Practical Christianity

( Originally Published 1885 )

MANY seem to think that the polemic age has passed, and that this is the period of deeds, not words. How strange it sounds that at Joseph Cook's last symposium, the most radical orthodox and the most radical extreme from orthodoxy failed to get up a discussion ! Let the gauntlet be thrown down with never so small bluster, there was no disposition to pick it up. What, pray, would Cotton Mather, or Roger Williams, or George Fox, or — shall I say it —Jonathan Edwards or Leonard Woods have said to such a circumstance ? But the times change, and the people change with them. Our age has its faults and it has its excellences.

If there is one lesson which it ought to learn, it is that piety and right doing should never be divorced. The blessed Saviour is our example, and " He went about doing good." So the Christian should be distinguished by the good deeds which he does.

" Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works," says the Apostle James, when commenting upon and explaining Brother Paul's beautiful discourse upon the necessity of faith as the cardinal Christian virtue.

In a large New England city a few winters ago, a gentleman, not a church member, late one very cold evening stepped into an eating saloon to get a cup of tea. In the front part of the saloon, next the street door, was a large stove ; near this stove had gathered several newsboys. Nice, fresh-fried dough-nuts were a specialty at this particular restaurant, and those which happened to be left over from yesterday (called stale doughnuts) were sold at half price, or one cent apiece. These boys would therefore come in, buy a " stale doughnut," and then, being customers, would feel at liberty to stop and warm by the stove. This gentleman, while drinking his tea, observed the bright, active appearance of one of these lads, who seemed to be the leader of the group, and calling him to himself, asked him if he and his companions would not like to have a fresh doughnut.

" Bet I would, if I had the chink," said the boy.

" Well, bring your friends up to the counter and get one," said the gentleman.

"Come on, boys, this Mister 's going to treat ; draw up, all of you."

The boys, with a rush, all mounted the high stools standing before the tall counter, and began to crack their jokes as only street gamins know how to do.

The gentleman ordered the waiter to give each boy a cup of tea and two fresh dough-nuts. Imagine — if you are acquainted with these newsboys of the street ; otherwise you cannot those six boys drawn up in front of that counter, each with his cup of tea before him and a long twisted doughnut in each hand, taking first a bite from one, then from the other, then laying them both down and sipping his cup of tea, lifted with both hands.

Their feet and fingers may have been half frozen, but their tongues were limber, and the jokes went round, sparkling with genuine wit. After observing them for a while, and paying the bill, my friend bade the boys good night, and started towards the door.