Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-12-16
TIMELY TRUTHS WELL SPOKEN.
An Article written by one of the
Oldest Citizens of Tazewen.


Oldest Citizens of Tazewen.
few days ago the writer OF this short
article found himself in company with
two other citizens OF this town, in the
business place OF one Of our chief business
men. The trio We're members of three
Inherent churches in this vicinity, and
after lew words OF salutation, and
commonplace remarks, our conversation
took religious tnrn. and for short
while we discussed the moral and appar-
ent spiritual condition of our churches
generally, in this cooperative town. We
all agreed on this important point, or
propos'tion--that there is very little in
deed, oil genuine Christly religion in any
OF the churches in the town of Tazewell.
and this condition OF things is remarka-
oiy conspicuous among the male sex OF
thls town, which can be verified in a very
lew words. The trio have been living
IN the neiehborhood for many years and
Knew whereof we We're speaking. Dur
ing our discussion one of the three re-
marked that he could not remember the
last time any person had asked him how
HIS soul was prnspering, another said
lie believed MIR. Moody was the last man
VINO had spoken to him personally as to
the condition OF his soul, The third, il |
am not mistaken, voluntarily made the
assertion. that in all the years he had
lived in Tnzewell, no one had ever asked
nm personally any question relative to
his souls interest. To the writer these
voluntary expressions condense themsel
yes into one of two conclusiuns--eitber
that the bible is u lfe or that the profess
ION oil religion in the town OF TuzpwelI
ior the most part,is u fnrce, ,bnt with rev
erence we say, Let God be true and rv-
cry man liar" rather than in,ea,.l tl,e
teachings of that Divine Book, which is
the germ and substance of all religion of
this universe, which is worth any thug.
II the ministry for the lust ten years have
ia;led III any one duty. it is this, TINT
they have failed III effrctually imurrss;n,r
on the minds OF Christian professors the
eternal fitness and Importance OF the
New Testament standard of Christianity.
1t is not out of place here to make the
assertion that church goers have had so
mnch OF Gods mercy and love, and for
bearance, and so little OF Gods immuta
BILE laws OF righteousness and Christly
living, that they have secret contempt
ior the work which the Master wants
them to do, and. not only so, but we
have also had within the last decade. so
much OF milk and water eyangelization
that mnny Christian and non-Christiau
people know not where they stnnd or
what 10 believe. Four out OF five of the
Christian denominations in this town
have weekly prayer services, and who
are present? On an average we see about
SIX Christian women to one male pro-
lessor oil religion. Can we expect any
high standard OF Christianity when sew
enty-iive per cent OF the male members
ol churches absent themselves from these
God ordained services? WHAT'S the mat-
ter? Simply this: We eat the husk and
throw away the kernel, we have the
profession, but not the possession, we
carry the lamp but 10 oil.
Dec. 18th. 1898. CITIZEN