Southern Christian Advocate

POCKET DEEP.

Yes—say, does your religion go pocket deep? Were you converted only in the upper story—the old man only scalped—or was he killed dead? Does your religion reach only about that ' unruly' member, so that cut your head off and soul and body would both be damned? Or were you converted, right down through from head to foot, 'soul, body and spirit, pocket, pocket-book and all?' Not merely the coppers, three-cent pieces, and smooth fourpences, but those dollars, and dimes, and V's and X's? Say, friend, when God converted you, did he convert house, barn, cellar, corn-cribs, potato-bins, meal-bags and all? You have been praying for a deeper work of grace—how deep will you have it? Pocket deep? You have desired to 'feel more deeply'—how deep? Pocket deep, or do you only want to feel skin deep? You don't feel as you want to: Well, perhaps you never will till you feel in your pocket more.

Just think about these matters, will you? You feel for your brother; well just feel in your pocket. You feel for the poor; well, feel in your pocket. You feel for 'the cause;' well, feel in your pocket. You feel for poor preachers; well feel in your pocket. And if you feel there you will make others feel, and feel very thankful too, that God has some servants whose religion is pocket-deep.

'O, I don't believe in talking so much about pecuniary matters.' You don't, eh? 'Ah, well, I guess your religion is not pocket-deep yet. Try again—get a little nearer Him who 'was rich' and 'became poor' for you. You feel rather pleased when God's blessings come rolling into your purse and dwelling—that's all right, but the Lord Jesus said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Now don't shrug your shoulders so, I'm not going to beg a sixpence from you; don't be alarmed, I wouldn't ask you to give me a dollar for all the money you have in the world. Don't fret; all I want to know is whether your religion is pocket-deep or not. Just think of it a little. I don't ask whether you would scatter everything to the four winds if you knew the Lord was coming, so that you couldn't use it; but whether you are ready to open 'the bag' now when it can be of use, as at some other time, when it will be scattered in haste and fear, and do no one any good, and perhaps will do much hurt, as has often been the case in time past.

In a word, is your religion pocket-deep, or is it only skin deep?—Cross and Crown.