The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1894-01-04
CHAUTAUQUA.
MORBID CHRISTIANITY.
Paper for Class A..

Paper for Glass A.
As in PHYSICAL life there is healthy, and an
unhealthy state so in moral existence is there
a sane and a morbid condition. One of the worst
SYMPTOMS of the latter is the quasi-exstatlc
change. condition or growth which some of its
over Jealous devotees consider essential to Chris
tianity They think that to be Christian, it is
necessary that a radical change take place; that
a more or less formal confession must be made
and that what we have been up to a certain point
we must be no lOnger-this change OF necessity
breaking out in some visible. palpable, tang-
BILE form of new creation and life.
Without a doubt when man becomes, as the
saving is cOnverted,-that is, turned from a
career of sin to one of rectitude there sort OF
regeneration: death of the old and birth OF
new; but there is no funeral pomp. no tolling of
bells to herald the metamOrphOsis, which IS
essentially spiritual. The mans physical lie
goes on as before, the only visible material
change consisting possibly in the avoidance OF
certain unrighteOus acts to which he may or may
not have been previously accustomed.
The morbid Christian is of necessity poser.
If he be bound down by the laws of civilized
tecOrum. and may not roll MS eyes, sway Ills
body, and give vent to the grace with when he
is filled to O'erlOwing, and interrupt the service
by shouting amen! Praise God!' "Hallelu-
iah! and the like, he feels lost, and thinks regen-
crate life. so circumscribed not worth living.
can recall an incident, where myself was the
victim of religious persecution, the remem-
brance of which always makes me cherish feel-
ing of fraternal sympathy for the victims OF the
Spanish InquSitiOn. was forced to spend three
months in metropolitan jail, awaiting trial.
and it was the then custom, and may be still, TO
allow circle of religious people-laymen and
women to hold services every Sabbath for the
benefit of the prisoners. 1t was then, ana stll
remains to me a mystery why no clergyman ever
led or participated in this volunteer work OF
proselytizing. The order of exercises consisted
in praying, singing, and preaching, The two
former l enjoyed because the prayers were
hOmeIy, natural and appeared to be slncere-and
one of the singers a divine cOntraltO, nad voice
like the Angel Israfel;-but the preaching ab-
hOrred. A preacher, to please me, and think
all mankind is the same in this. must be elther
educated or inspired. These poor zealots were
neither The apostle who fell to my share was a
poor, unlettered artisan, who admltted-a Urine
too vaingloriously thought-that he had enjoyed
a rather stormy youth, part of which he had
spent in prison; but that he Lad luckily been
converted in mid-career, and saved He asked
moor man, and | know he as honestly, but with a
different motive pitied and prayed for me.
assured him that was. always had been, and
hoped always to remain Christian. but he
would not believe it. And why" Simply because
would not take his hand and knee with him in
loud-vOiced confession and prayer.
This is the morbid side of religion, and to my
mind no healthy Christian ought look for. OF
expect such symptoms in his own person. Chris
tianty has been living and coursing through Oul
blood, a healthy normal tide, year after year
century after century, and has become an al
most essential element in our being. We may not
note its existence unless casually recalled to the
knowledge any more than we heed the eVel
constant flow of our material blood. save Wher
the accidental rupture of a vessel brings it gush
ing to the surface. Still is it there none the less
and if we do have occasional lapses-if we do Oft
times transgress a law that was Laid upon III
only in love- have we not glorious prototypes
Are we not sure of a merciful reception from
Him who fOrgave Peter his thrice uttered denial
while the Masters farewell kiss was yet warn
upon his cheek?