Disgrace of Christianity.
By James White
THE Saviour said to his disciples "ye are the light of the world." The true light of morality, of purity of life, ought ever to be found with the Christian churches. If, indeed, they are "the salt of the earth," much depends on the influence they exert upon society at large. And this position the Protestant churches profess to hold. To deny that they are the true, devoted followers of the blessed Saviour, or even to intimate to that effect, is to bring down upon our heads the severe charge of a lack of charity. Alas for charity! how greatly the times are changed. Once it was said of charity, it "rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth." Now to expose iniquity and to stand in defense of the truth is a sure evidence of a lack of charity, in the eyes of professed Christians, who affect to accept Paul's writings as a standard in Christian ethics. The tendency and influence of church festivals and church fairs has often been commented on, and their evil influence has even been acknowledged by many ministers, but everything has failed to stay the evil or to effect a reform. The churches refuse to be reformed; they deny that they are "fallen," and insist that they present to the world the true model of Christian character. But "the world," of which they should be the light, are not so blind as these "blind guides." Gov. Washburn, of Wisconsin, called the attention of the Legislature to the necessity of a law to suppress lottery gambling in the churches. This should have produced a general humiliation before God on the part of the churches, and a strong effort to purge themselves from the disgraceful stain. But instead of this, Gov. Washburn lost his election, and the gambling continues! These things have now become matters of common reference, as the churches have so far degenerated that they hear the reproachful, but truthful, words without a blush. The Sacramento Daily Record of Nov. 14, 1874, contained a lengthy account of the Chinese in that city. Speaking of their propensity to gambling, it said:— "Gambling is also carried on in the butchers' shops in a novel manner, though based on the same principle as the 'guess cake' speculation, familiar to the attendants at church fairs." And this "guess cake speculation" is only one of the many "games of chance" adopted by the churches to get dishonest gain. And by these means the children of pious parents form a taste for gaming which, when once formed, becomes as enslaving as the appetite for liquor, and is as fatal. We have no expectation that the large churches will ever reform. If Mr. Hammond and his co-laborers would go to work to purge the churches from the evil habit and example of gambling, instead of directing their efforts to bring four-year-old children under such church influences, they would inaugurate a "revival" worthy of the name. But such a revival interest would be unpopular, and therefore, could never enlist the sympathy and co-operation of the great "divines." We thank God there are honest ones in all these churches, who need only to see the tendency of these things to condemn them. And we pray that they may not be perverted by contact with the evil, but keep their consciences pure until the cry shall be given—"Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."