Voice of missions., 1900-02-01
REAL AND FORMAL DEVOTION.

ed with our spiritual and eternal in
terests and welfare seldom excite tina
serious and thoughtful attention theil
| monientotis importance demand. This
may be accounted for, in part, by oui
depraved tendencies inclinine us tc
give the time and attention due them
to matters of less moment. The sub.
seduent consideration of the two
phases of religious devotion, indicated
i'll the subject of this crude paper, will
serve as an explicit and satisfactory
illustration of our home-spun ideas
upon religious devotion, There are so
many mistaken and erroneous ideas
entertained and practically expressed
on religious devotion, that we regard
it self-imposed duty to call attention
to the most noticeable and prominent
If the humble discharge of this con-
ceived obligation exposes Ii s to severe
criticism, we will accept it as a reward
for exciting attention, if nothing more.
DEVOTION APPLIED.
Religious devotion, as applied to
many protesting Christians Of today.
will readily admit of terms other than
those employed to describe its mani
fest fervency and spirituality. 1t is an
obvious and lamentable fact, that a
large proportion of our church
membership has vague aud
foreign idea of religious dgvo
tion. This class of professors
is irregular in attendance upon divine
service, spasmodic in giving, cold and
formal In worship and inattentive to
the preaching of Gods word. The
warmth of their interest in the benev-
olent enterprises and spiritual dcvel-
opment of the church will not exceed
that of January day in the polar re-
glon. They never perspire from lib
eral fever or religious exertio n. There
Is another class that exceeds the for
mer in magnitude, because it is COM
posed of the ins and the outs of the
church, whose attendance, apparent
interest and liberality result from re-
-lglous curiosity, or a love of parade
and display. These religious defects
ire apparent and prominent in the life
md department of some, from whom
We expect their pleasing opposites.
These formal worshippers may pos
less many commendable characteris-
les, but these, however excellent.
'annot supplement their deficiency in
eligious devotion. Religious formal
ty, regardless of the phase it assumes.
annot produce spiritual growth or
ruit. A cold and restrained partici-
'ation i'll the ordinances of divine
Worship, is aimless, lifeless and un-
Profitable. Religious vanity and for
1ality are waging O secret and inces-
ant war upon Christian piety and
pirituality. Their virulent effects
pom the latter will ere long appear in
heir most hideous form, to the aston
'hment, CONSERVATION and embarrass-
lent of the church of God.
LIS there any escape from this fore
hadowed danger to vital Christianity
nd the church? Yes.
BY DEVOTIONAL SPIRIT AND HABIT.
The devotional habit is the lepiti-
ate fruit of the devotional spirit.
he formation of the devotional habit
contingent upon the forceful char
'ter of the devotional spirit. This
evotional spirit is the direct effect of :
abiding conviction that it is a vital i
Id essential part of spiritual life. I
be divine origin of this spirit ac-
'unts for its quickening and produc- a
g force. N
The former quality of this spirit is 5
'autlfully expressed by the Psamist, =
XIX: II will run the way of thy !,
mmandments, when thou shalt en- L
rge my heart" It inspires devout .
to welcome with gladness .
e returning season of worship and =
invitation to go to the sanctuary as I"
dicated in the affirmation of David. g
was glad when they said unto me, U
us go into the house of the Lord e, e
produces love not only for the D
use' but also for the spot upon a. =:
llch 1t stands. Lord, have loved u
habltation of Thy house and the n =,
ice where Thine honor dwelleth." 4" IL
David expresses in this declaration q
, eliminating result of the devo- W
nal spirit and habit, in it's genuine. II II
re and simple form. He manifests p
ardent love for God, His - :,
use, its habitation, its ordinances. ~
nored by His abiding presence. by ~: IN
s of worship, worthy of imitation and IL
Where the devotional 40 40
rit and habits do not exist there is no VI VI
of worship manifesting an ardent, M 'l'
I've love for God, His house or peo- .r
. That generous, neighborly SEN - -
ient, characterizing true worship a. a.
IS, is free from selfishness and mar VI
Eness in any form, but prompts the az az
SCISSOR to invite his or her neigh Po
to share in the pleasures, happiness ne
instruction enjoyed in the sanctu- "n
The Prophet Isaiah, iii, 81 a.
diets the triumphs of the gospel, 0n
recognition of the church as o
source of religious truth, worship, po
the true centre of religious in We We
nee and reformation. "And many W
pie shall say, come ye and let us 60 w 'u
to the mountain of the Lord, to the th. ei
Sc of the God of Jacob; and he will '"n1
n us of His ways and we will walk -
lis paths, for out of Zion shall 90 M IAn
b the law and the word of the Lord 1oL
Jerusalem. God has promised '"n
those who visit His house and ;.
ship Him, to acquaint them with us naS
will and the doctrine of true re- tn% nn
IN. We have no encouraging d. d.
rance of obtaining this predicted 49,:
IN ntinrn nj IL: IIll