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and their secret vices. They wish to retain the respect of their fellows. Do men keep silent concerning their religion in order to escape criticism and ridicule? “If th at is the explanation we have come a long way since the day of the m artyrs, and the modern backbone is made of rath er shoddy material.” EVEN MODEST EFFORTS PAY A poor Irish peasant who could scarce ly read gathered some of his neighbors together in an old barn and attempted to preach the Gospel to them. In the little company was a young stranger many miles from his cultured home where he had often heard the story of Christ’s love for sinners without yielding to its sacred influence. But there was something in the presentation of the T ruth by the stammering preacher th a t carried con viction to his heart, and Augustus Top- lady went forth from th a t unique sanctu ary to become the mighty champion of Calvinistic theology and the author of the most popular hymn, perhaps, th a t has ever been written, “Rock of Ages,” which is sung today throughout the whole Christian world; and wherever its Gospel truths are borne on the swift wings of song, men’s hearts are melted under the magic power, so th a t eternity alone can reveal the rich harvest of results flowing; from the modest effort of th at Irish peas ant. SCRIPTURAL SOBRIETY All the sobriety which religion needs or requires is th a t which real earnest ness produces. Tears and shadows are n o t needful to sobriety; smiles and cheerfulness are as much its elements. When men say, Be sober, they usually mean, Be stupid; but when the Bible says, Be sober, it means, Rouse up, and let fly the earnestness and vivacity of life. The old S criptural sobriety was effectual doing; the later ascetic sobriety is effectual dullness.
FOR WEAK KNEES The following strong words are from The Saturday Evening Post. Such a message would hardly be looked for from a paper of this kind. It is good for weak- kneed Christians. Read it. “Why should a question concerning re ligion be more embarrassing than a ques tion concerning politics?’ “If Christianity is of value on Sunday, why isn’t, it of value on another day? If it is a good thing for the preacher, why isn’t it a good thing for a bricklayer, a merchant, a traveling man? If it is a good thing for all these, why should they hesitate to speak of it? What is there in the profession and practice ^of Christian ity to cause humiliation, embarrassment or shame? Why do men look down their noses and appear ill at ease when Chris tianity is mentioned by one who would, in the language of the day, boost it? Any good party man will throw out his chest and declare to the world th a t he is a Democrat or Republican. Given oppor tunity, he will give a reason for the faith th a t is in him. Is a political faith more honorable than a religious faith? “There is too much of reticence, too much of timidity, too much of modesty in the practice of Christianity. If a man is a Christian let him tell the world and go about his business. If he is not let him say as much and make no bones of the matter. It is not a m atter to occasion stammering, fidgeting and side-stepping. One is a Christian or he is not. If he is, a Christian he has found the way to a peace of mind th a t is worth a fortune, and if he isn’t a Christian he is missing something distinctly worth while. In either case he should, as a concession to his own dignity and self-respect, retain sufficient poise to discuss the question as frankly as he discusses the League, the future Japan, the batting averages of riv al h itters or the need of inventing- a way to put a crimp in profiteers. “One can understand why men keep si lent concerning their little meannesses
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