The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-01
REaIGIorslNo CULATION.

EEsIGIOUsI SPECULATION.
Recent scientific research has con-
cerned itself much with the proven
ton Of disease by incubation; that IS, by
securing partial and comparatively
harmless type OF disease, thereby pre-
GLIDING the FULLY developed attack. The
application of this term, as in our title,
10 the phenomena of religious eX
pcrience must. of course, proceed by
an inversion OF thought: for we cannot
readily contemplate process which Is
elsewhere a preventive ot-eyil as a pre-
yentive Of good, unless. indeed.
we can take the devils point
of view. Perhaps it may be worth
/ the while TO put ourselves for a
moment in the place Of the being whose
ambition is the destruction OF souls.
From bis point of view. true conversion
NAV indeed be considered as the fatal
disease which II is his professional con
Germ TO prevent or cure at ali Hazards.
What could BIZ more natural than that
ne should willingly allOw--should even
attempt 10 securc--a slight attack of the
symptoms. if he may thereby effeclual-
IL inoculate the soul against the true
type Of the diseasey That a solemn
truth lies behind this singular fancy. Is
proved by the fact that something an
| swerng to this process OF religious ln-
Oculation actually and often occurs.
There Is religious incubation among
nations. What is 1t in the condition
of Mohammedan aud Roman Catholic
countries which affords 10 satan such
! and the
thoughtful Christians such serious
darn? They have certainly some ole-
ments Of true religion. They have
certainly eliminated some Of the worst
features of barblri,m aud heathensm.
! Yet they are found 10 be practically IN
oculated against religion in It's purity
and strength by the mere modicum
| thereof which they possess. The gospel
| had freer course IN It's beginning.
among the Geutiles than among the
Jews: and il has freer course to-day
among a race Of barbarians than
among race Islamized or ROmanized.
Then there Is religious incubation
! locally. Communities which have been
swept over by shallow and sensa-
| tiOnai revival, seem often inOculated
for years thereafter against true aud
| deep religious work. Single churches
| have the sameeXperlence. And OF even
a rightly begun revival effort there may
| be. through the failure Of Christian
peopletO do their part, so abor'lve a
result, that the effect upon the church
| will be that OF sadly successful lnocu-
lation for many years against true
revival.
BUTT is in the sphere of individual
| life that this possibility of religious IN
oculation must be viewed with greatest
apprehensiOn by parents. pastor. and
| Supday-schOOl worker. Is not the fact
that so few who have been all their
lives under religious influences are con-
verted in their maturity best explained
ON the theory that they early received
simply enough of religion 10 lnocuiate
them against true conversion Inc
popular phrase for the sad resultant state
| Is gospel hardened. The bright Amer
| lean boy in a Christian home or SUI
! dav-schOOl class very early, before pa
rents and teacher usually look for IT,
has his period OF first, pcrhapsot great
est. susceptibly 10 religious ceremonies.
NEGLECT or unwise treatment then may
result inan abortive experience which
almost completely lnoculates the young
soul against sermon, prayer. and per
sonai pleading in all the years to come.
/ The writer remembers an especially sad
case Of a pastors twelve-year old son
who regarded himself, and apparently
with reason, as religlously hardened
/ Every pastOr is familiar with those
cases, most difficult OF access
where unwise Encouragement tor.
perbaps. improperly directed encour-
agementl at an early period OF SIS
lceptibilitv. has resulted IN the apparent
inocplatiOn of the soul against subse-
ouent religious influences. The fact
! mat so few men are converted AFTER
graduation from college, may be SINH
! larlv explained on the theory that in
the perioC of intellectual ferment at
college. if not previously, the question
of the claims of religion IS altogether
likely 10 challenge each mind IN way
winch results either in It's right settle
ment. or its wrong settlement, or It's
abortive settlement, never again III any
case 10 become a living question.
That the consequence Il an aDOrtlVe
experience are far more disastrous
than is commonly thought. IS the clear
teaching of Scripture. That there may
be certain religious experience deS'
cribed. as far as IT goes, IN terms strik'
in0ly characteristic Of the most genuine
work of grace, yet which, proving abor-
live. has the fearful property OF lncul-
eating. so to speak, the s)ui against a
renehtion of even that beginning eX-
nerience. is certainly taught by He
! hrews xi: 46 Rev. Ner.): For as
touching those who were once eniight-
ened and tasted of the heavenly gltt'
and were made partakers OF the Holy
| Ghost. and tasted the good wOrd OF God
and the powers of the age TO come, aud
| ,hen fell away, it is impossible to re-
ne,v Them again unto repentance: see
ing they cruelty TO themselves the Son
of God afresh. and put HIM 10 an open
shame. Similarly IN , Peter = ~
Rev. Ner.l: For If, after they nave
,scaped the deiilements OF the woriu
through the knowledge OF the Lord ana
| savior Jesus Christ, they are again en-
tangled therein and overcome, the lasi
| tate il become worse than
tbe first Essentially The same IS the
teaching of the parable OF the rocky
soiI and that of the demon S return to
the dispossessed soul.
What action is demanded of parent
pastor. and teacher, III view OF these
| factsy Certainly that we guard againsl
uboratiye religious experiences. bu'
nrocisely howy There is familiar
method at hand. IL is 90 disoouDten'
ance every attempt TO secure REVEALS.
10 discredit all evidence OF childhood
conversion, and 10 avoid urging any
soul TO an immediate decision Tor
Christ. IL must be conceded that this
Is an admirable and thoroughly efec'
tive method, from the devil . poih'
of view. II he can IN certain cases p'
an abortiye experience. secure the III
oculation Of the soul against true
conversion, and can by these pam
ful examples induce others te
avoid securing for themselves or men
friends any religious experience what
.oeyer, he will be doubiy satisfied. Bo'
who of us dares main,ain the Devil
I 4 !. "A "a