Secular and Spiritual Things.
By Evangelist
THE way in which the popular churches have been divorcing themselves from religion is enough, were it not for the infinite mercy of God, to break up the household of faith. Christ came into the world to set before men the duties they had denied, and to emphasize his teachings by his exemplary life. He explained divine existence and providence and human depravity and responsibility; and among his chief instructions were the new lessons he taught concerning the relation existing between social and sacred things; for men then, as at the present day, had almost forgotten that there were mutual rights and fraternal relations at all. There was a great gulf widening and deepening between sanctuary and social affairs. In the parables and miracles of Jesus, we see a design to correct this common error. He used familiar illustrations, taken from every-day life; and in his wonder-working acts, he accomplished invariably, where men’s bodies were involved, an immediate temporal good. Christianity, at the present day, seems to be controlled by the power of fashion and form; and being overbalanced by their influence, we say what others say, do what others do, almost think what others think; and through fear of being unlike the world, we gather the cast-off garments of other people, and struggle out of all self-hood into the appearance of somebody else. There is a great deal of leveling, and lining, and chalk-marking, among the schools of fashion; and many are the pupils in daily attendance. And all of this for one of two reasons: first, selfishness; second, pride. This prevailing influence would seem to divide the church into two classes; viz., first rate and second rate. There are members who might be termed the second rate, as also in the social circle, not because they are poor, or ignorant, or less humble, but because they come to the sanctuary or into the social circle not rounded up to the highest style of this fast age. But when assembled at the sanctuary for worship, they do not aim to separate saints from them. They seek divine power, by which they may overcome the world. The other class, it would seem from their conduct, are ever seeking mere selfish enjoyment. And yet one wonders why they are happy. They help to lift no burdens; they wipe away no tears. They keep no watch over the weary, broken-hearted. They work but little for the salvation of poor sinners. They close their religion away from the world—look it up for exhibition only on special occasions. Paul said to the Romans, “Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Be not conformed to this world—to its sinful maxims, customs, and habits. Be transformed—changed, not in outward appearance only, but in the spirit and temper of your mind; cultivate a spirit of humility and gratitude; and devote all of your powers to the honor of God and the good of your fellow-men. The perfection of the outward body depends upon the perfection of each organ; so with the spiritual body, the church of Christ. Happy the day when Christians will learn the great lesson of living their religion, leaving the result with God. Christianity does not consist of the exhibition of flounce, feather, broadcloth, kid gloves, creak, cologne, musk, mustache, and dead hair; but, to be genuine, it must enter into and control all business transactions. It must speak in every-day tones, and sanctify common things. It must wear a work-day garb, and get out of its finery and form. Religion is not to be confined to public congregations, funerals, and special times. It does not effervesce in hymns, or lay itself out in sermons. It must cut and work up, so to speak, into trade, literature, science, everything. It must go with us wherever we go, stay as long as we stay, and bring us back sober and in our right minds to our homes and daily avocations. We must use it, praise it, and be it, every hour. It should be as a sun, irradiating everything with its beams, and gilding with its luster every place in which we move. But, says one, this is a day of improvement, and expediency and propriety demand of the church a corresponding advancement. Expediency and propriety seem to be discoveries of the present day; and these fine-spun fashionisms are made, warp and woof, of the snare in which many a coward is caught by the ecclesiastical spiders that sit watching in the centers of Christendom. This fine-spun Christianity works a deception in the church; and its gains are as wonderful in feeding the fancy as were the gains of the barley bread in feeding the mouths of the masses on the shores of Galilee. Brethren, let us not be desirous of vainglory, but seek to enjoy the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.—Evangelist.