Drummond: on Pilgrim's Progress

Thursday, January 28, 2010
    Feast of Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”
    —Matthew 23:23 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The tendency of the religions of all time has been to care more for religion than for humanity; Christ cared more for humanity than for religion—rather, His care for humanity was the chief expression of His religion. He was not indifferent to observances, but the practices of the people bulked in His thoughts before the practices of the Church. It has been pointed out as a blemish on the immortal allegory of Bunyan that the Pilgrim never did anything—anything but save his soul. The remark is scarcely fair, for the allegory is designedly the story of a soul in a single relation; and, besides, he did do a little. But the warning may well be weighed. The Pilgrim’s one thought, his work by day, his dream by night, was escape. He took little part in the world through which he passed. He was a Pilgrim travelling through it; his business was to get through safe. Whatever this is, it is not Christianity.
    ... Henry Drummond (1851-1897), The Programme of Christianity, New York: J. Potts, 1891, p. 9 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, keep our eyes on the substance of faith in You. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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