at they
will never attain real rest and satisfaction to their souls till they
have found God, and are found of Him in Christ Jesus.

But the question may be asked, "Is it possible for unsaved people
(spiritually dead) to be so good and religious? Is not such a state an
indication of spiritual vitality?" I answer, without hesitation, that it
is possible. Religion by itself, irrespective of the subject-matter of a
creed, may have a quieting and controlling effect upon the soul. The
Hindoo, the Moslem, the Jew, the Romanist, as well as the Protestant,
may each and all be wonderfully self-possessed, zealous, devout, or
teachable, or even all these together, and yet remain dead souls.

As a boy in India, I remember being greatly struck with the calmness of
the Hindoos, as contrasted with the impatience and angry spirit of the
English. On one occasion I observed one of the former at his devotions.
He, with others, had been carrying me about in a palankeen all day in
the hot sun. In the evening, he most reverently took from his girdle a
piece of mud of the sacred river Ganges, or Gunga, as they call it, and
dissolving this in water, he washed a piece of ground, then, having
washed his feet and hands, he stepped on this sacred spot, and began to
cook his food. While it was preparing, he was bowed to the ground, with
his face between his knees, worshipping towards the setting sun. A boy
who was standing by me said, "If you touch that man he will not eat his
dinner." In a thoughtless moment I did so with my hand, and immediately
he rose from his devotions; but, instead of threatening and swearing at
me, as some might have done who belong to another religion, he only
looked reproachfully, and said, "Ah, Master William!" and then emptying
out the rice which was on the fire, he began his ceremony all over
again. It was quite dark before he had finished his "poojah," or
worship, and his meal. This man's religious self-possession made a
greater impression on me than if he had abused or even struck me, for
hindering his dinner. I thought to myself, "I will be a Hindoo when I
grow up!" And truly I kept my word, though not in the same form; for
what else was I in my earnest, religious days!

This is an important question to settle, and, therefore, I will give
three examples from Scripture.

No one can doubt the zeal of Saul of Tarsus. This was no easy-going,
charitable creed, which supposes all good men are right. He was sure
that if