Mrs. Girling and the Bible A SERMON, PREACHED AT ST. GEORGE'S HALL, LANGHAM REV. CHARLES VOYSEY. MATTHEW VII., 5. "First cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." The events which recently occurred at Lymington in Hampshire, have brought again into prominence questions which the professedly Christian world should forthwith face and, if possible, solve. Mrs. Girling and her followers, whom I do not call "Shakers" because they do not desire to be confounded with that denomination, but call themselves "Bible-Christians" instead, have been trying the experiment of living in strict accordance with the rules and examples laid down for the followers of Christ in the New Testament; and the result has been a hopeless failure to make such a life harmonize with the social conditions of the 19th century. With every desire to be strictly honest, and to "owe no man anything," "to render unto all their dues," they have been overwhelmed with debt which they could not pay, and have been consequently driven from home and forced to encounter exposure and comparative starvation in one of the bitterest winters we have had for many years. By what would be deemed by some persons a strange anomaly, they are now rescued and being sheltered and fed by a man who has not the smallest sympathy with their creed, or any secret respect for their delusions. Not caring a fig to be called a Christian, he is nevertheless Rev. C. Voysey's sermons are to be obtained at St. George's Hall, every Sunday morning, or from the Author (by post), Camden House, Dulwich, S.E. Price one penny, postage a halfpenny. |