The subject was
THE CHURCH. I spoke of the unpleasantnesses with which we
sometimes meet from our brethren, and while exhorting my hearers to take
their trials patiently, I used the illustration I have given here. The
old man sat on my left in the front of the gallery, and was much
excited. He wept. At length, unable any longer to restrain his feelings,
he cried aloud, "Glory; Hallelujah; I'll stop and be rubbed." He did
stop. But he had not much more rubbing to endure. In less than twelve
months, on retiring one night to rest, in his usual health, he passed
away suddenly, and peacefully, to his rest in heaven. Let us "stop and
be rubbed." Better be rubbed in the Church, than thrown out into the
broad highway of the world, and broken with the strong man's hammer.
11. And now with regard to reform. It is right that we should be
reformers. There are plenty of evils both in the Church and the State,
as well as in individuals, and it is our duty to do what we can to abate
or cure them. But there is a right and a wrong way of going about the
business, and if we would avoid doing mischief while we are trying to do
good, we must proceed with care.
Reformers must learn to wait as well as to work. You cannot make
churches, or states, or even individuals, all that you would like them
to be, in a moment.
Pages:
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727