Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-08-12
&eadiuq tor the Sabbath.
ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
PRACTICAL RELIGION.

The word religion is derived from the Lat
in word religo Or relego. This is the deriva-
ton of the word religion according to Cicero.
"tS'mt dicti reHgiosi er relegendo,' are his
words. There is another derivation but this
is, perhaps, the correct one. The primative
genealogical idea of the word seems to be
reading Or meditating about the gods.
The protestant religion, or the religion OF
the Bible is reading or meditating about the
God of the Bible. Religion, however, as it
exists amongst men, may appropriately be re-
garded as theoretical and practical, or relig-
ion in theory and religion in practice. AS in
every thing else, theory and practice are not
inscparably connected. Those who are prac-
ticaly religious, are always SO in theory; but
there may be much theory and no practice.
In Christian countries the theory of religion,
as taught in the word of God, is generally
understood and assented to as correct, but
there is more practical irreligion in Christian
lands than in pagan. In pagan countries no
individual can be found who is not practi-
cally pious according to the idea which pa
gans give the word pious. Every house has
its god and every member of the family wor-
ships that god with scrupulous exactness.
Whatever theory demands, practice petorms
amongst these deluded idolaters This is not
the case amongst professed Christians. There
are many individuals in every Christian con-
gregation, who, practically, have no god only
in profession.
The practice of the heather should cause
perhaps "the many"-the great ma
iority of professed Christians, to blush with
shame. No community of pagans, grossly,
stupidity ignorant as they all are, can be
found, which is not practically meditating
upon its god or gods. Its public altars are
loaded with costly sacrifices. The morning
air is perfumed with burning incense, and the
welkin rings with mathis to its divinity. The
smoke of its evening sacrifices mingle with
the dying rays of the sun, and its vespers
echo from every hill. Such is not the case
over christendom. There are christian COM
munities which have no god practically
The fact cannot be disguised that there are
christian congregations numbering near a
hundred communicates with only two or three
praying men on its list of members. There
are congregations, the majority of whose oftl'
cial members have nothing that resembles
practical religion. Such state Of things is
alarming. No intelligent Christian can think
of it and not fear that God will deal with such
congregations as He dealt with Sodom. II
such Goddess Elders and Deacons are saved
it will surprise angels and fends; and, perhaps
the individuals themselves will be surprised
The practical Indifference of such men makes
Jesus weep, grieves the Holy Spirit and jeop'
arlizes whole communities Their profession
is solemn mockery, and the only reason that
God does not visit them with condign pun
ishment for thus insulting Him, is that there
are some practical Cody men whose prayers
are heard in behalf of these barren fg-trees
"By their fruits (not by their profession
yc shall know them. By our fruits we will
furnish evidence of acquittal or condemnation
before the judgment scat Of Christ. If the
practically pious are saved with great difficult
ty, where O, where, will the pious, merely III
theory, appear? Not only "the wicked shall
be turned into hell" but those also "who for
get God" Let the prayer of Gods people be-
|"Rcvive us, O, Lord"