Laicus; Or, the Experiences of a Layman in a Country Parish.Abbott, Lyman
Religion
Laicus; Or, the Experiences of a Layman in a Country Parish.
Abbott, Lyman
Christian fiction; New York (State) -- Fiction; Parishes -- Fiction
Or take Mr. Typsel the printer. He publishes the Newtown Chronicle.
He sends a weekly message to 10,000 readers, at least twenty times
as many as Dr. Argure's congregation. I do not know how good a
Christian he is; I do not know much about the Newtown Chronicle. But
I know that the press is exerting an incalculable influence over the
people, for good or for ill and the man who devotes his energies to
it, and really uses it to educate and elevate the community, is
doing as much in his sphere for Christ as the minister in his. He
has no right to neglect the greater work God has given him to do for
the lesser work of teaching a Sabbath School class.
Jennie.:
--That is if he cannot well do both.
Laicus.:
--Yes--of course. If he can do both, that is very well.
Dr. Argure.:
--That's a very dangerous doctrine Mr. Laicus.
Laicus,: [(warmly).]
--If it is true it is not dangerous. The truth is never dangerous.
Dr. Argure.:
--The truth is not to be spoken at all times.
Deacon Goodsole.:
--That's a very unnecessary doctrine, Dr., to teach to a lawyer.
Dr. Argure,: [(indifferent alike to the sally and to the laugh
which follows it).]
--Consider, Mr. Laicus, what would be the effect on the church of
preaching that doctrine. It is our duty to build up the church. It
is the church which is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is the
church which is Christ's great instrumentality for the conversion of
the world. When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of his Christ, then the church will have universal
dominion. Here in Wheathedge, for example, Mr. Work is laboring to
build up and strengthen the church of Christ. And you tell his
people and the people of hundreds of similar parishes all over the
land, that it is no matter whether they do any work in the church or
not. Consider the effect of it.
Laicus.:
--It seems to me, Dr., that you entertain a low, though a very
common, conception of your office. The ministers are not mere
builders of churches. They are set to build men. The church which
will have universal dominion is not this or that particular
organization, but the whole body of those who love the truth as it
is in Christ Jesus. Churches, creeds, covenants, synods, assemblies,
associations, will all fade; the soul alone is immortal. If you are
really building for eternity you cannot merely build churches.
Dr. Argure.:
--Consider then, Mr. Laicus, the effect of your doctrine on the
hearts and souls of men. Consider how many idle and indifferent
professors of religion there are, who are doing nothing in the
church, and nothing for the church. And you tell them that it is
just as well they should not; that they are just as worthy of honor
as if they were active in the Lords vineyard?
Laicus.:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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