THE REVEREND SNOB.

Lyttelton Times, Volume L, Issue 5459, 21 August 1878, Page 3

THE REVEREND SNOB.

{From ihe Liberal Kemew.) ‘ It unfortunately happens that religion is ’ yery often brought into contempt, and .-a handle given to its rovilors, through the vagaries of those who assume to be its exponents, and whose conduct ought to be a model to people by whom they are, surrounded. The and the narrowness which are evinced'by clerics arc fruitful sources of. such prifs os.lhoae indicated. ;Bat it is felf tliat a hareo W-minded bigot' may be an earna-t and honest one* and? earnestness and honesty atone for a host of defects bf thought and .discipline.. .It is seen, that, though may disgust some, his very narrowness and bigotry will have n. stimulating effect upon Others, In the case of the Reverend Snob, However, there are few redeeming, featimCt; dnd it is difficult to',sec. how 'hi's.influence can but bo pernicious to the , faith which ho is supposed to preach, and the ' devotional instincts of manlund generally. - he makes a hollow pretence of being devoted to things • spiritual, • and sets, up, a, hypoerjl'cal assumption; .of - sanctity, hfl' is steeped 1 to tho eyes in worldliness. - if is.nqf merely that he loves power and iplioo'mpreythan anything else,' for many sincere divines do that unknown *,tb themselves, and :■ go thriragh life not daring' itp lift the veil and contemplate ’ (he fidsensw ‘ irf their <Jwn positions, '.though withdutbeing. .absolutely false to’ the trust which Providence has confided to them. v --It-is-that he uses his sacred position as a ipeans to a merely mun done end and to a very pitifhi end indeed. In the pulpit he plays as hmch apart hkdoes the actor who struts <jp the boards-’-) He whines and snivels; he becomes, apparently, affected to the last, degree as he dwells on the d#-; pravity of men and their awfid plight ; he' seemingly yearns to itoko arid yjplasp, ,a)f, humanity (• ’Hie : hbsom •he jiiteouely 1 urge* his hearer* to ibar upwards, ; t and he grows eloquent on the IftCk 'of charity and Christianity thoro.i* from the ago.'.ylndeed, ho pile* up the agony and .plays ? upon .W heart strings 'of ; WS-ottdibßMe. ip adfoillyi that those’whb 1 Only gare 'ipbn Him ftwn* distance may, perhaps, imagine’ him to be 0 sort of uncanonised saint as well as an mtelloctnal giant.. They dp, not perpeiyo that Mpp tremor’of, hi* voicels as.mcely calculated as ; an opera singer!* ante, and that;■ ho arranges tilmoet e+cry quiver of hii mouth, and every \ movement of hi* arms sUggostjvp of a longing ‘W encircle witliintheriithewHoifeof humanity, with a cabe equivalent to ' that of the poor mummer whp.,hss, tp play sqme luirbic 1 tragedy for gorgeous spectacle. But?when they-get uearoDbo hiin.the is’dispclled. ?Tboy>see the paint and tqf ‘ hideous crack* in' his mask, and, detecting how they have been imiwsod. upn, they recoil shocked and disgusted) and inclined •» ■ up their hands in despair, and declare -that all in which tßpy h«ye, HpUaved-I* * , mockery, a delusion* and nfuanv They *r* i made tu ieel: ho# iittk he cark for hll • tC' *

'itiiii lucre monev 'f what net they ;h«t ,ptheffl Jb»tP done. ite will Biiako hands with you just accordng the amoiinf. ifj/ottr income, and'yril-ft a ilttj)orihht l; eifoniißStonco vhothhHt'lS’torlbutafilo to ’dialirig in calico 10 . P, jiif.yow.ere very. “•linißmjtfriWtepi onpqof ibis,- most impaamned and he will hurry past you without a with W nods, - 4n. order, to jbutton-holo 'somo'inßgnillctot -ercaturo iwhn-. jtotty be expeoted'to invite -hirfi to'”ii good Wimierttnd to give him a pass intoThut hiflj* 1 jeirolecalled L a “gentleman’’ and one of the props of r the RoVcrtnd SrfdWts he#d4&fM got to commit himself. . jjTho entrance to his .domicile is jealously gusrdedi *f>d itJs enacted that unless you are properly pollshod and pall-marked bynU'sooiety'”:you»nall not enter there. ; Ifc. ja further enacted thatnsither .Tiis •wife nor his olive' branches shall cross' your portals in snob- a waythat-they 'could be humiliated,bj> ito.being fnliilnhsiMl ithatiAlley .were on yi«tpgHtol , m»r:«ith!?7,oU.'ii Then, though he is compelled by his avocation to go into tho homes of -labourers, clerks, and shopkeeper*, •hel'tokssUcaMf TliWt ift>t-ii#en compulsion ihftlimakoihim do.thrs vmy often t—he adopts an air suggestive of the fact that he oarep . not, for -jtbop s bqt feels that,Tike the dumb brutes, they require attention now ahflithtih/.-'it '■'-I

! Tho Reverend. Snobu’s -petted :hy day Snnhs. His snobbery encourage,, them ;j R th{irs. They pander tojiis yitiated t,ifi)les. , So it is po bo feared that'he will''go oh as he has doheq And that 'rellgidri f will-'obhfiniie Ito bl* l (railed through the mive by those who should jai«e her to.a lofty pedeslal, .'aUdthrOWlon her Such lovely lights i and shades, and surround ebhterriplatea' her (.wbiild (.feel. impelled.-.-to/ reverence,-if not adoration.-,,- ,V- n ,■ t -• 1 ...: ■»* <~" T *-*« 1 * ■ l l >’ ■■ ■'