t that you are a sinner. You know
better, your own heart tells you the truth. They can take away the
Saviour, and only leave you your sins. The doubter may scoff you out
of believing in the resurrection. But can he laugh you out of
believing in death? When your little child dies, and you look at the
loving eyes closing for the last time, what comfort has your doubting
friend to give you? Not a word. He leaves you alone with your dead,
and he has robbed you of the only hope which makes death bearable--the
resurrection unto eternal life. You come to your own dying bed; is
there one of these doubting, scoffing faith-destroying friends who can
bring peace or calm to your last hours? Will it be any comfort to you
to hear them say that "there is nothing new, nothing true, and that it
does not signify?" They tell you one fact, which you know already,
that you are dying. But beyond that they know nothing, hope nothing,
believe nothing.

My brothers, do not let these people, with their shallow talk and
shallow books, rob you of your peace, cheat you out of your birthright.
Look at the lives of these doubters, and then look at the lives of
Jesus and His saints. See which example is the purer, the more noble.
Which is better, to imitate the life of self-sacrifice which Jesus led,
to copy the dauntless faith of S. Paul, the loving gentleness of S.
John, the humble penitence of Augustine, the fearless courage of
Savonarola, or to sit at the feet of those who spend a selfish life in
trying to describe a world in which there is no God?

Another of the dangers of the day is a constant desire for _something
new_, and, if possible, sensational. There are some who would have
their religion as full of novelties as their newspaper, or their
amusement. The old paths which God has given us to walk in have become
too commonplace for such as these; and they run eagerly into any new
way, however fantastic. And, above all, these people want a religion
which is made easy for them. They have no objection to being saved
provided that the process is quick, easy, and costs them nothing. They
turn away from the thought of self-denial, of keeping under the body,
of fasting and prayer, of watchfulness and self-examination. They must
be made good all at once, and be admitted into the front rank of
saints, without having fought and suffered in a lower place. My
brethren, beware of this mushroom religion, which grows up suddenly,
and as