Vou. XXIX ALLEGHENY, PA., SEPTEMBER 1, 1908 No. 17 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER DISCOURAGED PREACHERS Ministers are reported by one of their number to be in a permanent condition of ‘‘Blue Monday.’’ The editor of The Standard (Baptist, Chicago) informs us that he was told by a friend not long ago that ‘‘nine-tenths of all the preachers in his circle of acquaintances are discouraged.’’ This same Jeremiah ‘‘asserted that the great majority of pastors are practically hopeless of accomplishing anything worth while; that they are restless and discontented, and heartily wish that they had never entered the ministry.’’ If he is right, the editor of The Standard observes, ‘‘we may add another to the tabulated reasons why young men do not enter the ministry.’’ The editor thinks that the preacher, under stress of unusual discouragement himself, is mistaken, but the Rev. Dr. Aked, in a recent sermon on the alleged decay of Christianity in New York, practically asserted the same facts as falling under his observation when he first visited America. As quoted by The Hxaminer (New York), his words are: “One of the things that impressed me most when [ eame here for a month in the autumn of 1906, was the depression of so many preachers and recognized leaders in the churches of this city. I met many representatives of the denominations, and their discouragement about Christian work in this city seemed very strange to me. ‘It was unlike anything I had observed on previous visits, reaching back about fifteen years. It seemed to me, also, so unlike yourselves. The American people are not easily discouraged. There is in you a buoyancy of spirit, an irrepressible vitality, an intellectual and emotional agility which smiles in the face of difficulty. ‘We English people have shown through many centuries the grim determination we possess, and our Yorkshire saying, ‘It’s dogged as does it,’ represents a national characteristic. With you it is different. It is not ‘grimness’ nor ‘doggedness’ that I find in you so much as a joyous and sunny disregard of difficulty, and the easy assurance of victory everywhere, which itself is more than half the battle, so that this attitude toward the problems of religious life struck me as significant. ‘‘T have heard much of that kind of talk since I came here more than twelve months ago. First, one well-known preacher or worker and then another has shown that in his opinion Christianity is not holding its own in this city. And lately some remarkable utterances have reached the publie ear.’’ The editor of The Standard attempts to furnish healing balm to the cases that may come under the preacher’s classification. We read: “(To be sure, almost every man, in the ministry or out, has his hours of depression. The minister who goes home from the Sunday evening service after speaking to a handful of people, a majority of whom are not members of his church, somewhat worn by the work of the day, casting about in his mind for something upon which to preach on the following Sunday, carrying in his heart the news, just made known to him, that one of his best families will soon remove to a distant State, will doubtless feel cast down. But even so, his courage is not utterly destroyed. After a good night’s rest and a talk with his Master, he goes about the tasks of the new week with a good measure of hope in his heart. The man who is permanently disheartened by one difficulty, or two or three or a dozen, ought not to be in the ministry. In fact, it is difficult to think of a place in this world where he ought to be, for there is not a worthy activity of man that can be continuously proseeuted without meeting obstacles. The lawyer, the physician, the farmer, the merchant—each has his peculiar trials. If he amounts to anything among men he must do his work in spite of discouragements. The minister is no exception to the general rule.’’—LZiterary Digest. TOLSTOI AND THE PEASANT Not long ago a small party called on Tolstoi, of whom Ivanhoff was one. One of the visitors first conversed with the Count about political and social matters. Then Ivanhoff’s turn came. He was resolved to hear from Tolstoi’s own lips his religious position. The following conversation ensued. ‘‘Who are you?’’ asked Count Tolstoi. ‘‘I am only a peasant,’’ answered Ivanhoff. ‘‘What have you got to say to me?’’ was the next question. ‘‘I wish to know your opinion about Jesus Christ, and about the Holy Scriptures?’’ ‘‘With regard to Jesus Christ, there is nothing to be said,’’ answered the Count. ‘‘His Personality is not necessary to us, only his teaching.’’ (259-260) ‘“‘That is very strange,’’ said Ivanhoff; ‘‘if I found a letter in the street, the contents of which interested me, I would do all I could to find out who had written it. For me, at any rate, the writer is of more consequence than the letter. The writer can write one hundred other letters equally good, as this first letter. He himself, therefore, is of more interest to me than the letter. If I do not know him, I can only have this one letter; but if I am acquainted with him, I may be able to receive a hundred letters besides.’’ ‘CAs you really want to know what I think of Jesus, I will tell you,’’ said Tolstoi. ‘‘For me, Jesus Christ is a good man, a man such as all men ought to be. You and I ought to be just as he was. But to call him God, that is blasphemy. As regards the Holy Scriptures, take this Bible in your hand. The Old Testament, I don’t read it; rather tear it out and throw it away. The Old Testament only causes, as the Dukhabors rightly say, a great deal of work and only leads to trouble. Then there remains the New Testament. Take the book of Acts and the Epistles, and then take Revelation; tear them out and throw them away. You have then only the four Gospels left. Take these Gospels, read them through and think over them. There are words there that Jesus said, and the Apostles have written down; there are also words that the Apostles have written of themselves. All that the Apostles have written, tear out and throw away. Now you retain only the words that Jesus himself spoke. Of these, there are two classes. Some of the words are dim and mysterious, and hard to understand. Lay them aside. It is best for you not to read them. Then you have left only the clear words, especially the Sermon on the Mount. Read it, for it is the teaching of Jesus. In this way, you will become a Christian.’’ ‘‘Leo Nikolajewitsch,’’ answered Ivanhoff, ‘‘I have understood what you have said. But you have not given me any right to do that which you have said. In one of the books you left me to retain is a passage spoken by Jesus Christ, that says: ‘O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.’ (Luke 24:25.) You said to me, that I should throw away the Old Testament; but Christ himself—whom you call a good man—has commanded me to believe it all, therefore also the prophets. I hold that I have no right to throw away any book; yea, even more, that I have no right to throw away any one word that he has commanded me to believe.’’ Tolstoi was evidently very uncomfortable. He took the Bible from Ivanhoff’s hand, threw it on the table, and began walking up and down the room in an annoyed mood. Suddenly he stopped in front of Ivanhoff, and looking him straight in the face said, ‘‘It would interest me to know what you think of me?’’ Ivanhoff’s friend wanted to come to his help, but he held him back saying: ‘‘If the Count had asked you, you could answer, but now he has asked me, and I want to an swer him myself.’’ He turned to Tolstoi saying: ‘‘I will tell you. In one of the books that you told me to take out and throw away, the Acts, is a story about a pious man, who gave many alms and always prayed to God. As you see, this man had the following virtues: He was Godfearing, merciful, did many good deeds, and he prayed— and yet, he was not a Christian. But an angel appeared to him and commanded that he should send to Joppa and call Simon Peter, who would tell him what to do to be saved. And when Cornelius had fetched Peter and heard his words he beeame a Christian. Cornelius had, as you see, the following exeellent qualities: He was pious, God-fearing, benevolent, and he prayed. In you, Leo Nikolajewitsch, there is not even all these, because you do not pray. And as you do not pray, I cannot call you a Christian.’’ Tolstoi again began to walk to and fro in the room. At last he said: ‘‘When a chicken has once come out of the shell, it cannot be put back.’’ With this Russian proverb, the conversation ended. ‘“‘T have since told this little incident to several of Tolstoi’s admirers,’’? adds Ivanhoff. ‘‘They could hardly believe that I had dared to speak out so freely, because Tolstoi is to many thousands of the younger Russians almost an idol. It is said,’’ remarked Ivanhoff at the close, ‘‘that Tolstoi has now begun to pray. If this man becomes a Christian, he would be Russia’s Luther.’’—Quarterly Review. MBS. EDDY’S ABSURD IDEAS OF THE BIBLE Mrs. Eddy’s exegetical theories are dealt with in the final article on the history of Christian Science in the June Af{cClure’s. The writer, Georgine Milmine, makes copious [4230]
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