Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-15
The Religious World

Rev. DR.. Buckley of the New York
Christian Advocate draws a parallel be-
tween Christ's religion and popular re-
ligion. OF the latter he writes:
ut avoids all conflict with the world.
Against the grosser immoralities, in
deed, it lifts up its voice; for it is re-
spectacle to do so, and large pro-
portion of all connected with the church
are above the more debasing forms of
vice. But against producing and
extravagant fashions of the world it
.utters but a faint protest or none.
Popular religion seeks wealth with
as much greediness and grasps as
eagerly after honor and runs as swiftly
after pleasure as does the world. A
large majority of the professors of
Christ's religion seek their most inti-
mate associations in Worldly society
and never think of lifting up their
voices against the prevalent folly and
dissipation. 1t is not in the least EN-
barrassing for the most gay and
thoughtless to be thrown into the COM
pany of Christians of the popular re-
ligion type. Days and weeks may pass
away and no mention be made of Christ
or of anything he ever did or said, or
which might lead persons to think of
his religion.
conscience, as is shown by many
things. 1t makes a distinction be-
tween equally binding duties, perform
ing those which are convenient, agree
able and in harmony with the natural
instincts or dispositions, and neglect
ing others which require self-denial
Thus there are many possessed of large
incomes who will pray and sing, but
will not contribute their means to the
support of the gospel. Others are will
ing to contribute literally but pay no
attention to the spiritual work of the
church. Popular religion enters upon
doubtful enterprises if they promise
large pecuniary rewards. 1t makes
every form of excuse for neglect of
duty. The merchant and mechanic de-
clare themselves to be too busy. The
contradiction between this and Christ s
religion is expressed in the words,
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and
his Righteousness
Popular religion processes timidity
whenever called upon to take an active
part in the services of the sanctuary, a
timidity never shown in performing
conspicuous, remunerative or honorable
public duties or functions of Importance
in the church. Popular religion disre-
CARDS the most solemn vows. Every
member of a Christian church has
assumed the weightiest obligations.
Every baptized person in the Methodist
church vows to 'renounce the devil and
all his works, the vain pomp and glory
of the world, with all covetous desires
of the same. When there is a contro
versy between them, popular religion
places temporal interests before spil it
ual. 1t evinces this in the kind of
preaching which it likes and in the
mode of it's life. 1t would rather at
tend public amusements, political meet
ings social companies, or spend the
evening in business calculations than
to discharge the plainest Christian
duty. Popular religion never agonizes
before the Lord in secret, never sets
apart hours for meditation, never reads
the Bible for devotional or fe-regulat-
ing purposes seldom observes family
prayer, never does anything really in
convenient for Christ's sake, and al
most wholly eliminates the element of
self-denial."
The Rev. S. f. Tenney in the Pres
byterian Standard says: "The general
assembly practically allows foreign
missionaries to receive heather con-
verts into church membership without
requiring them to give up their plural
wives" In opposition to this practice
he writes:
1.-THE brethren who defend the as
semblys action lay great stress upon
the unmerciful feature of requiring an
African or Chinaman to abandon one
or more wives and a number of chill