DEAR FRIENDS,—Though absent in the flesh, I am often present with you in the spirit. There is not a day in which I do not think of you, and often do I carry you to a throne of grace, and beseech our Heavenly Father that you may be kept steadfast in the faith, have the comfort of His love, the strength of His power, and the joy of His presence.
The times in which we live call for great searchings of heart, deep humiliation before God, and special grace to hold fast that to which we have attained, witness faithfully for Christ, and to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. The strong winds of erroneous doctrine, religious delusion, and corrupt worship are blowing over the earth, and unless divinely protected we are in great danger of being carried away thereby. While we rejoice in the efforts that are being made to give the Bible to all nations in their native languages, in the missionary spirit of the Churches, and in the possession of social and civil privileges which have their roots in Christianity, we cannot but be pained to see how much the Churches have followed the customs and spirit of the world. And when we see the present condition of the great majority of the Churches which had their origin in a Covenanted Reformation, we cannot but exclaim, “How art thou fallen.” When we compare the average professed Christian with the divine model, and the Church of to-day with the Church of the New Testament, we are amazed at their want of conformity to the divine pattern. And when we see the strenuous efforts that are being made to spread error and innovations in the worship of God, and to draw people away from sound doctrine and pure worship, and see what a multitude are going after the commandments of men, we cannot but feel that perilous times have come.
The declension has gone so far that the Churches are in great danger of losing their distinctiveness as Christian institutions. They are becoming clubs, recreation grounds, mutual entertainment societies, and the like. They have largely lost their firm convictions of the importance of truth, and have sunk into indifference, or have halted at the point of compromise, or have shown favour to any creed that allows conscience to slumber and responsibility to be discharged by proxy. There is a general impression that one creed is as good as another, and that the best creed is the one that permits most self-indulgence and is satisfied with the gold and jewels of a fleeting and frivolous world. How little sanctified money there is in those days. I mean money set apart for Christ’s cause, directly, cheerfully, and as God has prospered the giver. Christian men rightly suppose that they do a good deal for the work of the Church, but what do they more than others? Some will give twice as much for a political campaign as they will for the Church. Very often some rich worldling has by a single gift done more for some hospital, or library, or town, than Church members of equal wealth have done for the Church of Christ in a lifetime. Christians help one another, but a host of fraternal societies help their members more liberally, and they pay their dues and frequent assessments directly into the treasury, and they pay willingly and cheerfully. But a large part of the funds for the Church must be drawn out of her members by means of oyster suppers, soirees, garden parties, and various other entertainments. They are loath to part with their money for Christ until they have gotten all the carnal satisfaction out of it that they possibly can.
Look, too, at the toy efforts that some people are so fond of multiplying for the advancement of the Church. Anything new is sprung at with avidity, no matter how much may be cast off which has been proved to be of solid worth. “Only get up a new society, a new scheme, a new toy of any kind, and like every kind of quack medicine in the world, it will be loaded with testimonials. We have guilds, and bands, and rings, and fellowships without count.” There is no evidence that Christ ever contemplated a brass band and drums for arousing a revival in the Church. The Old Testament had its trumpets and cymbals and gorgeous ritual and imposing ceremonies, but in the New Testament we have a simpler ritual of singing psalms, and prayer, and preaching, and observing the Sacraments in simple ways.
Never was there a greater need for a full, clear, and particular testimony for God’s truth than now. Sound doctrine and pure worship are slipping away from the leaders and the masses in the Churches everywhere. The Word, which God has exalted above his great name, is treated as a common thing. Its grand doctrines of sovereign grace are characterised as mere opinions, and its appointed worship is looked upon as something that may be changed as human fancy may dictate. Instruments of music have forced themselves into the house and worship of God; choirs have destroyed congregational singing; and human hymns have superseded the matchless songs of Zion. The Lord’s vineyard is overrun with the briars and thorns of Popery, Arminianism, Socinianism, Humanitarianism, and other gospels contrary to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Church government and discipline have been lowered to the standard of mere policy. Not the will of God, but the will of the people, has become the law of administration. No doctrine must be preached contrary to the public mind, no sin rebuked contrary to the popular practice. This or that change must be made in the worship simply because the majority of the people want it. And the Sabbath—the Sabbath of the Shorter Catechism and the Bible—has slipped away from us. On all sides there is a manifest disposition to please the world. Instead of trying to lift the world up to the high standard of truth, the Church is stepping down to the level of the world. How long shall these things be? All these things are to be mourned over, but the most lamentable of all is the fact that these things that ought to be put away are regarded by the majority in the Churches as evidences of progress and of growing light, for so long as they remain blinded there is little hope for reformation.
It is sad to find so many evils in the Churches, and it is with a sorrowful heart that any true Christian points them out, but to be loyal to our Lord and Master we must condemn and testify against them both by our words and our lives. Because these things are so, and because they are contrary to the Gospel of Christ, you and I, and others, stand in the position we do. We ought to be thankful that God has not permitted us to be carried away with the current of defection. Thankful that we have eyes to see, ears to hear, consciences to feel, and a desire to uphold the banner of truth, but let us not be high-minded, but fear. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”
At the bottom of all these unscriptural sentiments and practices prevalent in the Church, the indolence of Church members, and their coldness respecting truth and duty, lie ignorance of God and decline of piety. It is therefore our duty to seek a deeper and more extensive knowledge of God, and to keep our hearts warm by constant communion with God. We should prove by word and act that we not only accept the rich legacy of truth which God has bequeathed to us, but that we value it. We must strive against the prevalent indifference to the cause of God. We must not be discouraged or cowed into silence by reproach. If called to bear reproach for Christ’s sake, we should rejoice that we are counted worthy to bear reproach for His name. We are called to be soldiers of Christ. Let us prove ourselves worthy such a captain, learn His laws and discipline, abide by His standard, put on the whole armour of God, guard well the sacred deposit of truth both for ourselves and posterity, and teach them the truth and ordinances of God. The diligent and the faithful will not lose their reward.
My letter is now longer than I intended, and lest I weary you I must bring it to a close. “The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious to thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” That the Lord may keep you all safe and faultless until the day of Jesus Christ is the prayer of
Your Brother in Christ,
SAMUEL H. MACNEEL.
Chesley, Ont., 20th February, 1902.