Modern Pulpit Silent on Hell and Atonement
An anonymous writer in the North American Review for December thus expresses himself in regard to the sermons of the day: “A heathen, desiring to learn the doctrines of Christianity, might attend the best of these [fashionable] churches for a whole year, and not hear one word of the torments of hell or the anger of an offended Deity, and not enough of the fall of man or the sacrificial sufferings of Christ to offend the most bigoted disciple of evolution. Listening and observing for himself, he would infer that the way of salvation consisted in declaring his faith in a few abstract doctrines which both preacher and hearer seemed quite ready to explain away as far as possible; in becoming a regular attendant at church and church sociables; in putting something into the contribution box every Sunday, and, in every way, behaving as much as possible like his neighbors.” Those who do the will of God heartily, will do it speedily; while we delay, time is lost and the heart is burdened.—Henry. THE most delicate, the most sensible, of all pleasures consists in promoting the pleasures of others.—La Bruyere.