Worldly Amusements by Charles Grandison Finney

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Oct 8, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 38.

Worldly Amusements.

By Charles Grandison Finney

It is a sad stumbling block to the unconverted to see professed Christians seeking pleasure or happiness from this world. Such seeking is a misrepresentation of the religion of Jesus. It misleads, bewilders, and confounds the observing outsider. If he ever reads the Bible, he cannot but wonder that souls born of God and having communion with him, should have any relish for worldly amusements. The fact is, that thoughtful, unconverted men have but little or no confidence in that class of professing Christians who seek enjoyment from this world.

They may profess to have, and may loosely think of such as being liberal and good Christians. They may flatter them, and commend their religion as being the opposite of fanaticism and bigotry, and as being such a religion as they like to see, but there is no real sincerity in such professions on the part of the impenitent.

In my earlier Christian life I heard a bishop from the South report a case that made a deep impression on my mind. He said there was in his neighborhood a slave-holder, a gentleman of fortune, who was a gay, agreeable man, and gave himself much to various field sports and other amusements. He used to associate much with his pastor, often invite him to dinner, and to accompany him in his sports and pleasure-seeking excursions of various kinds. The minister cheerfully complied with these requests, and a friendship grew between the pastor and his parishioner that grew into intimacy which continued until the last sickness of this gay and wealthy young man.

When the wife of this worlding was apprised that her husband could not live but a short time, she was much alarmed for his soul, and tenderly inquired if she could not call in their minister to converse and pray with him. He feelingly replied: "No, my dear; he is not the man for me to see now. He was my companion, as you know, in worldly sports and pleasure-seeking; he loved good dinners and jolly times; I then enjoyed his society and found him a pleasant companion. But I now see that I never had any real confidence in the efficacy of his prayers. I am now a dying man and need the instruction and prayers of somebody that can prevail with God. We have been much together, but my pastor has never been in serious earnest with me about the salvation of my soul, and he is not the man to help me now." The wife was greatly affected, and said: "What shall I do then?" He replied, "My coachman, Tom, is a pious man. I have often heard him pray, when about the barns or stables; and his prayers have always struck me as being quite sincere and earnest. I never heard any foolishness from him. He has always been honest and earnest as a Christian man. Call him." Tom was called, and came within the door, dropping his hat, and looking very compassionately at his dying master. The dying man put forth his hand and said, "Come here, Tom, take my hand. Tom, can you pray for your dying master?" And Tom poured out his soul to God in earnest, prevailing prayer.—C. G. Finney.