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732 [Doc. 292.
ANECDOTES AND MISCELLANIES.
is nothing but lifeless dust ; and faith which does not live in
every action of man is a dead faith; it is no faith at all.
Here, my friends, see what this Christian world really does.
They call, indeed, upon Him, the only Son , in their times
of need, but they forget both His teaching and His life. Like
an obstinate child who despises warning, they rush into all
manner of lusts, into pride and wickedness, which are like a
thin , frail covering over an abyss ; and over this yawning
abyss they scoff at their teacher, and act foolishly and madly
until this covering breaks. Then they call out for help, but
in vain, for they have long since forfeited it ; sometimes they
are dragged up again, but in their foolish pride they let go
the saving hand , they spurn the healing repentance , and
continue their course of vain talk and idle sport. So does
the Christian world, and they think that all that is necessary
for them is to have a priest to speak to them a few hours
in the week about God and the Saviour ; and they do not
think that any more is required of them than to hear and to
forget. They therefore believe that it is outward gesture, the
singing of psalms, and the tones of the organ, together with
the empty sound of recited prayers, which penetrate to the
Lord in heaven. Truly when the people prostrate themselves
in the churches, then it is the voice of a few only that pe
netrates to the Lord.
"Let me tell you something. To-day there was a little
child sitting in the street, a little blind girl, who folded her
little hands upon her lap, and turned her darkened eyes to
wards heaven ; and when I saw her, and asked her, ’What
makes you look so happy, although you are blind ?’ the little
girl said, ’I am thinking of God our Father, who will some
day take me to Him, and show me all His splendour.’ Truly,
my good people, it was only at the corner of the street that
she sat, yet I took off my hat, and bowed my head, for I knew
that God was near, and that this was a holy place.
"No, there is a worm gnawing at the kernel of Christianity,
although its shell is whole. Charity is the kernel, and the
outward forms are the shell. Where do you see charity in
this uncharitable world? As long as violence prevails and
rules, as long as selfishness and avarice oppress mankind, as
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