seventh chapter:

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from
me, ye that work iniquity."

There was an emphasis upon the last few words which sent a thrill of
emotion, and, in many cases, one of angry expectation, through the
crowded congregation. It was one of the wealthiest, and most
fashionable in London, but, saving a comparatively few really earnest
souls, it was composed for the most part of idlers and loungers, who
came to St. Chrysostom's partly because it was one of the most
fashionable churches in the West End, partly because it was the proper
thing to attend Church on Sunday, and partly because the music, and
singing and preaching were all so good, and the elaborate ceremonial was
so perfectly performed, that it afforded the means of spending a few
hours on Sunday in a very pleasant way.

The young preacher looked at the crowd of well-dressed men and women for
a few moments in silence, as though he would give them time to realise
the tremendous solemnity of the words they had just heard. There was
dead, breathless silence at first, and then came a rustling sound,
mingled with one of deep breathing. Then he began again in the same
direct, conversational tone in which he had asked them to take their
Bibles.

"I am addressing," he said, in a low, clear tone which could be heard as
distinctly at the church doors as it could by those immediately under
the pulpit, "an audience which is composed of men and women who are,
nominally, at least, Christians, and now I am going to ask you, every
man and woman of you, to ask your own souls the simple question, whether
you really are Christians, or not.

"A good many of you, I daresay, will be a little startled, perhaps some
of you may even be offended by the suggestion of such a question. With
every regard for your feelings as brother men and sister women, I
sincerely hope you will be. My reason for hoping that is very simple.
The vast majority of people in Christian countries are Christians
simply because they have been born of Christian parents, just as they
are Protestants or Catholics because their parents were such before
them, and their early training has strongly predisposed their minds to
the acceptance--too often the blind acceptance--of a certain set of
doctrines which, with all reverence, are by themselves of no more use
for the purpose of saving a human soul from eternal damnation than the
multiplication table would be. Th