THE GOSPEL MESSENGER

Opelika, Ala., November 1889 

Among the most disgusting and out-of-place things we have ever been called to witness, is to see and hear a professed minister of the meek and lowly Jesus, make a clown of himself in the pulpit, by telling foolish tales, and what is generally called "Funny Anecdotes." It is such a perversion of the holy, sacred calling of a faithful gospel minister as to make the heart of any lover of gospel truth feel sad. And it has been really astonishing that churches of Christ have allowed ministers to abuse their sacred calling and pervert the time for preaching to such unholy and demoralizing purposes. What can the effect of such preaching be but to take the mind away from the contemplation of sacred things? Every Christian has a carnal and earthly nature always inclining to evil, and he needs no encouragement in that direction, but rather he needs to be admonished and exhorted to "mortify his members which are upon the earth," such as "foolish talking and jesting," which are not proper things to enter into the worship of God, whether in conversation, in prayer, in praise, or in preaching the gospel of Christ. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth," is the divine rule. And is it not to our shame, as professed Christians, when we wantonly and persistently violate this heavenly standard of worship? We should often weep and mourn in contrition and sorrow over the very things in which we carnally rejoice. Through the carnality of a minister in the pulpit telling funny tales and making sharp and sarcastic cuts at other sects, his brethren partake of the same spirit, and to give encouragement to his clownish talk, they will often laugh, and nod their head, as if heartily approving of this sinful waste of time and sacrilegious perversion of the ministerial calling.

Now, brethren, we know that all of us are more or less liable to be caught in this "snare of the devil," and possibly none can plead entire innocence; but that is no reason why attention should not be called to it, nor is it any reason why we should continue therein. The apostle once said to a church, "Now, ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned."--1 Cor. 5:2. It is truly lamentable for Christians to be puffed up about the very thing that should cause mourning, and would (not) do it, if they were spiritually minded. And to see and hear brethren and sisters employ their whole time, when together, in bragging and laughing over the Funny Tales their preacher dealt out from the pulpit, is enough to remind any Bible reader of the sharp rebuke of the apostle, "Ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you." Better to have no preaching at all than that which "defiles the temple of God."--1 Cor. 3:17. We have more than once heard a few brethren speak of being greatly disappointed, when they, at some sacrifice, would go to meet and convey along some visiting minister, perhaps from a distance, just to see and hear him make a clown of himself, by telling something in the pulpit to make the giddy laugh. Can we not, dear brethren, all of us, whether in the ministry or out of it, try to divest ourselves of these trashy things? "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.--Col. 3:17.---M.