SERMON ON "HYPOCRISY."

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3139, 27 August 1892, Page 6 (Supplement)

SERMON ON "HYPOCRISY."

TllK Rev. Jas. Thomas [-reached a forceful sermon on " Hypocrisy " in the \\ resleyan Church, Hamilton, on Sunday evening, August 14th. lie hased his remarks on a passage in Job, XXVII rhapter and the Sth and oth versos, .mi! opened his remarks by saying that hyp-i----cri-y is as old as the human family : hypocrites have lived from the beginning. Tin- book of Job, from which the text is taken, although so ancient, yet its writer was most familiar with hypocrites, as is evident from tho fact thai ho frequently speaks of them. Thus it is evident that hypocrisy can boast of ancient lineage. But it 'cannot only boast of ancient ancestry, but also of being widespread in its influence, permeating as it does tho various ramifications of society. It has taken hold of and manifested itself in private life and public transactions. Hypocrisy is a lesson that every man readily takes in. It appears with infancy and continues with ajre. The wise and learned practice it, the duller and more rude attain unto it. Hypocrites are confined to no class or country, religious denomination or profession. There are hypocrites not only in religion, but in politics ; thero are hypocrites in business, in friendships and in morals ; thero are pretended friendß, pretended patriots and ptetended lovers of virtue and truth; men and women whoso hearts are false and hollow, just as there are pretended friends of religion. Whenever there is a genuine coin it is likety to be counterfeited, and the fact of the counterfeit is always a tribute to the intrinsic worth of the coin. Now, the fact that there are hypocrites in the Churches is au involuntary tribute to the excellency of religion. Counterfeit Christians are a proof that the genuine article does exist. Now, while there are hypocrites in all departments and walks of life, yet the hypocrite alluded to in the text is the church or religious hypocrite, Mr Thomas then proceeded to divide his subject. I. The hypocrite has a hope—lf he had not a hope, an aim, a goal in view, he would not go to the trouble of assuming the attitude of a hypocrite ; neither would he persevere in wearing the mask, &c. 11. What is his hope ? —This might be looked at under two aspects :—I. What is the nature of his hope ? 2. What is it worth ? 1. What is the nature of his hope ? Well, it is a hope of gain. (a) Ecclesiastical gain. Many men have assumed religion in order to have the door of the church open to them, and they have succeaded. They considered it would be a gain to them to occupy a position in the church ; that they could reap advantages in the church as members or preachers which could-not be attained so well in any other way, and they resolved to try to enter. (b) Social gain Many have put on the garb of religion and assumed piety in order to reap social fruits, and social advantages are to be gained by association with the church. Things arc greatly changed now to what they were in bygone days, when a profession of Christianity meant the loss of one's all ; subjection to the bitterest persecution, and often a cruel and untimely death. Hypocrisy did not pay in those days. Times, however, have changed. It is now considered respectable to be religious ; and many a designing rogue and villian has seen this and resolved to score a few points, hence he has donned the

(c) Monetarv gain. Many have entered the Church with the sordid object of | monetary gain. They were purely mer- , cenary in their aim and ambition; and they thought that could they but plant themselves in the Churcn they wonld command the patronage of the Church. But while wearing the visage of the pious they were nought else than " whited sepulchres beautiful without; but immoral full of dead mens' bones and corruption, etc., etc." (2). What is it worth ? What will it be worth when God tears away the mask ? What will it be worth when God comes along with his mop and removes off the paint and whitewash ? Or in the words of our text, what will it be when God takes away his soul? We admit that the hypocrite "may "gain by his hypocrisy.' He may gain sooially and monetarily, indeed his success may greatly exceed his most sanguine hopes. He may throuarh hi« hypocrisy have risen in society, prospered iri business, and amassed wealth ; but in face of all this gain, what would you give for his hope when " God taketh away his soul ?" The text represents that trouble will overtake the hypocrite, and such is invariably the case. Here Mr Thomas pointed out various ways in which trouble would overtake the hypocrite, and that probably in his trouble he would " cry to God" as we all seem to do in trouble if not in sunshine ; but although he would cry to God there was a danger of God not hearing him, etc., etc. Then Mr Thomas went on to deal in a most crushing manI ner with the youncj-old hypocrite, " Gifford, the artist." who was arrested in Cambridge last Thursday, and spoke of the conversation he had with him in the lockup ; and how he admitted to MiThomas that his credentials were all fictitious, having be».n written by himself ; and that a " Note of introduction to Wesleyan ministers in general," which he stated had been given to him by the Rev. J. J. Lewis, Wesleyan minister of Wellington, was written by himself. Mr Thomas then spoke of the gad, human and moral wreck this young man had become, and warned the young people present against telling the first falsehood and taking the first false

step. Mr Thomas stated tint there was a time when this Gifford was an innocent and pure child ; but the time came in his history when he took the first wrong step, with the result that h« is now morally and socially ruined. Mr Thomas here pointed out that in fact hypocrites were no reflection upon the religion of Christ; because it was not the possession of religion that caused them to act hypocritically, but their nou-possassion of it. If a man were truly pious he would live an honourable and consistent life, and the more religion he possessed the more truly noble his life would become. Many people err here. When they meet a professor of religion who acts dishonourably, they exclaim in evident gratification and disgust : "There is your religion again ! That is one of your saints ! " But this Mr Thomas emphatically denied, and said that it was not their religion again but rather their want of religion, or the absence of the true religious spirit from their hearts and minds.

Judging from the remarks of many members of the large audience as they dispersed, it was evident that the discourse was considered opportune and was greatly appreciated.