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short； we find ourselves face to face with the undeniable fact that the
last quarter of the nineteenth century is an age of an immense amount
of public religion。
Now I am not going to find fault with this。 Let no one suppose that for
a moment。 On the contrary； I thank God for the revival of the old
apostolic plan of 〃aggressiveness〃 in religion； and the evident spread
of a desire 〃by all means to save some。〃 （1 Cor。 ix。 22。） I thank God
for shortened services； home missions； and evangelistic movements like
that of Moody and Sankey。 Anything is better than torpor； apathy； and
inaction。 〃If Christ is preached I rejoice； yea； and will rejoice。〃
（Phil。 i。 18。） Prophets and righteous men in England once desired to
see those things； and never saw them。 If Whitfield and Wesley had been
told in their day that a time would e when English Archbishops and
Bishops would not only sanction mission services but take an active
part in them； I can hardly think they would have believed it。 Rather； I
suspect； they would have been tempted to say； like the Samaritan
nobleman in Elisha's time； 〃If the Lord would make windows in heaven；
might this thing be。〃 （2 Kings vii。 2。）
But while we are thankful for the increase of public religion； we must
never forget that； unless it is acpanied by private religion； it is
of no real solid value； and may even produce most mischievous effects。
Incessant running after sensational preachers； incessant attendance at
hot； crowded meetings； protracted to late hours； incessant craving
after fresh excitement and highly…spiced pulpit noveltiesall this
kind of thing is calculated to produce a very unhealthy style of
Christianity； and； in many cases； I am afraid； the end is utter ruin of
soul。 For； unhappily； those who make public religion everything； are
often led away by mere temporary emotions； after some grand display of
ecclesiastical oratory； into professing far more than they really feel。
After this； they can only be kept up to the mark； which they imagine
they have reached； by a constant succession of religious excitements。
By and by； as with opium…eaters and dram…drinkers； there es a time
when their dose loses its power； and a feeling of exhaustion and
discontent begins to creep over their minds。 Too often； I fear； the
conclusion of the whole matter is a relapse into utter deadness and
unbelief； and a plete return to the world。 And all results from
having nothing but a public religion！ Oh； that people would remember
that it was not the wind； or the fire； or the earthquake； which showed
Elijah the presence of God； but 〃the still； small voice。〃 （1 Kings xix。
12。）
Now I desire to lift up a warning voice on this subject。 I want to see
no decrease of public religion； remember： but I do want to promote an
increase of that religion which is privateprivate between each man
and his God。 The root of a plant or tree makes no show above ground。 If
you dig down to it and examine it； it is a poor； dirty； coarse…looking
thing； and not nearly so beautiful to the eye as the fruit； or leaf； or
flower。 But that despised root； nevertheless； is the true source of all
the life； health； vigour and fertility which your eyes see； and without
it the plant or tree would soon die。 Now private religion is the root
of all vital Christianity。 Without it； we may make a brave show in the
meeting or on the platform； and sing loud； and shed many tears； and
have a name to live and the praise of man。 But without it we have no
wedding garment； and are 〃dead before God。〃 I tell my readers plainly
that the times require of us all more attention to our private
religion。
（a） Let us pray more heartily in private； and throw our whole souls
more into our prayers。 There are live prayers and there are dead
prayersprayers that cost us nothing and prayers which often cost us
strong crying and tears。 What are yours？ When great professors
backslide in public； and the Church is surprised and shocked； the truth
is that they had long ago backslidden on their knees。 They had
neglected the throne of grace。
（b） Let us read our Bibles in private more； and with more pains and
diligence。 Ignorance of Scripture is the root of all error and makes a
man helpless in the hand of the devil。 There is less private
Bible…reading； I suspect； than there was fifty years ago。 I never can
believe that so many English men and women would have been 〃tossed to
and fro with every wind of doctrine；〃 some falling into scepticism；
some rushing into the wildest and narrowest fanaticism； and some going
over to Rome； if there had not grown up a habit of lazy； superficial；
careless； perfunctory reading of God's Word。 〃Ye do err not knowing the
Scriptures。〃 （Matt。 xxii。 29。） The Bible in the pulpit must never
supersede the Bible at home。
（c） Let us cultivate the habit of keeping up more private meditation
and munion with Christ。 Let us resolutely make time for getting
alone occasionally； for talking with our own souls like David； for
pouring out our hearts to our Great High Priest； Advocate； and
Confessor at the right hand of God。 We want more auricular confession：
but not to man。 The confessional we want is not a box in the vestry；
but the throne of grace。 I see some professing Christians always
running about after spiritual food； always in public； and always out of
breath and in a hurry； and never allowing themselves leisure to sit
down quietly to digest； and take stock of their spiritual condition。 I
am never surprised if such Christians have a dwarfish； stunted religion
and do not grow； and if； like Pharaoh's lean kine； they look no better
for their public religious feasting； but rather worse。 Spiritual
prosperity depends immensely on our private religion； and private
religion cannot nourish unless we determine that by God's help we will
