Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-01
oORAkULY oaRIsrLANs.

opportunity or 1910 fepeageQ.
COWARDLY CHRISTIANS.
Yea, and all that will live cody in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution.-II, TIMOTHY III:
~.
In the olden time the espousal of the
cause of Christianity carried with it a viii
ingness to be prosecuted and if it need be
martyred in the cause. The blood of the
martyrs to Christianity was despatched all
over Europe and Asia for centuries, and even
after physical martyrdom had been abolished
It was for long time equivalent to s0cia,
ostracism to attach ones self to church Or
ganization except it was that organization
fostered and supported by the state and made
fashionable on account of its royal patron
age. Of late years things have changed. In
this country, since the domination of the
Puritans, there has been no such thing as
religious persecution. A man has the priv
1ege of belonging to whatever church he
chooses, or to none at all, and no questions
are asked.
But of late yesrs-and the disposition
seems to be growing professsing Christian
seem to be 10th to admit their church con-
nection. They attend divine service here or
there. and do not disguise the fact, but when
they are out in the world they sedulously
avoid mention of it, or if they are spoken to
son the subject say in effect that their sur
Eoundings are such as to compel their at
tendance at certain church, or give some
other excuse for what is their obvious duty.
They are ashamed to acknowledge Christ
among those who do not acknowledge his
sway, not through fear of corporal perse-
lion, but for fear that they will be regarded
as feeling too cody to mingle with the unre-
generate of mankind.
1t has been noted by almost every OBJ
server that majority of church mem
bers-there are many honorable excep-
tions-hesitate to acknowledge themselves 6
followers of Christ. They apparently wish
to be considered hail fellows we'll met with
all their acquaintance, and from Monday
morning till Saturday night never give voice
to syllable that would lead their associates
to consider that they were Christians, or
that they believed the majority of the hu-
man race was on the high road to perdi-
lion. This is indicative of one of two
things: a degree of cowardice that is incom-
patible with true Christianity, or a confess
sion that their professions are an empty
sham in which they have no sincere belief.
The worst of men respect sincere Chris
Iian, no matter what denomination he may
belong to, but all men despise a. man who
has not the moral courage to assert his con-
Tictioas wherever he may be.
It is common occurrence for religion to
be sn eered at in miscellaneous gatherings,
at which, perhaps, a number of protesting
Christians are present; it is an unusual oc-
ourrence for any of these Christians to pro-
hest against these jeers or to utter word in
defense of the principles they have solemnly
vowed to uphold to the death. Did it never
occur to these people how easy their lot is
to-day compared with what was the lot of
the early martyrs? Now they may have to
submit to q sneer on occasions, very rare
indeed. Then they would have been sub
mitted to the torture, and compelled to re-
nounce their faith or suffer death. Truth
coapels the assertion that more Christians
OF to-day shrink from jeer than could
be numbered in the list of that noble army
of martyrs who laid down their lives in vim
dication of the cause.
If church mem bers would show, in their
daily walk and conversation, the difference
between generate and unregenerate man,
there would bs less carping at religion. In
these times men respect sincerity in any
cause, more especially that of religion. But
If a man does not defend the faith that he
processes, and advocate it at every opportu-
nifty, the inevitable conclusion will be that
she cause is worthless or that its protested
followers have but little faith in it.
The modern church suffers moro disgrace
from the lethargy of Its members than from
the assaults of unbelievers. If the members
were earnest, Jealous and devoted, spread
ing broadcast the truths of the gospel at
every opportunity, the church would increase
and multiply at an astonishing rate. But as
long as they remain SO cowardly as to refuse
10 defend the cardinal doctrines upon which
the church is based when they are attacked,
through fear of what may be called modern
persecution--a sheer or deriding laugh
they need hope for but few accessions and
for but little respect.