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TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Personal Problems (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 67. Glimpses of Real Life.
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Glimpses of Real Life.
A friend took me to luncheon one day. He is a leading member of his church, and prominent in various forms of Christian activity. We ate at a very finely appointed club house. As we were looking over the menu card and deciding upon the items of luncheon, my friend said, in the same tone as when asking about meats, "Will you have some beer?" I said quietly, "No, I believe not," not supposing that he was speaking seriously. But as I glanced over at him he seemed as though he actually supposed I might drink that beverage. For a long time I was in doubt as to whether my friend was serious in his question, but, chancing to meet him in a hotel, in another city, dining alone, I knew through my eyes that he had not been indulging in humor in his question.
At another time a young man who was a leader in an organization for aggressive Christian work offered me tickets to a certain performance at the popular theatre of the city, commenting favorably on the merits of the performance. In response to a question, he said he had found it enjoyable to go sometimes.
I remember vividly the scene one Sabbath night in a large hall in a city in Germany. A very large audience was assembled, including several clergymen sitting upon the platform. It was a union meeting of the churches of the city. Beer was being served throughout the service. And I noted the dexterity with which the waiters could handle a half-dozen large full mugs, make change, and glide quietly about, without disturbing the service by noise. I remember, too, that when one of the speakers gave expression to a pleasing sentiment the young element present began to applaud by hand-clapping, but were instantly checked by a storm of hisses, that ran like a sharp breeze over the hall. Such desecration of the Sabbath day clearly was not permissible.
One Sabbath morning I was startled, on entering the church where I was to speak, to notice in the corner of each pew a spittoon, and then one in the pulpit. These articles were of white china, and so in sharp contrast with the surroundings of walnut and brown furnishings. The color of that which had evidently gone into the spittoon was in such keeping with the general color-scheme of the church as to make quite clear the usage that required them.
One of the leading speakers at a Christian workers' convention was inquiring about what train he could get after the service Sabbath night. He was a very busy man, lived a full night's ride away, and was eager to be at his desk Monday morning. Another leader present in the group remarked to me afterwards that he would not think of doing such a thing as taking a train on Sabbath night. Yet I knew that he was in the habit of using bottled beer on the score of his health.
A large party of church people were on a trip to a religious gathering. It was a long trip, involving a Sabbath day on the way. The special train schedule was arranged so as to stop over for that day, and then leave at a few minutes past midnight of the Sabbath day. In a chance exchange of remarks with an engineer who did not know me, he said, with a leering wink of the eye: "These church folks don't travel on Sunday, you know." His tone and manner suggested that he did not think much of the sort of technical Sabbath observance that required him and his crew to use part of their Sabbath day in working.
A Southern clergyman visiting his brother in the North was to attend a certain church service on the Sabbath day. It was some distance away, too far for him to walk; but he did not think it right to use the street cars on that day, and so requested his brother to engage a carriage for his use. The brother did so. Later the brother remarked to me that if he were seen on the street cars on the Sabbath, his friends would know that he was going to the mission he attended every Sabbath; if they saw him in a carriage driving they would likely suppose, he said, that he was out for a pleasure jaunt.
A young woman, member of a leading church in her home city, teacher in the Sabbath School, and faithful in attendance at the Young People's Meetings, was talking with a friend of mine about card-playing and dancing. She said she thought it was not right for a true Christian to engage in these things, but when she was out in social gatherings, where they were indulged, she would join through dislike of being thought peculiar.