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JOSEPH WALKER, Editor.
\ outme .)!•—Aew Series \ol. 26.
CHRISTIAN INDEX.
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POETRY ‘
Original.
The Heavenly Home.
HY JOHN BARTON GILBERT.
For Christians there’s a place of rest—
A home above the skies ;
Where streams of love forever flow,
And pleasure never dies.
In that blest home of changeless joy
God’s people all shall meet,
With songs of praise that never end,
And happiness complete.
Sweet groves, that there eternal grow,
Shall fill their raptur’d sight;
In youth immortal there they’ll roam,
On plains of pure delight.
‘Tis there the sun shall never set,
But shine through endless day;
There flowery fields in beauty bloom.
And never lade away.
O, may 1 find the heavenly road,
And safely run my race ;
.. I then will see my Father’s house—
,. With joy behold His face.
Stewart co., June 22d, ’SB.
I Long to be there.
BY RF.Y. T.. H. NKYIN.
I have read of a world of beauty,
Where there is no gloomy night;
Where love is the main-spring of duty,
And God is the fountain of light;
And I long to be there!.
• 1 have read of its flowing river,
That bursts from beneath the throne.
And the beautiful trees tliat ever
Are found on its banks alone;
And T long to be there!
I have read of the myriad choir
Os the angels harping there;
Os their holy love that burns like fire,
And the shining robes they wear:
And I long to be there!
I have read of the sanctified throng,
That passed from earth to Heaven,
And now unite in the loudest song
Os praises for sins forgiven:
And I long to be there!
1 have read of their freedom from sin.
And suffering and sorrow, too ;
And the holy joy they feel within
As their risen Lord they view;
And I long to be there!
I long to rise to that world of light,
And to breathe its balmy air;.
I long to walk wtth the Lamb in white,
And to shout with the angels there:
O, I long to be there!
roNTIiIIUTInW
Passages in the Life of an old ;
GEORGIA PREACHER.
The writer of these “Passages” be
longs to a generation of preachers near
ly all of whom have passed away.—
He writes in the hope that the dealings
of God towards him may encourage
and strengthen some who may come
after him. At least he may be indulg
ed in thus calling to remembrance the
goodness of the Lord, and recording
His mercy and grace towards one who
ofren feels himself to be “ the chief
of sinners.”
I am a native Georgian—was born
of poor parents, whose education was
so limited that they could barely read
and write. My father was a profane
man. 2fy mother! I can scarcely
trust myself even now to speak of her.
I know she was naturally sinful. But
she became pious when I was an infant
in her frail arras, and my earliest rec
ollections are associated with her pale,
sad face, a racking cough, and her pa
tient, uncomplaining manner. It is
with difficulty I can bring myself to
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX
diink of her as a mere mortal. I re
garded her then, and do now, as+al
most an angel.
But I record it with shame and sor
, row, that even the influence of such a
; mother could not control the depravi-
I yof my nature. At an early age I
! began to indulge in profane swearing,
; Sabbath-breaking, and other sins. For
{ years, as I thought, I had managed to
| conceal these things from my mother.
\ But I was mistaken. And when she
would take me into her closet, admon
ish me and pray for me, I would be
deeply mortified, and make to myselt
many promises ot‘ reformation.
Her prayers prevailed at last, for i
my sixteenth year I was brought, to
see myself Oj lost sinner . ior months
~the struggle was fearfnk But Christ
conquered at length, and the wayward
youth was found “sitting at the feet
of Jesus clothed and in his right mind.”
It was all of free, sovereign, abound
ing grace. In the first moments ot
the blessedness of one whose sins are
forgiven, my heart was drawn out in
fervent prayer for the salvation of sin
ners : and almost before I dared to con
fess that 1 loved” Christ, I found my
self exhorting my companions. I ri
der the advice of that pious mother
and other judicious Christians, I of
! sered to the church, was accepted and
; baptized in November, 1 8*22. It was
a season of refreshing from the pres
ence of the Lord. I have known but
few conversions, except in times ot re
vival.
Wc had the company of several
thoughtless young persons at my lath
er’s the night after my baptism, visit
ing my three sisters, who were also ir
religious. After supper ray mother
took me aside and told me she wished
me to pray with the family. Said she
had consulted my father, who made no
objections. With a trembling heart I
went forward. I had been but recent
ly delivered from the horrible pit arid
j the miry clay. My heart was full ot
the love of Christ. Around me were
: an ungodly father, three lovely sisteiv
; and other friends, all strangers to God.
I poured forth my soul unto God.—
The Spirit came down with might\
j power, and all were melted around
me. From that night my father’.-
house became a houses of prayer; for
—at his request —I kept up family
worship as long as be lived. He nev
er made a public profession of relig
ion, though be was a greatly altered
man. My sisters were soon convert
ed and baptized, and my mother died
two years afterwards, in the confident
hope that all her family would follow
her to the better land. ,
In a few weeks after I had “put on
Christ,” at a young convert’s prayer
meeting, it was made my duty to exhort
and pray. These services were per
formed with many misgivings, but
with an earnest desire to be useful.—
In a few months the old ministers
would have me go into the pulpit and
exhort after they had preached. The
wonderful effects which seemed to be
produced by these exhortations I think
now were, in a good degree, the results
of sympathy’ for mv extreme youth.
Yet the Lord owned those weak ef
forts, and I have learned therefrom
that the usefulness and happiness of
young Christians depend much upon
the older members of the church.
