“LOVERS OF PLEASURE MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD.”
By John McMillan
It is no pleasing duty to publish the failings of God’s professing people, and it is only with reluctance that we publish their apostasy as the sign of the nearness of the end. Those who know anything about Presbyterianism, need not be told that a sacramental occasion used to be a solemn one. From Thursday morning till the following Monday evening worldly business, as far as possible, was laid aside, Thursday being a fast day to prepare the mind for self-examination, Friday a day spent to see whether they were worthy to receive a token of admission on Saturday, and thus have their hearts filled with the love of Christ, and be prepared to sit down at his table on the holy Sabbath (I speak from a Presbyterian stand-point), and on Monday to meet again to thank the Lord for his love in preparing and spreading a feast in the wilderness. Such stated, semi-annual occasions were looked forward to with something of the desire that the children of Israel looked forward to those yearly gatherings at Jerusalem. Each one of these days had its appropriate subject and business, but Saturday had a double share. On this day the session was convened which decided upon the fitness of its members; and on this day the infants of believing parents received the rite of rantiseism, falsely called baptism. But apart from these errors, a sacramental occasion was a solemn season. Presbyterian brethren, what would you think of your minister who had appointed the day, Saturday, (having previously dispensed with any service on Thursday or Friday for convenience’ sake,) after you had all the required preparations made, and had met at your house of worship, who should find out that the fourth of July came on that day, and without sending you word, would take his family and go to “a fourth-of-July celebration,” where dancing and horse-racing was the order of the day? Then for said minister on next day, Sunday, to come and coolly tell you that he forgot about the “4th” when he gave out the appointment for sacrament, and then postpone the sacrament till next season, when it would be more convenient! Would you not think that your minister thought more of the pleasures of the world than the ordinances of God’s house? From the united statements of those who heard and saw, this is true of the champion of Presbyterianism in Pierce Co., Wisconsin. Yet this same professing minister of the gospel of Christ, if he should find a copy of the REVIEW, or a tract on present truth, urging the sinner to prepare for the Judgment, in the hands or houses of his members, or stated hearers, would denounce them as “heresy” and “delusion,” and order them to be burned. Friends (or213enemies, if you wish to be enemies because I tell you the truth), be honest. Who is the most likely to “delude” you? Those who ask you to spend your spare moments in reading your Bibles, about the things that pertain to your eternal welfare, or those who by word and example teach you to spend whole days and money too on sights and sounds which are disgusting to good sense, to say nothing of their violation of Christian principles? I hoped that the church would show some zeal for the Lord in censuring this minister for such a course; but it seems to be, “as with the priest so with the people,” “Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” “Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee; yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins.” “And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.” But thus saith the Lord, “Man hath despised mine holy things, and hath profaned my Sabbaths. Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?”