make time； whatever trouble it may cost us； for thought； for prayer；
for the Bible； and for private munion with Christ。 Alas！ That saying
of our Master is sadly overlooked： 〃Enter into thy closet and shut the
door。〃 （Matt。 vi。 6。）
Our Evangelical forefathers had far fewer means and opportunities than
we have。 Full religious meetings and crowds； except occasionally at a
Church or in a field when such men as Whitfield； or Wesley； or Rowlands
preached； these were things of which they knew nothing。 Their
proceedings were neither fashionable nor popular； and often brought on
them more persecution and abuse than praise。 But the few weapons they
used； they used well。 With less noise and applause from man they made；
I believe； a far deeper mark for God on their generation than we do；
with all our Conferences； and Meetings； and Mission rooms； and Halls；
and multiplied religious appliances。 Their converts； I suspect； like
the old…fashioned cloths and linens； wore better； and lasted longer；
and faded less； and kept colour； and were more stable； and rooted； and
grounded than many of the new…born babes of this day。 And what was the
reason of all this？ Simply； I believe； because they gave more attention
to private religion than we generally do。 They walked closely with God
and honoured Him in private； and so He honoured them in public。 Oh； let
us follow them as they followed Christ！ Let us go and do likewise。
Let me now conclude this paper with a few words of practical
application。
（1） First of all； would you understand what the times require of you in
reference to your own soul？ Listen； and I will tell you。 You live in
times of peculiar spiritual danger。 Never perhaps were there more traps
and pitfalls in the way to heaven： never certainly were those traps so
skilfully baited and those pitfalls so ingeniously made。 Mind what you
are about。 Look well to your goings。 Ponder the paths of your feet。
Take heed lest you e to eternal grief and ruin your own soul。 Beware
of practical infidelity under the specious name of free thought。 Beware
of a helpless state of indecision about doctrinal truth under the
plausible idea of not being party spirited； and under the baneful
influence of so…called liberality and charity。 Beware of frittering
away life in wishing； and meaning； and hoping for the day of decision；
until the door is shut and you are given over to a dead conscience and
die without hope。 Awake to a sense of your danger。 Arise and give
diligence to make your calling and election sure； whatever else you
leave uncertain。 The kingdom of God is very nigh。 Christ the Almighty
Saviour； Christ the sinner's Friend； Christ and eternal life； are ready
for you if you will only e to Christ。 Arise and cast away excuses：
this very day Christ calleth you。 Wait not for pany if you cannot
have It； wait for nobody。 The times； I repeat； are desperately
dangerous。 If only few are in the narrow way of life； resolve that by
God's help you at any rate will be among the few。
（2） In the next place； would you understand what the times require of
all Christians in reference to the souls of others？ Listen； and I will
tell you。 You live in times of great liberty and abounding
opportunities of doing good。 Never were there so many open doors of
usefulness； so many fields white to the harvest。 Mind that you use
those open doors； and try to reap those fields。 Try to do a little good
before you die。 Strive to be useful。 Determine that； by God's help； you
will leave the world a better world in the day of your burial than it
was in the day you were born。 Remember the souls of relatives； friends
and panions； remember that God often works by weak instruments； and
try with holy ingenuity to lead them to Christ。 The time is short： the
sand is running out of the glass of this old world； then redeem the
time； and endeavour not to go to heaven alone。 No doubt you cannot
mand success。 It is not certain that your efforts to do good will
always do good to others： but it is quite certain that they will always
do good to yourself。 Exercise； exercise； is one grand secret of health；
both for body and soul。 〃He that watereth shall be watered himself。〃
（Prov。 ii。 25。） It is a deep and golden saying of our Master's； but
seldom understood in its full meaning〃It is more blessed to give than
to receive。〃 （Acts xx。 35。）
（3） In the last place； would you understand what the times require of
you in reference to the Church of England？ Listen to me； and I will
tell you。 No doubt you live in days when our time… honoured Church is
in a very perilous； distressing； and critical position。 Her rowers have
brought her into troubled waters。 Her very existence is endangered by
Papists； Infidels； and Liberationists without。 Her life…blood is
drained away by the behaviour of traitors； false friends； and timid
officers within。 Nevertheless； so long as the Church of England sticks
firmly to the Bible； the Articles； and the principles of the Protestant
Reformation； so long I advise you strongly to stick to the Church。 When
the Articles are thrown overboard and the old flag is hauled down；
then； and not till then； it will be time for you and me to launch the
boats and quit the wreck。 At present； let us stick to the old ship。
Why should we leave her now； like cowards； because she is in
difficulties and the truth cannot be maintained within her pale without
trouble？ How can we better ourselves？ To whom can we go？ Where shall we
find better prayers？ In what munion shall we find so much good being
done； in spite of the existence of much evil？ No doubt there is much to
sadden us； but there is not a single visible Church on earth at this
day doing better。 There is not a single munion where there are no
clouds； and all is serene。 〃The evils everywhere are mingled with the
good：〃 the wheat never grows without tares。 But for all that； there is
much to gladden us； more