Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-09-21
PHARISEEiSM IN THE CHURCH.

For say unto you, that except your right
eousness shall exceed the righteousness of the
scrlbes and Pharisees, We shall in no case enter
into the kingdom of heaven. -MATTHEW v:20.
Religious professions are worthy of respect
only when they are supplemented by NOR
al and cody life. The scribes and Phari-
sees of Christ's time received no mercy or
consideration at his hands. The hollowness
of their pretenses to exceptional virtue were
exposed and their hypocrisy denounced in
unstinted terms, much to the chagrin of
those sects. His arraignment of their de-
ceit and their double dealing is one of the
bitterest specimens of invective to be found
in all iterature-terrible in its directness,
comprehensive as covering every phase of
their iniquity, mastery in style and diction.
He entertained a deep-seated hatred of all
that savored of hypocrisy or vain pretense,
and was not afraid to express it freely on all
appropriate occasions.
doubt he would find occasion for many such
discourses as that given in the twenty third
chapter of Matthew'S gospel. 1t is noto-
rious fact that there are thousands of pro-
Tossing Christians to-day who possess all the
characteristics that distinguished the Phari-
sees of old, and many more have few of
them. Many join the church simply as a
matter of form and fashion, because their
neighbors are members and it would be IN
gracious in them to decline their church
affiliations in tie same sense that it would
be Improper to decline their social atten.
tons. These have no deep-seated love of
religion, and in observing the ordinances of
the church are mere Journalists. Outwardly
they seem to DO true Christians, but within
they are devoid of the true spirit of the mas
ter if their minds are not full of unclean-
ness. BY their Indifference on the subject
of religion they prove great hindrance to
the cause, for it cannot be expected
that person can be Jealous
in any work when his heart is not thoroughly
enlisted in it. The lukewarmness that 90
many clergymen complain of in their con-
gregations is due to this fact-there are too
many church members who have only the
"surface Indications of Christianity.
There are other church members who are
even greater stumbling blocks than those
referred to. These are the genuine Phari-
sees, who make long prayers that they may
be heard of men, spread abroad their phylac-
teries, and make great parade of their god
Illness, while their hearts are filed with all
that is despicable in human nature. These
are found in every church community. They
are generally the leaders in the prayer-meet-
ings and the Sabbath SCHOOLS, and for a
time win great honor for their superior
goodness. But hypocrisy, like murder, will
out, and the hollowness of their pretenses
is invariably exposed. But when the
exposure comes infinite harm ia
done to the church. The mis-
deeds of the Beechers, the McCos-
kreys, the Murrays and the Thompsons of
the pulpit have done more to demoralize the
church than all other causes combined. Thew
have inspired widespread distrust in the
of the professions of all church
members, and this distrust has been increas
ed by the numerous defalcations of promi-
nent laymen who have had the moneys of
others entrusted to their care.
1t is hard to devise remedy for this orave
evil. Black sheep are found in every fold.
and with the utmost care they cannot al
ways be excluded. The most exclusive If
all secret societies occasionally develops a
member unworthy to associate with his
brethren of the mystic tie, and it IA ton
much to expect, as long as human nature ia
fallible, that all hyp ,crites can be excluded
from the churches A step in
the right direction may be taken, however.
Greater care should be exercised in the ad.
mission of members. A committee abon,a
be appointed to examine carefully into the
conduct of all applicants, and if their lives
are found to be Inconsistent with their pro.
fessions they should be rigidly excluded, no
matter what their position in soeiety NAV
be. The probationary system practised BY
the Methodist church has many considers-
tons to recommend it, but even this has its
imperfections. cunning man may succeed
in hiding his real character for months and
even years, and live to bring disgrace upon
the church.
The churches are deserving of condem-
nation for their anxiety to increase their
membership. There is constant desire
among them all to Exhibit q long roll of
Guido each other. While
this emulation to q certain extent ia COM
it is carried t. o far, and the cor
is the admission of many unwor-
thy men and women to the fellowship Of the
church. A small company of truly dsvout
and earnest Christians is far more desirable
than a large congregation of lukewarm
worshipers or hypooritical pretenders, and
until the churches are content to embrace in
their fold only such as are worthy of the
name of Christians, they must expect to be
Inundated by the frequent lapses from vir-
tue of their members.