Superficial Piety by Cecil

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 12, 1856

Superficial Piety.

By Cecil

The religious world has many features, which are distressing to a holy man. He sees in it much proposal and ostentation, covering much surface. But Christianity is deep and substantial. A man is soon enlisted, but he is not soon made a soldier. He is easily put into the ranks, to make a show there; but he is not easily brought to do the duties of the ranks. We are too much like an army of Asiatics; they count well, and cut a good figure; but when they come into action, one has no flint, another has no cartridge—the arms of one are rusty, and another has not learnt to handle them. This was not the complaint equally at all times. It belongs too peculiarly to the present day. The fault lies in the muster. We are like Falstaff. He took the king's money to press good men and true, but got together such ragamuffins that he was ashamed to muster them. What is the consequence? People groan under their connections. Respectable persons tell me such stories of their servants who profess religion, as to shame and distress me. High pretensions to spirituality! Warm zeal for certain sentiments! Priding themselves in Mr. Such-a-one's ministry! But what becomes of their duties?—Oh these are "beggarly elements" indeed! Such persons are alive to religious TALK; but, if you speak to them on religious TEMPERS, the subject grows irksome.—Cecil.