Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-31
Are Christians HypOcrltesi


A young man told me not long time
ago in an inquiry-room that he believed that
" Christians as rule were hypocrites"
This was not an unusual declaration Of
faith, but / was curious to know upon what
grounds he had reached such conclusion ;
so asked him Z" Is your mother a Chris
tian 2" He replied q She is a member Of
the church." But said "Do you believe
your mother is hypocrite 2" "That is not
q fair question: he retorted with an i'm
patient movement of his body and with a
quiver in his chin, " You ought not to ask
me to be my mothers Judge" "But," | re.
piled, "you have not hesitated to Judge me
and my mother; now be honest and accept
the logic of your faith, no matter who it
condemns. Do you believe your mother
who is protesting Christian is hypocrite
deliberately pretending to believe and be
something that she knows she is not ?"
Bursting into tears and with a choking
voice, he said with passion that am not
able to put into type If my mother is
Christian why has she never spoken to me
about my soul Why does she never strive
to make me Christian She has often
gone with me to the theater; she is inter
ested in almost everything that will be for
my benefit in this world, but she never
speaks to me about the world to come" ]
hope that is not typical case, but | am
sure it is not single case. 1t is only true
of many mothers and fathers and brothers
and sisters, but believe it is true of the
larger half of our church membership; that
they almost never speak to anybody about
their souls welfare. This is not hypocrisy,
but it is criminal indifferentism that is
well-nigh if not altogether as sinful. A
minister not long ago, under the stimulat-
ing influence of an evangelistic meeting in
progress in his church, plucked up his cour-
age and went to speak to leading and
prominent business man of the city, who
had for years sat in a broad.isle pew in his
church, but with whom he had never per-
sonally spoken concerning his soul. He
found his parishioner in his Office, told him
he wanted few minutes conversation with
him, and he was invited into an inner room.
Now face to face with his friend, but with
much fear and trembling, he said "My
dear friend, have come in this morning to
speak with you about your sui" "My
dear PASTOR" said the man Of business,
"you are too late" "Oh no, not too late.
II is never too late to come to Christ" said
the now thoroughly-aroused pastor. "That
is quite true" said the man, but you have
come too late to lead me to Christ. The
fact is l have been expecting you to come
to me on that business for the last five
years and only to-day, wondering why you
did not come and concluding that / need not
expect you, and being anxious about my
soul, have within the last hour--alone in
this office-bowed down before God and
given myself up to Christ. That is what
mean. You are too late. believe that at
any time within the past two years you
might have led me to Christ had you come
for me-" Now that is ministerial indiffer-
entism, content to preach to the people at
long range and failing to follow up the pub
lie instruction with the private and personal
entreaty,-Rev. DR.. Pentecost.