It involves the church in the grossest inconsistency and contradiction.

The church is set to do — what? To rebuke and warn against worldliness. 'Church' entertainment, on the other hand, opens the flood-gates and literally submerges the church with worldliness.

The church is called on to teach men to deny the lust of the eye — to crucify the flesh, mortify the members, subdue the appetites and every lust of the flesh. Amazing inconsistency! Here is the church, through its entertainments, inviting men to gaze on scenes that border on the theatrical, firing their blood with carnal thoughts instead of striking at the appetites, therefore bidding men come up and eat and cram and stuff in the house of the Lord! The more the people eat, the more money, of course, is made, and the better pleased is the church — so called!

The church is presumed to inculcate peace, kindly feelings and love in the hearts of men. Observe what entertainment does in this regard! I have already touched upon some of the dissensions, but permit me to mention another. A lady was talking to me, a few days since, in regard to a church fair held some years ago. "And oh," she said, "we got two fire companies voting against each other for some prize and they got so excited! We made so much money!" As she talked thus, the heart fairly sickened. "And so," I said, "all this money which was given in strife and rivalry, and obtained at the cost of wounded, disappointed, mortified hearts, this was offered to Christ?" I could say no more. My whole soul was grieved at such an inconsistent, contradictory and unChrist-like course.

I recalled another entertainment where a stick or gown, or something else, was set up, and two congregations tried to outvote each other at so much money a vote in order to capture or win it for their respective pastors. I thought of an old couplet I heard when I was a boy:

"I bet my money of the bob-tail nag,

And who dare bet of the bay?"

I saw the two excited groups voting early and often. I remembered a certain famous saying: "See how these Christians love one another?" I see one brother warming up in his liberality. He grows more and more generous — but to whom? To God? Why, God is not thought of! The man is simply growing liberal and generous to a selfish purpose of his mind; and that is to have that stick for his preacher and disappoint the other congregation. This is called Christian liberality! By and by, the momentous question was decided, and the stick, or rod, became a serpent and was handed over to the winning congregation. Passing over the pangs of defeat and chagrin felt by the losers, I listen and catch the remarks made by onlookers. "Dr. A’s flock was not so liberal and so much attached to their pastor as Dr. B's." congregation," etc., etc. This, of course, adds much to the general sweetness of spirit that marked the occasion. Out of all this, the Son of God is to be glorified?!

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