TOHU-VA-VOHU 19
Apostle preached, ‘repentance towards God, and faith
towards our Lord Jesus Christ.’
A strange confusion and legalism some nowadays
would call such preaching !
I cannot find terms too strong to express my
abhorrence of the conceit, self-righteousness, narrow-
mindedness, folly, and perversion of Christianity of
some modern sectaries. Theologically speaking, they
are dangerous lunatics, who, in their own opinion,
are too good for this world. And if it were left to
them, what a mess they would make of it!
‘Citizens of another world,’ say they, and there-
fore we must not take part in anything connected
with the State or society. As if our Lord had not
given His sanction to civil society when, in paying
the tribute, He pointed to the image and superscrip-
tion on the coin; and St. Paul, when he insisted on
his rights as a Roman citizen, and afterwards
appealed unto Cesar! Would it be believed that
they think the standpoint of our Lord and of St. Paul
in so doing was below theirs? Not: O sancta simpli-
citas; but: O pRrorana simplicitas /
Some of these sectaries may be excellent wine—
but, ah me! it 1s dreadfully corked!