The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-31
COMMERCIAL PIETY.

when II cost them nothing TO do 80
/" Men are good" was the old saying,
" but man 10 wicked" "yirtss haddfsT,
Ct alget"--virtue 10 praised and Is al
lowed to freeze 10 death. Herod had q
high opinion Of John the Baptist, and
liked to hear him preach but when
John reproyed the despicable lust OF the
distinguished society man. he bad his
head Gu, of for gift TO please the great
mans fascinating little sweetheart.
A tolerably ugly, but very striking H.
lustration of what the patronage oil the
worldly is worth TO true religion. Ana
so. too, the learned virtuosos who ad
mired and preached the abstract and
ideal Messiah, preferred Barabbas, the
big operator, to the teacher and exemplai
OF righteousness In human shape wher
their interest and prejndices were IL
danger.
Ii san old story. Men were made foi
virtue. but without it. Thei' Instincts
lead them to praise ideal manhood. Ano
in our day. unquesiionsbly, in spite OF
the inconsistents--in spite of thieyine
and lying church-members, and wolves
and foxes in sleeps clolhing-sincere
Christianity Is the worlds most fondly
and sacredly cherished ideal. And IL
the civilized world there is hardly man
woman or child that, family or freshly
with greater or less effect, has not tina
image in the innermost shrine OF hi.
heart, set about with the memories OF The
dearest and most honorable experience
Of life
Under the circumstances, with piety
and true Christianity in the ideal worlo
what gold and diamonds are In the outer
world, It would be strange thing II this
commercial and practical age-this age
OF advertising did not turn them both Il
accountable lower and mesner the ma
ture, the more devoid of reverence ano
maenanimity, the more prostituted t.
trade and saturated with ayarice-thc
reader, of course, TO desecrate the mos
sacred things and use them to turn az
honest or dishonest penny. Sacrilege IL
familiar crime. And in the Augustine
age, when art, literature and philosophy
most fourished, the best of poets ex'
claimed,
"Qaid nos d9ras rGug.m's, AgIas' gaid
IN tqetam nItasH Haquamas"
What sacred thing have we, hare
and impious age, left untouched Won
der II they posted hand-bills on thei.
temples and statues and advertised as W
do We wonder. too, if they knew tn
deyout trick of our modern hypocrite t.
parody Gospel, and piously keep the ieii
hand for piety and Sunday offices, the
right and business hand for bribery and
corruption and the ways Of trade
No doubt, Mercury, the god of theft
and cunning that stole the arrow from
Apollo's culver, had many a sincere
worshpper. But their dishonesty was
avowed, and people have kind of re-
spect for the professional pick-pocket
and burglar as they had for Robin Hood.
But oh, 1t is this mixing OF saintiiness and
trade that turns the public stomach.
The profoundest loathing Of the human
soul IS against the hypocrite
But let US be careful Though all
things foul should wear the brows Of
grace, yet grace would still DO so. The
world has Sc n enough of Christianity
and Of its great Author and Exemplar
TO accept Him as its only hope; and ii
has this assurance: THE Lord knoweth
them that are His" The man who for
the ends of trade or personal ambition
PLAYS the role of reformer or philanthro'
pist only half succeeds at best, and does
It at a great hazard and in the face Of
Gospel warnings.
The man who has ever known the
favour of earnest piety, has known that
II Is not thing for advertising; that the
very touch and breath of selhshness or
trade, taints ard deiiles IT, The closet Is
its sanctuary. To the truly devout man,
the very language of Heaven is
BE subject 10 no sight but mine and thine,
| Invisible 20 every eye-bau else.
Not 10 own with pious or impiou'
celebrities, and shine with lustre Dor
rowed from any terrene source, butsto
visit the fatherless and widows in their
af1liction. and keep yourself unspotted
from the world'-to do justice, love meT-
cy, and walk humbly before God, and
wait for the glory that comes OF Hin
only.
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