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Didn’t Mean Like That

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Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 29, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 42.

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“Didn’t Mean Like That”

A GOOD minister, when journeying on the cars, was accosted by a stranger, who said: “Good morning, Mr. L. I was at your church the other night.”
“Ah, indeed!”
“Yes, sir; I heard you preach. I don’t take much stock in religion.” This was said in a half boastful manner.
“No?” questioned Mr. L. “And what have you been reading?”
“I have been studying Thomas Paine, sir.”
“And he has made you wiser, has he?”
“O, yes, sir; I don’t believe in Christians now, or Christianity!”
“So, then, you believe that all Christians are hypocritical?”
“Yes, sir; Christianity is a sham, nothing else.”
“Well, let me ask you, young man, have you had a mother since your infant years?” said Mr. L. impressively.
“O, yes, sir!”
“And was she a professor of religion?”
“Yes, sir,” said the other unhesitatingly.
“And did she live consistently with her profession?”
“O, yes; I believe mother was a good woman!”
“Well, then, you either believe that your mother lived in communion with Christ, or you believe that she was a hypocrite. Which is it?”
“Hold on!” exclaimed the young man.
“Which?” cried Mr. L., with emphasis.
“I — I — didn’t — mean — like — that; wait and hear me,” stammered the excited young stranger.
“Which?” solemnly repeated Mr. L.; and when no answer came, he said: “For shame, young man, to fling at your sainted mother that she was a hypocrite! You know from her life that Christianity is real.”
The cowardly skeptic was silenced, and afterward Mr. L. saw him in the Fulton Street prayer-meeting, trembling under a sense of guilt.
Christians, if we live up to our profession, our lives will be an unanswerable argument in favor of religion. The skeptic can not but admire consistency, and lives that speak of Christ preach more effectually than words can do.— Anon.