The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-01-17
For the Central PresbY terrain.
Worldly Conformity.

LII your paper Vi y duudTy on, saw an
extract from the Rev. DIR. James w. Alex
ander's pen on Worldly Conformity"
Very lately, l received from friend, the
same timely words in tract form, and
within the past month they were pub
lished in the ~ Y Observer. How clear
and convincing they are, and how much
needed just now. Many pastors can sub
scribe to every sentiment contained in
them, and if the devoted man who wrote
them were living now. we would only
emphasize these words.
1t is just this "yieldimg to the aOagS of
god society" as he terms it, that is MARI
ing the spiritual life of many of Gods
people, and rendering null and void their
influence over the world Those outside
are not won to Christ because the Church
is coming down to the level of the world,
and the world sees it, and sneers at the
inconsistency of such conduct.
The Rev. Joseph Cook, we are told,
has been filled with alarm since his re-
turn home, by observing the spiritual
chill which pervades the American
churches. Many more, who have not
been absent from home, are grieving over
the same condition of affairs. This has
not come suddenly, like stroke of par
alysis, but like certain diseases, whose
approach is gradual, it has stolen by de-
grees over the whole Church. And all
parts are afected-from those who stand
in the pulpit to those who sit in the pews.
We are informed that ministers of the
gospel will sometimes travel twenty and
thirty miles by rail on the Lord day, in
fbai Il,
they regularly read the secular papers,
and that they contend for, and sometimes
attend the theatre. We hope that the
number is very small Some Of the mem
bers of the church only do all these things
to greater extent than their spiritual
leaders. 1t must be "like priest, like
people" with vengeance. What sort
of preaching, and what sort of hearing
can be expected from such preparation?
What can you expect as the outcome oil
such compromises and surrenders as
these? Paul said, Be not conformed to
this world" How does the life of many
ministers and members to-day accord
with this earnest appeal of the apostle {?
Oh it is shame that God s people have
no more irmness in the face of the world 8
allurements that they should try to
serve Him and Mammon as they do?
that they should profess to be Christ
disciples. and at the same time enter into
every amusement and frivoiity with for
NAL professors Of religion and the openly
ungodly, with the evident purpose OF
keeping place among and of being pop
ular with people of wealth and fashion
of moving in good SOcietY."
A Christian mother said the other day ::
81 kept cards and round dances out of
my house as long as possible, but my
daughters attended party given at the
house of an elder in our church, who had
always been regarded as a peculiarly
sanity man. and there the "round
dances" were introduced, and since that
1 have been obliged to yield for my chill
dren say to me, Are you better than Mr..
H; he allows dancing in his house?'
What could / reply to that2" Need we
wonder that two of the daughters of this
Christian home have married goddess
young men. Their fondness for worldly
amusements introduced them into the
society Of such young men.
l have seen the daughters of clergy
man dancing in public parlor with
young men in such style as to shock
and grieve those who knew what pro-
priety was, although they made no pro-
iession Of Christianity How can Chris
tian parents allow their daughters to
pursue such a course ? believe that the
blame too often rests upon the mothers {:
and this is the most shocking fact of all.
Their ambition is to see their daughters
admired, and to have them shine in
good society"