WE are in a sorry condition here at Wheathedge. The prospects1 are, that it will be worse before it is better. For weeks now (it seems like a year or two) we have been without the Gospel. I do not mean that literally2 the preaching of the Gospel has been dispensed3 with. On the contrary, I have heard more sermons on the text, "I am determined4 to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified," than I ever heard before in my life. We are hearing candidates, and every candidate seems to feel it necessary to declare himself, to propound5 a sort of religious platform. The sermons seem to me to have about as much relation, as a general thing, to the spiritual condition of the hearers as Gov. Hoffman's last message to the real interests of the people of the State. In fact, if the truth were told, it is not a sermon we want, but a platform. We invite the candidate to preach, not that we may profit by the Gospel, but that he may show us his face. It has become a psychological curiosity to see how many different sermons can be evolved from that one text. I wonder sometimes if St. Paul would know himself in his modern attire6.
I am very glad that Maurice Mapleson did not accept my invitation to come to Wheathedge, to preach as a candidate. For listening to a candidate and listening to the Gospel are two very different things. The candidate preaches to show us how he can do it. We listen to hear how he can do it. From the moment he enters the pulpit all eyes are fixed7 upon him. His congregation is all attention. Let him not flatter himself. It is as critics, not as sinners, that we listen. We turn round to see how he walks up the aisle8. Is his wife so unfortunate as to accompany him? We analyze9 her bonnet10, her dress, her features, her figure. If not, he monopolizes11 all attention. In five minutes we can, any of us-there are a few rare exceptions-tell you the cut of his coat, the character of his cravat12, the shape of his collar, the way he wears his hair. If he has any peculiar13 pulpit habit, woe14 betide him; he is odd. If he has not, woe betide him; he is commonplace and conventional. He rises to invoke15 the blessing16 of God. If he goes to the throne of God he goes alone. We go no farther than the pulpit. We tell one another afterwards that he is eloquent17 in prayer, or that his prayers are very common. If his style is solemn, we condemn18 him as stilted19. If it is conversational20, we condemn him as too colloquial21 and familiar. He reads a hymn22. We compare his elocution with that of our own favorites, or with some imaginary ideal, if we have no favorites. He preaches. We can, any of us, tell you how he does it. But what he says, there are not half a dozen who can tell. Does he tell us of our sins? We do not look at our own hearts, but at his picture, to see if it is painted well. Does he hold before us the cross? We do not bow before it. We ask, is it well carved and draped? The Judgment23 is only a dramatic poem; the Crucifixion only a tableau24.
So, though we have preaching, we have no Gospel at Wheathedge.
Perhaps the lack of the parish is quite as painfully felt in other departments as in the pulpit. The Church is without a head. It flounders about like a headless chicken; excuse the homely25 simile26, which has nothing but truth to commend it. When Mrs. Beale died last week, we had to send to Wheatensville to get a minister to attend the funeral. When Sallie D. was married she sent there, too, for a minister. He was out of town, and the ceremony came near being delayed a week for want of him. The prayer-meeting lags. Little coldnesses between church members break out into open quarrels. There is no one to weld the dissevered members. Poor old Mother Lang, who has not left her bed for five years, laments27 bitterly her loss, and asks me every time I call to see her, "When will you get a pastor28?" The Young People's Association begins to droop29. Even the Sunday-school shows signs of friction30, though Deacon Goodsole succeeds in keeping it in tolerably good running order by his imperturbable31 good humor. One advantage we have gained by this interregnum-only one. Even Mr. Hardcap is convinced that pastoral labors32 are not so unimportant as he had imagined.
For myself, I am in despair. I made no very serious objection to being put on the supply committee. I fancied the task a comparatively easy one. I had understood that there was no lack of ministers wanting places. There is none. We have applications three or four deep, of all sorts and kinds, from parishless clergymen. But such a jury as the Wheathedge congregation affords, I never saw and hope never to see again. I only wish there was some law to treat them as other juries are treated: shut them up in the jury-room till they agree on a verdict.
The first minister was too old; he would not suit the young folks. The second, just out of the seminary, was too young; the old folks said he had not experience. The third had experience. He had been in a parish three years. He was still young, with the elastic33 hopes and strong enthusiasm of youth. But he was a bachelor. The people pretty universally declared that the minister should have a wife and a house. The women all said there must be somebody to organize the sewing circles, and to lead the female prayer-meetings. The fourth was married, but he had three or four children. We could not support him. The fifth was a most learned man, who told us the original Greek or Hebrew of his texts, and, morning or evening, never came nearer to America than Rome under Augustus C‘sar. He was dull. The sixth afforded us a most brilliant pyrotechnic display. He spluttered, and fizzed, and banged, as though Fourth of July himself had taken orders and gone to preaching. The young people were carried away. But the old folks all said he was sensational34.
