The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-04-28
From the Watchman and Reflector.
One of the Reasons Why.


In recent conversation with an educated,
intelligent, and influential member of one of
our city congregations, the question arose in
my mind (not for the first time in my life):
How is it that we have so many half-fedged,
weak and sickly members in our congrega-
tions? We do not think it hard to find an
answer to all such questioning.
Take glance around and see how many
there are who are intelligently booked up in
every item of finance, holding high and re-
sponsible position in society, looked up to
by the world as great fnanciers, &c. Ask
them at any time the ruling rates of gold,
bonds, stocks, or any other money commodi'
ty, and they can tell you SO correctly that
you will be able to see at once that they
have grappled with the subject, and become
master of it. And how? Only by having
given it proper attention and study, and by
the iudicous use of all the means of infor-
nation placed within their reach. On Sun
day we see these saue, "whon the world
call great" in their comfortably furnished
pews, attending regularly on the morning
service, and if nothing interferes, on the
second service occasionally; they take part
in the worship as set forth by the Church
Book, and listen with devout attention Gf
the preacher pleases them) to the preached
Gospel. AS in the world SO in the church,
they are looked up to as ensamples to the
fock;" they may be Fathers in the church,
having long walked by the same rule, and
are minding the same thing. In many cases
they are and have been for years ofice-bear-
ers in the house of the Lord, and are of those
who should be cable to teach others also"
(St. Paul)
We visit them in their houses, and find
them and their families surrounded with the
current literature of the day; they have the
various monthlies, weeklies, pictorials, &C.,
and are brimful of the abominable and in
furious trash SO often contained in these,
and are ready to devote any amount of time
to the discussion of the peculiar merits of
each, their favorite authors, the latest fash.
ion, or the last novel;
When suitable opportunity is afforded,
we refer to an interesting article in the last
issue of their Church paper, and when we
express some surprise that they have not
read it, what do We hear? We do not take
any Church paper. We ask how is that?
Oh, we have so many other papers to read
that we cannot find time to read any more.
Or from another class who tell us, We used
to take the paper, but some time ago we
found it necessary to retrench our expenses,
and so we stopped our Church paper.
We try again, and refer to some of the
recent valuable publications put forth by
able authors in our Church; and here too
We find these same great minds most wofully
ignorant of every thing pertaining to the
faith and history of their Church. And
although they may complacently say 81 am
rich, and increased in goods, and have need
of nothing" high authority assures us "that
they are wretched and miserable, and poor,
and blind, and naked" And they are SO,
simply from the fact that they refuse to ac-
cept and use the means placed within the
reach of every one, to become intelligently
informed on these important subjects. The
time was when such ignorance might be
winked at; but now, when we have some of
the best literature ever put into their lam
guage, and which the pennies, spent for that
which can do no good, and may do great
harm, would procure, we insist that such
ignorance as we often find in our member
ship is not only wilful but sinful.
Reader, is this you? If SO, accept word
of counsel; Read and inwardly digest every
thing published pertaining to our most pre-
cious faith, SO that you may be "ready al
ways to give an answer to every man that
asketh you reason of the hope that is in
you, with meekness and fear: having good
conscience; that whereas they speak evil of
you as evil doers, they may be ashamed that
falsely accuse your good conversation in
Christ" Il Peter iii. Is, 16.)
PLAIN TALK.