The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-06-09
The Minimum Christian.


The minimum Christian And who is
he2 The Christian who is going to heaven
at the cheapest and easiest rate possible.
The Christian who purposes to get all out
OF the world that he can, and not meet
the worldling's doom. The Christian
who aims to have as little religion as he
can, without being destitute of it alto
gether. The minimum Christian general
ly goes to church in the morning, unless
he is too tired with his weekday labors
and has lain in bed too late on Sunday
morning to get ready for the morning
service; in that case he will attend in the
afternoon or evening unless it is likely to
rain, or is too warm or too cold, or ne
feels too sleepy or has the headache. He
listens respectfully to the minister, and
joins in prayer and praise He applies
the truth often to his neighbors, rarely
to himself. If there is lecture in the
week, he goes if quite convenient, but
rarely attends the prayer meeting, as the
latter is apt to be uninteresting. He
feels it his duty to be present on Com
munion Sabbath, and has family prayer
at least once a day unless business presses
upon him too urgently.
The minimum Christian is friendly to
all good works he wishes them well, but
it is not in his power to do much for
them. The Sunday School he looks upon
as an admirable institution, especially for
the young, the neglected, and the ignor-
ant. 1t Is not convenient, however, for
him to take class or attend very re-
gularly. His business engagements are
so pressing during the week that he needs
Sunday as day of rest; nor does he
think himself qualified to be teacher.
There are so many persons better qualifi-
ed for this important duty that he must
beg to be excused. He is in favor of the
visitation of the poor; but he has no time
to take part in these labors of love. He
thinks it good thing for laymen to take
part in the prayer meetings of the church,
but he has no gift for public prayers or
for making addresses unless the subject
be business or politics), and he must
leave 1T to others. He is friendly to
Home and Foreign Missions, and gives
his mite, but he thinks there are too
many appeals; still, he gives, or he will
lose his reputation.
The minimum Christian is not clear on
some points relating to Christian conduct.
The circus and dancing, the theatre and
card-playing, give him considerable trou-
BILE. He cannot see the harm in this or
that or the other popular amusement.
He says there is nothing in the Bible
directly against it, He does not see but
that man may be Christian and go to
the theatre or to the ballroom. He
knows several people who do go, and
members of the Church, too. Why should
not he? In short, the minimum Chris
tan knows that he cannot serve God and
Mammon; he would if he could, and he
will come just as near to doing so as he
can, for he thinks it not best to be
righteous overmuch." He will give to
himself and the world all that he may,
and to God and his cause as little as he
can, and yet not lose his soul. He stands
so close to the dividing line between the
people of God and the people of the
world that it is hard to say on which side
of it he actually is.