THE art, if we may call it so, of Christian conversation, is little cultivated, and rarely practiced. In fact, it seems to be an accepted canon that religious conversation, even among Christians, is not at all the thing to be practiced, or, at most, at rare intervals, and only on special occasions. When the pastor makes a call, he, of course, is expected to "introduce the subject," and the parishioner is expected to respond in such manner as he or she may be able to. But the matter is quickly over, and other topics are introduced.
We have often noticed that, when the subject of God and the soul, the Bible and religious life, is under discussion—especially if the matter is made personal—there is more or less restraint, even between pastor and people; whereas, if a new book, the last social item of news, the work of the church, or, indeed, any outside and worldly thing is taken up, the conversation becomes easy and fluent again. Even the question of "the difficulty in securing good servants" can be made the lively theme of conversation.
Of course there are exceptions to this rule. There are households and individuals with whom and among whom it is a delight to hold religious conversation. The precious truths of God's word, the personal experience of the soul, earth and Heaven in God's sight, life and death, immortality and glory, are matters that are eagerly dwelt upon. This, however, is not the rule, only the exception.
Now why is this so? Is it true, as some assert, that religion and the things of the Spirit are of too sacred a character to be made the subject of conversation? Is it so that religion is entirely a thing of the heart—the inner life—and not of the tongue and of speech? We know that this is the theory of some. No doubt there are some souls who so feel and hold, honestly and truly; but in such cases there is always an unuttered communion going on when there are kindred spirits about. There is something in the atmosphere of persons who are living a deeply spiritual life that speaks without words. As a rule, however, the excuse that it is "too sacred a matter to be talked about" is a pretext rather than a reason for the dead silence, or, at best, formal commonplaces, maintained or uttered upon this matter.