CONVENIENCE IN RELIGION.
By Richard Conradi
THE predominating religion of to-day costs but little, if indeed any self-denying. Professors, even as the rest of the world, love pleasure rather than God; and though they have the form of godliness, the power thereof they deny. Duties which are unpleasant are almost entirely neglected. Not a few are convinced that certain unpopular doctrines are in accordance with divine truth, but they will not acknowledge their convictions; while others excuse themselves with the plea that it is so inconvenient to follow out these convictions. Many admit that the seventh day is the Sabbath; but, notwithstanding, week after week do they tread under foot the holy day of God. And why? Merely because it is so inconvenient or unpleasant to keep it! "If we only lived where everybody observed it, or if my family would but keep it," is the usual excuse. Oh, how little such amount to, who place their personal interests above their obligations to God. True religion has ever cost its possessors something. Our Saviour said: "Therefore, every follower who will not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." Before the first coming of our Saviour many true souls suffered for their love and adherence to the truth (Heb. 11:32-38). These had no idea that they were allowed to sin against God in order to escape unpleasantness. The three young Babylonian Jewish disciples in Nebuchadnezzar's time had such esteem for the law of God that they refused to disregard the second commandment, by bowing before the golden image although they were alone among the many, and the glowing furnace awaited them. Oh that we could see such trust, such steadfastness, such zeal, in the present time, for the law of God. The disciples of Christ suffered much for their obedience. They laid their own convenience aside and held their lives not dear in order that they might do the will of God; and so also it was with millions of martyrs who chose rather to die than to deny the truth. It was not pleasant for our Saviour, who was counted unworthy and despised, to be wounded for our transgressions, and killed for our sins. It was not pleasant for him as a condemned malefactor to suffer death on the cross, and besides his great pain, to bear our burden of sin. And shall we who call ourselves his followers, and who are bought with his blood, refuse to obey because it is unpleasant to do so? Oh, how unthankful! How gladly we bring an offering, costing sacrifice, to a friend whom we love, and shall we be unwilling, because of our own inconvenience or indolence, to renounce these trifling allurements of earth for him who so loved us that he gave himself to die for us. Let us remember that if we suffer, we shall also reign with him, but if we deny him he will also deny us. RICHARD CONRADI.