this Week in Texas Methodist History April 4

“Some One” Urges Prayer League For Texas Methodists April 4, 1885

The Texas Christian Advocate sometimes served as an outlet for persons wishing to vent their anger toward the decline of civilization as they knew it. The editor allowed anonymity, and on April 4, 1885, printed a classic anonymous diatribe. As usual, it was prefaced by a call to pray for the sinners and ended with a reminder to love our enemies. It’s too long to reproduce in its entirety, but here are eight categories of persons needing our prayers.

1. We have wicked law-makers, both in our Federal Congress and in our State Legislature, who strive, by every political intrigue, to enact laws for the benefit of the rich, and for the oppression of the poor. We have corrupt executive officers who. . fail to enforce the laws against the vilest and boldest offenders. We have unscrupulous lawyers who. . .labor to convict the innocent. .and strive to collect unjust debts. We have unjust jurors who, . .strive to render verdicts in accord with the pleadings of mercenary lawyers. . .
2. We have slanderers, swindlers, thieves, and murderers, who render good people’s lives, property, and reputation insecure.
3. We have profane swearers and Sabbath-breakers
4. We have whisky and beer saloonists who entice our young men into their soultraps.
5. We have operas, theatres, skating rinks, dancing schools, balls and play-parties by which our young people are enticed from the serene enjoyments of religion to the exhilarating joys and vexations of vice. .
6. We have heterodox churches who use the subtlety of the old Serpent to persuade people that the transforming office of God’s Holy Spirit. . .is confined to apostolic age.
7. we have hypocrites in the church who disgust the avowedly wicked at the profession of Christianity.
8. And we have in the church luke-warm professors of religion, who labor much for the things of this life and but little for the life to come.

.. ,. (for all of these people)O, brothers! O, sisters! Have compassion on them, for Christ’s sake. Let us humbly set them our best example, and meekly tender them our best advice

Signed “Some One”