. . .
And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in
the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them,
Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than
unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have
seen and heard."
Last Thursday was St Peter's Day. The congregation on that day was, as
far as I could perceive, no larger than usual; and this is not a matter
of surprise. Since we gave up at the Reformation the superstitious
practice of praying to the saints, saints' days have sunk--and indeed
sunk too much--into neglect. For most men's religion has a touch of
self-interest in it; and therefore when people discovered that they could
get nothing out of St Peter or St John by praying to them, they began to
forget the very memory, many of them, of St Peter, St John, and other
saints and apostles. They forget, too often, still, that though praying
to any saint, or angel, or other created being, is contrary both to
reason and to Scripture; yet it is according to reason and to Scripture
to commemorate them.
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