But in the meantime, and we do not know for how long, we are
sowing the seeds of scepticism. Besides; this avowed waiting for the
church's final decision may be only a pious pretense, because of want of
courage to declare honest conviction. I say so because I have spoken
with many ministers whose convictions are most decidedly contrary to the
orthodox doctrines; but there is a marked hesitation in publicly avowing
them. Is this expediency or cowardice? What we want is more charity to
treat this as an open question, so that men might explore the whole
realm of truth, and express their honest convictions without fear.
I see that the Chairman of the London Congregational Union deplores this
general lack of warning. He quotes the late Dr. Dale as saying, "No one
fears God now."
I have just heard an impassioned address, pleading for men and money to
evangelize the multitudes that are pouring into the great North West of
Canada. It was natural for the speaker to lay great stress on human
effort; but I thought he might have made a casual reference to the
Spirit of God as supreme; yet not a word did he utter on that topic. For
the most part he presented no higher incentive than the development of
character, and the building up of the empire on a foundation of
righteousness. But not a word did he utter in regard to the penalty of
sin after death on the part of the immigrants, if we fail to give them
the Gospel.
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