difficult
effort at spirituality is greater than he knows. The "carnal mind"
itself is "enmity against God," and the antipathy, or the deadlier
apathy within, is unexpectedly encouraged from that very outside source
from which he anticipates the greatest help. Connecting himself with a
Church he is no less interested than surprised to find how rich is the
provision there for every part of his spiritual nature. Each service
satisfies or surfeits. Twice, or even three times a week, this feast is
spread for him. The thoughts are deeper than his own, the faith keener,
the worship loftier, the whole ritual more reverent and splendid. What
more natural than that he should gradually exchange his personal
religion for that of the congregation? What more likely than that a
public religion should by insensible stages supplant his individual
faith? What more simple than to content himself with the warmth of
another's soul. What more tempting than to give up private prayer for
the easier worship of the liturgy or of the church? What, in short, more
natural than for the independent, free-moving, growing Sacculina to
degenerate into the listless, useless, pampered parasite of the pew? The
very means he takes to nurse his personal religion often come in time
to wean him from it. Hanging admiringly, or even enthusiastically, on
the lips of eloquence, his senses now stirred by ceremony, now soothed
by music, the parasite of the pew enjoys his weekly worship--his
character untouched, his will unbraced, his crude soul unquickened and
unimproved. Thus, instead of ministering to the growth of individual
members, and very often just in proportion to the superior excellence of
the provision made for them by another, does this gigantic system of
deputy-nutrition tend to destroy development and arrest the genuine
culture of the soul. Our churches overflow with members who are mere
consumers. Their interest in religion is purely parasitic. Their only
spiritual exercise is the automatic one of imbibition, the clergyman
being the faithful Hermit-crab who is to be depended on every Sunday for
at least a week's supply.

A physiologist would describe the organism resulting from such a
progress as a case of "arrested development." Instead of having learned
to pray, the ecclesiastical parasite becomes satisfied with being prayed
for. His transactions with the Eternal are effected by commission. His
work for Christ is done by a paid deputy. His whole l