you comfortable。〃 Patients are not the property of their physicians； nor parishioners of their ministers。
As for the children of clergymen； the presumption is that they will adhere to the general belief professed by their fathers。 But they do not lose their birthright or their individuality； and have the world all before them to choose their creed from； like other persons。 They are sometimes called to account for attacking the dogmas they are supposed to have heard preached from their childhood。 They cannot defend themselves； for various good reasons。 If they did； one would have to say he got more preaching than was good for him； and came at last to feel about sermons and their doctrines as confectioners' children do about candy。 Another would have to own that he got his religious belief； not from his father； but from his mother。 That would account for a great deal； for the milk in a woman's veins sweetens； or at least； dilutes an acrid doctrine； as the blood of the motherly cow softens the virulence of small…pox； so that its mark survives only as the seal of immunity。 Another would plead atavism； and say he got his religious instincts from his great…grandfather； as some do their complexion or their temper。 Others would be compelled to confess that the belief of a wife or a sister had displaced that which they naturally inherited。 No man can be expected to go thus into the details of his family history； and； therefore； it is an ill… bred and indecent thing to fling a man's father's creed in his face； as if he had broken the fifth commandment in thinking for himself in the light of a new generation。 Common delicacy would prevent him from saying that he did not get his faith from his father； but from somebody else； perhaps from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice； like the young man whom the Apostle cautioned against total abstinence。
It is always the right； and may sometimes be the duty； of the layman to call the attention of the clergy to the short…comings and errors； not only of their own time； but also of the preceding generations； of which they are the intellectual and moral product。 This is especially true when the authority of great names is fallen back upon as a defence of opinions not in themselves deserving to be upheld。 It may be very important to show that the champions of this or that set of dogmas； some of which are extinct or obsolete as beliefs； while others retain their vitality； held certain general notions which vitiated their conclusions。 And in proportion to the eminence of such champions； and the frequency with which their names are appealed to as a bulwark of any particular creed or set of doctrines； is it urgent to show into what obliquities or extravagances or contradictions of thought they have been betrayed。
In summing up the religious history of New England； it would be just and proper to show the agency of the Mathers； father and son； in the witchcraft delusion。 It would be quite fair to plead in their behalf the common beliefs of their time。 It would be an extenuation of their acts that； not many years before； the great and good magistrate； Sir Matthew Hale； had sanctioned the conviction of prisoners accused of witchcraft。 To fall back on the errors of the time is very proper when we are trying our predecessors in foro conscientace： The houses they dwelt in may have had some weak or decayed beams and rafters； but they served for their shelter； at any rate。 It is quite another matter when those rotten timbers are used in holding up the roofs over our own heads。 Still more； if one of our ancestors built on an unsafe or an unwholesome foundation；