ing," said he,
"but especially the tone of religious conversation, is much lowered. The
language of a Christian minister in discussing Christian topics will
naturally be consonant to that of Scripture. The Scripture speaks of a
man being _renewed in the spirit of his mind_, of his being _sanctified
by the grace of God_. Now how much circumlocution is necessary for us in
conversing with a man of the world, to convey the sense, without
adopting the expression; and what pains must we take to make our meaning
intelligible without giving disgust, and to be useful without causing
irritation!"

"But, my good Doctor," said Sir John, "is it not a little puritanical to
make use of such solemn expressions in company?"

"Sir," replied Dr. Barlow, "it is worse than puritanical, it is
hypocritical, where the principle itself does not exist, and even where
it does, it is highly inexpedient to introduce such phrases into general
company at all. But I am speaking of serious private conversation when,
if a minister is really in earnest, there is nothing absurd in his
prudent use of Scripture expressions. One great difficulty, and which
obstructs the usefulness of a clergyman, in conversation with many
persons of the higher class, who would be sorry not to be thought
religious, is, that they keep up so little acquaintance with the Bible,
that from their ignorance of its venerable phraseology, they are
offended at the introduction of a text, not because it is Scripture--for
that they maintain a kind of general reverence--but because from not
reading it, they do not know that it _is_ Scripture.

"I once lent a person of rank and talents an admirable sermon, written
by one of our first divines. Though deeply pious, it was composed with
uncommon spirit and elegance, and I thought it did not contain one
phrase which could offend the most fastidious critic. When he returned
it, he assured me that he liked it much on the whole, and should have
approved it altogether, but for one methodistical expression. To my
utter astonishment he pointed to the exceptionable passage, 'There is
now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh but after the spirit.' The chapter and verse not being
mentioned, he never suspected it was a quotation from the Bible."

"This is one among many reasons," said Mr. Stanley, "why I so
strenuously insist that young persons should read the Scriptures,
unaltered, unmodernized, unmutilated