Then, besides those we have heard, there are several we have talked about. There is the Rev35. Mr. C-- who has the reputation of being a most excellent pastor. He is indefatigable36 in visiting the sick, in comforting the afflicted37, in dealing38 with the recreant39 and the unconverted. But Mr. Wheaton says emphatically he will never do for our people. "He is no preacher, Mr. Laicus," says he; "and our people demand first-rate preaching. We must have a man that can draw."
We talked over Mr. K--. He is a rare preacher, by all accounts. I understand that his health has suffered somewhat by excessive study, and he would like another parish, a quieter one, where he can have more time to his study, and can use his old sermons. He preached once or twice in exchange with our old pastor before he left. But Solomon Hardcap would not hear of him, and even Deacon Goodsole shook his head at his suggestion, "He is not social," said the Deacon. "He does not know half the people in Highkrik, where he has been settled for over five years. He often passes his best friend without noticing him, on the street." "Never would do," says Mr. Hardcap. "He only visits his people once a year. I want to know my minister. We want a man who will run in and out as though he cared for us. Preaching is all very well, but we don't want a minister who is all talk."
I am in despair. And despite the breach40 of ecclesiastical etiquette41, I have resolved to resort to advertising42. I have not submitted my advertisement to the other members of the committee, but I am sure that it is in accord with the general feelings of the Church.
"Jennie, what do you think of my sending this advertisement to the Christian43 Union?"
WANTED.-A pastor. He must be irreproachable44 in his dress, without being an exquisite45; married, but without children, young, but with great experience; learned, but not dull; eloquent in prayer, without being colloquial or stilted; reverential, but not conventional; neither old nor commonplace; a brilliant preacher, but not sensational; know every one, but have no favorites; settle all disputes, engage in none; be familiar with the children, but always dignified46; be a careful writer, a good extempore speaker, and an assiduous and diligent47 pastor. Such a person, to whom salary is less an object than a "field of usefulness," may hear of an advantageous48 opening by addressing Wheathedge, care of "The Christian Union," 27, Park Place.


1
prospects
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n.希望,前途(恒为复数) | |
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literally
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adv.照字面意义,逐字地;确实 | |
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dispensed
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v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 );施与;配(药) | |
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determined
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adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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propound
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v.提出 | |
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attire
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v.穿衣,装扮[同]array;n.衣着;盛装 | |
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fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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aisle
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n.(教堂、教室、戏院等里的)过道,通道 | |
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analyze
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vt.分析,解析 (=analyse) | |
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bonnet
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n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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monopolizes
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n.垄断( monopolize的名词复数 );独占;专卖;专营v.垄断( monopolize的第三人称单数 );独占;专卖;专营 | |
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cravat
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n.领巾,领结;v.使穿有领结的服装,使结领结 | |
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peculiar
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adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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woe
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n.悲哀,苦痛,不幸,困难;int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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invoke
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v.求助于(神、法律);恳求,乞求 | |
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blessing
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n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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eloquent
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adj.雄辩的,口才流利的;明白显示出的 | |
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condemn
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vt.谴责,指责;宣判(罪犯),判刑 | |
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stilted
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adj.虚饰的;夸张的 | |
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conversational
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adj.对话的,会话的 | |
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colloquial
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adj.口语的,会话的 | |
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hymn
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n.赞美诗,圣歌,颂歌 | |
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judgment
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n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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tableau
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n.画面,活人画(舞台上活人扮的静态画面) | |
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homely
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adj.家常的,简朴的;不漂亮的 | |
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simile
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n.直喻,明喻 | |
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laments
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n.悲恸,哀歌,挽歌( lament的名词复数 )v.(为…)哀悼,痛哭,悲伤( lament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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pastor
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n.牧师,牧人 | |
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droop
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v.低垂,下垂;凋萎,萎靡 | |
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friction
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n.摩擦,摩擦力 | |
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imperturbable
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adj.镇静的 | |
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labors
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v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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elastic
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n.橡皮圈,松紧带;adj.有弹性的;灵活的 | |
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sensational
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adj.使人感动的,非常好的,轰动的,耸人听闻的 | |
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rev
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v.发动机旋转,加快速度 | |
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indefatigable
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adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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afflicted
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使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dealing
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n.经商方法,待人态度 | |
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recreant
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n.懦夫;adj.胆怯的 | |
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breach
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n.违反,不履行;破裂;vt.冲破,攻破 | |
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etiquette
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n.礼仪,礼节;规矩 | |
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advertising
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n.广告业;广告活动 a.广告的;广告业务的 | |
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Christian
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adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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irreproachable
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adj.不可指责的,无过失的 | |
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exquisite
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adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
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dignified
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a.可敬的,高贵的 | |
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diligent
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adj.勤勉的,勤奋的 | |
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advantageous
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adj.有利的;有帮助的 | |
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