Real, Practical Christianity

I cannot withhold a growing suspicion that the great ‘mass-meetings’ of the present day, for the ostensible object of promoting spiritual life, do not tend to promote private home religion, private Bible-reading, private prayer, private usefulness, and private walking with God. If they are of any real value, they ought to make people better husbands and wives, and fathers and mothers, and sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters, and masters and mistresses and servants. But I should like to have clear proofs that they do. I only know it is far easier to be a Christian among singing, praying, sympathizing Christians in a public room than to be a consistent Christian in a quiet, retired, out-of-the-way, uncongenial home. The first position is one in which there is a deal of nature to help us; the second is one which cannot be well filled without grace.

So says, J. C. Ryle in the preface to his book Holiness. I could not help thinking, as I read this statement, how like a critique could be levelled against our present approach to Christianity in America.