“Well, then, did you not know about ten years ago one Temporary in your parts who was a forward man in religion?  Know him! replied the other.  Yes.  For my house not being above three miles from his house he would ofttimes come to me, and that with many tears.  Truly I pitied the man, and was not altogether without hope of him; but one may see that it is not every one who cries Lord, Lord.  And now, since we are talking about him, let us a little inquire into the reason of the sudden backsliding of him and such others.  It may be very profitable, said Christian, but do you begin.  Well, then, there are in my judgment several reasons for it.”  And then, with the older man’s entire approval, Hopeful sets forth several reasons, taken from his own observation of backsliders, why so many men’s religion is such a temporary thing; why so many run well for a time, and then stand still, and then turn back.

1.  The fear of man bringeth a snare, said Hopeful, moralising over his old acquaintance Temporary.  And how true that observation is every evangelical minister knows to his deep disappointment.  A young man comes to his minister at some time of distress in his life, or at some time of revival of religion in the community, or at an ordinary communion season, and gives every sign that he is early and fairly embarked on an honourable Christian life.  He takes his place in the Church of Christ, and he puts out his hand to her work, till we begin to look forward with boastfulness to a life of great stability and great attainment for that man.  Our Lord, as we see from so many of His parables, must have had many such cases among His first followers.  Our Lord might be speaking prophetically, as well as out of His own experience, so well do His regretful and lamenting words fit into so many of our own cases to-day.  For, look at that young business man.  He has been born and brought up in the Church of Christ.  He has gladdened more hearts than he knows by the noble promise of his early days.  Many admiring and loving eyes have been turned on him as he took so hopefully the upward way.  But a sifting-time soon comes.  A time of temptation comes.  A time comes when sides must be taken in some moral, religious, ecclesiastical controversy.  This young man is at that moment a candidate for a post that will bring distinction, wealth, and social influence to him who holds it.  And the candidate we are so much interested in is admittedly a man of such outstanding talents that he would at once get the post were it not that the holder of that post must not have his name so much associated with such and such a church, such and such political and religious opinions, and such and such public men.  He is told that.  Indeed, he is not so dull as to need to be told that.  He has seen that all along.  And at first it is a dreadful wrench to him.  He feels how far he is falling from his high ideals in life; and, at first, and for a long time, it is a dreadful humiliation