The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-04-16
From the Independent.
A CHEAP RELIGION.
BY REV. SAMUEL T. SPEAR, D. D.

Some people-indeed, far too many
want what they term cheap Gospel ::
costing the least amount of money, with
pew rentals and ministerial salaries re-
duced to the lowest mark, and no sub
scription-papers or contribution-bo boxes
to disturb their equaninity. The less
the article costs the better. IF it could
be had at a much cheaper rate, or if 9TH
ers would consent to foot all the bills,
or if preachers would contrive to live
exclusively on faith, then perhaps they
might tolerate the institutions of Chris
tianity, as a kind of secondary convent
cnce in human life. As things, however,
are managed, the Gospel costs more
than it isreally worth. Is this so? Let
us see.
Nothing earthly is of more value to
man than the safe and peaceable enjoy
ment of his rights of ''life, liberty. and
the pursuits of happiness" Whatever
will secure these rights is always cheap
ly purchased at any price. 1t is worth
more than money. Is it not, then. a fact
in theory, and equally SO in history, that
Christianity places tile doctrine of hui
man rights OH firm and lasting basis
Wherever it prevails i'll anything like
its purity, this sacred doctrine uniform
ly makes its appearance, and sinks itself
deeply into the thoughts and hearts of
men, as one of the fundamental laws of
our social life. 1t so influences the in
dividual and the community as on the
one hand TO lead to a just and equitable
system of legislation, and on the other
to guard society against those tremen-
dous earthquakes of popular passion
that bury under their ruins the dearest
hopes OF time. Nowhere are the rights
of men so well understood. or so sa-
credly regarded and defended, as among
a people who have been trained under
the moral inculcations of Christianity.
This is the plain fact of history. We
hence conclude that the Gospel returns
to human society an ample equivalent
for every dollar spent in its support.
The people can well afford 10 be taxed
TO secure the presence and agency Of
such a system.
This, however, is not the whole case,
since this same Christianity actually
adds TO the tceatth of a community more
than il deducts by the expense Incident
TO its maintenance. In this respect it
gives more than it takes. 1t not only
increases the security of possession,
which is always one ofthe essential con-
ditions OF individual wealth but it so
elevatcs men in the scale of being as to
generate a productive and thrifty sys-
save tee soul, it is also religion to
place the rights OF property on safe
foundation. and at the same time con-
vert men into a community OF active,
ardent, and enterprising laborers. For
this reason Christian nations are richer
and stronger than the Pagan nations of
the earth. ANY nation will grow rich
faster with the Gospel than it possibly
can without it. 1t will construct more
railroads, build more cities, cultivate
more land, erect more factories, supply
more merchants, employ a greater
amount of skilled labor, accumulate
more wealth for permanent improve
ments-in word, more etfectualiy do
all those things upon which the thrift
OF a people depends. Is then the sup
port of this Gospel 10 be deemed an act
of grudging charity doled out to a
greedy beggar? DO a people lose mon
ey when they pay it for that which
makes them richer than they otherwise
would be :? Is not that a safe business
which returns more than it costs? The
millions of dollars expended in this
country for Christian institutions are
wisely spent. No money can be put to
a better use. The return, in enhanced
value and increased production, is much
greater than the outlay.
But even this does not present the
whole case; since, as we now proceed
to say, the Gospel firmly planted among
q people, and there eXerting its moral
power, will lessen the expenses Of socie-
ty, as arising from Cice aud crime. more
than it takes to support it, thus leaving
a clear profit in the way of reduced ex-
penditure. Christian institutions are
actually cheaper than the costly vices
which they restrain or wholly prevent
but which are sure to exist i'll their alb
sence. 1t costs more TO support vice
than virtue more to conduct a war than
to educate people, so that they will
have no disposition to fight; more to
pay the bills of corrupt government
than those OF a Virtuous one more to
take care of drunkard than it would
if he were a sober man; and more to
secure and convict a criminal than by
good influence to have prevented him
from becoming such. The heavy bur-
dens of society spring from the vices
that exist in its bosom and hence, just
in proportion as we elevate and sanctify
humanity, we remove the sources of ex-
pense growing out of a low state of
morals. This is precisely w hat the Cos
pei seeks TO accomplish. We can do
more with it TO dry up the streams of
vice than we can with any other power
known among men, Society with it
will be less taxed diIan it will without
it; and hence it will be richer by all the
difference between costly vice and eco
nomical virtue. We can Afford" said
man of large wealth but no piety. ito
pay literally for the support of the Cos
pei, because its good influence win cost
less than the vices that we must pay tor
without it."
Moreover. religion of some kind is an
irrcpealabie necessity in the constitution
and history OF man and. of all religions
known on earth, that of the Bible is tire
cheapest. Blot out the light of Chris
tianity in this land, and the errors and
supersIitioBs OF some false system will
take lis place. costing more than Chris
tianity-nore in temples, affairs, and off,
ering; more in the time demanded for
IFS rites; and more in the number of
priests TO be supported. No form of
organized heaihenism can be maintained
at SO little cost as the gospel. 1t is, in
deed, the simplest and the cheapest re-
ligion III the world. If, therefore, peo-
pie want a cheap religion, here is just
the article for them. 1t is the cheapest
thing of the kind III the market. And,
if they complain of the expenses neces-
sary TO its maintenance, then let them
take Mohammedanism, or any form of
Organized Paganism and they viii have
heavier burdens 10 bear, and that too
with less capacity 10 do so.
This is a dollar-and-cenf argument.
Such we mean to make ii. We address
it to a dolldr-and-ce3lt man, hoping to
show him that it is sound economy to
spend all the money needful for the am
pie support of the Gospel. We adyo-
cate no foolish extravaganza in the cree
ton of churches, or in the payment of
enormous salaries; yet we mean to say
that the system of starving ministers,
and running the institutions of religion
at the lowest possible rate, while essen
TALLY mean and niggardly in itself. is
just as bad as matter of policy. We
eau hot ~ he q,