Modern Skepticism: A Journey Through the Land of Doubt and Back Again: A Life StoryBarker, Joseph
Religion
Modern Skepticism: A Journey Through the Land of Doubt and Back Again: A Life Story
Barker, Joseph
Barker, Joseph, 1806-1875; Methodist Church -- Clergy -- Biography; Skepticism
5. The custom of treating the rich who came to our chapels with more
respect than the poor, was as prevalent probably when I became a
minister, as it was in the days of James. I often saw the officials of
the church conducting gaily-dressed people to comfortable pews, while
they left such as were poorly clad to stand in the aisles, or to find
their way into seats themselves; and on some occasions I showed my
dissatisfaction with such proceedings.
6. It was customary to have society meetings in each place once a
quarter, and at these meetings I used to refer to what I thought amiss
in the conduct of professors, and to urge attention to such lessons of
Christ and His Apostles as seemed to be generally overlooked or
forgotten. On some occasions too on week nights, instead of preaching a
regular sermon, I used to give a kind of lecture or exhortation, in
which I presented a summary of neglected duties, and read over the
passages of Scripture in which they were enjoined, making remarks on
them. There were many matters pertaining to marriage, to the education
and government of children, and to domestic duties generally; and there
were matters pertaining to trade, to social intercourse, to mental
improvement, and the like, on which preachers, as a rule, were entirely
silent in their sermons, from the beginning of the year to the end. Yet
many of these matters were of the utmost importance, and for want of
information on them many religious people were neither so happy
themselves, nor so useful to others, as they ought to be. On these
matters I spoke in as plain and faithful a way as possible. I cautioned
the young against wasting their time, advised them to spend their
leisure hours in reading and writing, told them what books to read, and
how to read them, showed them the most profitable plan of reading the
Bible, warned them against bad company, and advised them not to spend
too much time even in good company. I urged them, if they thought of
being preachers, to endeavor to be preachers of the highest order,
workmen that needed not to be ashamed, rightly distributing the word of
truth. And whether they thought of being preachers or not, I urged them
to improve their talents, and to become as wise, as able and as useful
as possible. Many were delighted, and reduced my lessons to practice.
Others however took offence, and repaid my endeavors to do them good
with uncharitable censures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account