The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-10
Asleep or Awake ?


A sleeping Church. maintains its or
ganization and its services and institu-
tons. Its organization IS complete
Every department of work is provided
for, Boards are carefully selected for its
missionary and other general work, and
regular contributions are made. Every
Sabbath the services of the sanctuary are
attended by its members; carefully pre-
pared expositions of the Scriptures and
earnest appeals are given from the pull
pits i; praYer-meetings are held; Sabbath
schools are sustained, and by the most
ample and attractive means attend to the
training of the children.
In every department the organization
and provision for the spiritual needs Of
the Church are all that can be desired
There is completeness in every form and
feature, but not the beauty of intelligent
consciousness of life. 1t is in the world,
but is not conscious Of what is about it,
or even of its own life and power.
In such state, the members of the
Church do not perceive the true nature
of the works of darkness, but to greater
or less degree have fellowship with them.
Infdelity is to them simply a phase Of
current thought. an honest questioning
where there is room for doubt, but not a
rejection Of clear light and sin against
God and destroyer of human happiness
The violations of Gods law, such as the
dissertation of his Sabbath and the pro-
fanation of his name, and the neglect Of
his institutions, such as the Church and
its ordinances, are regarded as the exer-
else of the freedom which belongs to hui
man right and not as violations of SUI
preme law, and therefore ofenses against
God. Crimes and vices are regarded as
faults or misfortunes, the effects of cir
cumstances, or of some uncomfortable
causes, and not as personal acts of the
will in abuses of knowledge, and viola
tons of conscience, and indulgences Of
base passions. Astounding misery is seen
only in it's physical aspects, to be re-
medied by asyIums, and charities, and
not in its spiritual relations as the fruit,
immediate or remote, of sin.
In such state, the members Of the
Church have no right sense Of the dan
gers of sin. They see the seeds Of dis
order sown, but are amazed when the
harvest ripens. They see the decay Of
conscience, but do not dread the impend-
ing woes. They see the increase Of the
baser crimes, but do not shudder at the
wasting purity of social life. Or if these
evils are felt they do not perceive the
remedy or their duty. They care for
themselves, but have no care for the sal
walton of Others They hqSe to see the
glory Of God but they ~ not seek to
glorify God. Content with their own
privileges, they do not lift a hand or
move foot in personal effort to give
the world the light and life Of God.
1t is no excurse to say we are power
less ; the work is Gods. True enough,
we are powerless; the power is Of God.
All of our religious life comes from him.
Powerless we are; so was the palsied arm
of the man in the synagogue, and yet
Christ said, "Stretch forth thine hand, .
and in the obedience he was healed, be-
cause the power was in him who com
handed. The same Lord calls to his
Church and people to-day, Awake. He
tells us of the dangers around and before
us he tells us of the work to be done,
and shows us how little we are doing
He calls us to the JOY of life and the re
wards of active service, and answers ouI
sense of helplessness by the assurance
l will give thee light, the light that re-
veals sin and transforms the sinner, the
light that is the life of the world, and the
power to walk in it. God will care for
and keep his cause, but as for us who are
called to be the present actors in it and
for the immediate interests to which we
are related we must awake to our re-
sponsibilities, to a sense of Gods love and
the worlds needs and to the active ser
vice demanded, or sleep the sleep Of
TI,3Joe7 D.onb,,J