Linsey-Woolsey Religion

Author's Introduction:

Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woolen and linen together. (Deut. 22:9-11.)

A Treatise On Modern Mixtures

The message that we wish to bring to the reader is the thought of a linsey-woolsey or mixed religion, The word linsey-woolsey was more familiar with our grandparents than with the present generation. In the days of home-spun cloth when they made garments of linen and woolen mixed, they called such cloth linsey-woolsey. From that as a basis the word became incorporated into more modern parlance applying to other mixtures as well as garments. In looking up the word in the dictionary we find the following definitions: Linsey-woolsey means — “made of linen and woolen mixed; hence, made of unsuitable components; ill-assorted; anything unsuitably mixed; a motley composition; medley of absurdities; balderdash; jargon; gibberish.”

Religion is made up of three things: doctrine, service, and experience. In other words, there are three departments to one’s religion: the department of doctrine, the department of service, and the department of experience. Or, to make it still clearer, the three things are, What I believe, What I do, and What I am or have.

Some one has said, “The Old Testament has in it the New Testament concealed. and the New Testament has in it the Old Testament revealed.” We have in these three verses quoted three statements or prohibitions from the Old Testament which have concealed in them some very strong teaching from the New Testament.

In these figures lie the substance of some very rugged truths laid down for present-day Christians.

We wish to take up these three hidden figures and bring out what is made plain by the later Revelation of God.