The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-05-21
OsE-sIDED PlETY.

Personal religion, normally cultivat-
cd and developed, would be symmet-
rical and round, presenting in due pro-
portions elements of action and contem-
plation. The perfect man." in the
Scriptural sense, would have o gaze ut
once introspective and circumspective.
engaged with his inward state and his
outward duties. He would be equally
concerned for the health Of his soul and
the useful employment Of his hands
that his conscious communion with God
remain unbroken, and his helpful min
istry to man know no intermission of
lassitudc and reluctance. He would be
devout and beneicent, "fervent in
spirit" and "diligent in business" "
Even the ardors and raptures Of q soul
on fire with Divine love would prove
perfectly consistent with an earnest and
practical attention TO the outward du-
ties OF the daily round and common lot.
Beyond peradventure, this Is the style
of personal piety which constitutes the
ideal Of the New Testament
It is pitiful to observe. how much
given we are to divorcing these active
and contemplative elements, and culti-
waiting one TO the exclusion or neglect
of the other. A distorted spiritual de-
yelopment and q crippled spiritual eff
cheney are the inevitable result Diff
ferent centuries and generations have,
from the beginning, taken on this, or
that distinctive characteristic, and run
into absurd and hurtful extremes in
this or that direction. Now, and most
commonly, ii has been the contemplate
i've disposition which has prevailed, and
we have seen its outcome Of extrava-
gance In the useless austerities Of the
Ascetics, in the dreams and rhapsodies
Of the Mystics and Quietists, in the
struggles and self-denying ordinances
Of the Puritans. In its more restrained
development this style of piety is liable
to become morbid. Habitual introver-
sion of the spiritual eye, with lack Of
robust exercise in the effort to bless 9TH
ers, almost invariably disorders the
soul and gives an unhealthy action to
the moral powers. Such sanity men
as Bunyan, Edwards and Payson
showed In their experience the painful
effects Of excessive converse with their
own hearts and consciences. When
Cecil said SOLITUDE is my chief ordi-
nance" he betrayed the secret Of his
peril as well as of his safety and
strength. In world so sad and earnest
as this the time given to solitude and
silence must not be large.
We are now in state of decided re-
action against the prevailing piety OF
two generations ago. Self-inquisitions,
the fastings, the humiliations, the days
Of retirement from the world and OF
formal devotion, the inward wrestlings
with the powers Of evil, which charac-
terized our fathers-all this has given
place TO a much more cheerful mode Of
serving God. Our religion, taking its
type from the spirit Of the age, has be-
come active, buoyant, enterprising.
The Christian, instead Of questioning
himself and dwelling upon his personal
relation TO God, questions everything
about him, and sets himself TO reform
all abuses and put in order all the dis
turbed relations Of his fellow-creatures,
Instead Of allowing himself much "anx-
ious thought whether he is the Lords
or no." he goes out in ceaseless and
practical efforts TO relieve the suffering,
educate the ignorant and give the
Bible TO the world. His motto is "Dc
good unto all men," and his Gospel Is
emphatically the Gospel Of "work. p"
And now again our religion has become
one-sided II, indeed, we must choose
between extremes, we own that we pre-.
fer the extreme OF our time to that OF the
days forever gone. But then is IN an
extreme; not perhaps in asking us &c
10 10 much, but in allowing us TO refecI
100 Rttle-not in causing us TO be over
much concerned about our neighbor'i
spiritual affairs, but in encouraging us
TO neglect our own soul-garden. Tht
representative preacher Of to-day pile
whip and goad to keep his congrega
ton under a perpetual strain Of doinl
and giving. The cry is soork, toork
until earnest Christians, who feel tina
they own some duties TO their owi
souls, have an uncomfortable suspicion
hat there is no room for them In thu
church.
Now II will be everlastingly true tina
mans first obligation In this world i
70 ''work out his own salvation;" ant
doing this he must be allowed som,
liberty Of choice rs 10 the means whicl
ne finds most effectual. Granting tina
.'work for others; may be q goo'
means, perhaps the best, II is far from
being . sovereign prescription for tn
cure Of souls, and applicable to al
cases. We venture 10 put in humble
plea Of merciful consideration for thu
large class Of modest. quiet disciples
who honestly feel that they serve Coz
oest, II not by standing and waiting,
at least by treading rather secludet
walks. Let them not virtually be rea,
out Of the church by sharp criticism
and by 'reproachful comparisons witt
their talkatiye and dogmatical brethren
II should not be forgotten that Their
are diyerslties Of characters and tenn
permanent rs well as Of gifts, and tha
tho yearning which has foolishly iIn
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