Harrison.
Southern Baptist Publication So
CIETY.
No. 6.
Bro. Editor:—This Society demands
onr support because it is for Publica
tion purposes. That the world may
be benefitted bv a book, three things
are necessary: Ist, that the book must
be written; 2d, that it must he pub
lished ; 3d, it must be read. That
proposition is self-evident. I propose,
in this number, to show that a publi
cation society can influence both the
other necessary parts to the success , of
a work.
The Southern Baptist Publication
Society can aid the other parts — book
making and book distributing—by call
ing forth the mental eff>rtsofgifted men
by directing the minds of the think
ing to the wants ot the denomination
—by affording an easy means of dis-
I tribution, and by sending forth its
works with its imprimatur In order to
| this, men must be appointed to watch
the progress of truth and error, and to
keep themselves informed as to the
wants of those whom they represent.
A suggestion from them as to the
want of a work on a given subject, will
be heard, and may cause its produc
tion.
And it is easy so see, also, that they
may cause many books to be read
which would not otherwise. A large
proportion of the masses of mankind
allow others to judge for them—at
least to recommend to them. When,
therefore, a book comes forth with the
#’ * l
ORGAN OF THE BAPTIST OF THE STATE OF GBORGHAf.
prestige of a sociery, all the friends ot
that society are satisfied that it is both
readable and valuable. This was a de
sideratum wi:h tbe Baptjsts, when in
1817 they formed the above named
Society. They wished a company <>t
men, informed as to the wants ot the
denomination, who would give some
of their time and, talents to the sel#c
tiqn and approdfefc- of .such works as
would tend to ; Sfe#lificatiou of the
masses. think they’ have
found in Charlesffcy|'hey have been
successful in brinHjjjfirwtfe many works
of rare value, anj§§||tmg them forth
on their missio^Tojptsbfulness to the
masses of the great? Baptist family.
There are m|ny Ways for the accom
plishment of jjpje general object,of a
publication society. They may’ buy
and own type and all the fixtures for
printing purposes, and do most of
their own work. Bat it has been found
out, from actual experience, that for
societies this does not pay. Printing
is a separate business from publishing,
and private printers—men who are un
scrupulous as to what they print—can
do the work of printing cheaper than
a society which has in view a specific
object, and is controlled by moral mo
i tives. For the small amount of work
done by our Society, there would re
quire at once an investment of six
thousand dollars, in printing fixtures.
To this largo amount there would have
to he added three thousand more for
house rent, pressmen, compositors, fire
men, foreman, Ac., Ac. This amount,
with interest, would not vary, materi
ally, from ten thousand dollars a year.
They have, therefore, wisely determin
ed to own no printing fixtures. In
this they agree with most of the large
Publishingestablislnnents in this coun
try, and some in others. The Sunday-
School Union owns no type, nor do
Gould A Lincoln—nor Sheldon A
Blakeman —nor R. Carter A Brother —
nor the Appletons—nor the American
Baptist Publication Society of ilii.-
conntry —nor the great London Trac
Society of England. In the mamifac
ure of books, thin great Society dm*i
everything by special contract with
private houses — pays cash, secures the
co-operation of business men in their
departments ; does not, therefore, crip
-phr private enterprises by using the
money of the benevolent, and con
-tantlv increases the amount of money
for gratuitous purposes. They use the
ordinary channels of distribution
having friends in all the depart im n - .>
business, and in all the various ivcic
ties and private enterprises, who are
interested in the spread of their works.
During the last year they paid not a
farthing fur the distribution of the
34 millions of their works. This is an
instance in which a publication Socie
ty aids in making and distributing
books.
The Harpers form an exception to
| these. But they print tons of “trashy
I literature,” which enables their print
ing to yield. < >ur Soeiety has adopted
| the plan of stereotyping , which affords
? an advantage when the means arelim
ited. This appears in the fact that no
I more paper, ink, composition and s press
i work is paid for, at a time, than is nec
essary to supply the wants of their read
ers for a given time. Thus they can em
ploy their capital in bringing outa limi
ted number of a variety of works, rather
than a large and unnecessary number
of one. In this way an advantage is
secured which more than pays for ste
reotyping.
I advert to these things, that our
brethren may know how our Society
is conducting its operations. They
are trying to work in the most eco
nomical way: and to do all they can
with the means placed at their dispo
sal. They are thus indirectly aiding
in the production of valuable works 1
and are sending them forth to s ftp ply
our people with a sound and healthy
literature.
In a subsequent number I may call
attention to some of these works.
_ _ IL
Afflictions.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous.”
Affliction is one of the long train of
evils tliat followed sin into rhe world.
Were it not for sin, there would be no
affliction. Everywhere, then, that sin
has spread her blandishments, there
may be found sorrow, suffering and af
fliction.
From affliction, then, none can be ex
empt, for all are sinful That none are
exempt, we know by experience and
observation. The saint and the sin
ner, the old and the young, the sinner
gray in his sins and the helpless infant,
are alike sufferers and subjects of sore
affliction.
But of the afflictions of the Chris
tian we wish more particularly to
speak. His afilictiors are said to he
many. “In the world ye shall have
tribulation.” ’Tis a part, doubtless,
of the “fiery trial” that is to try him,
MACON, WEDNESD; Y, JfLY 14, 1858.
and of tiv, thro’
which J# tn‘f#enr'Tje kingdom of
lleaven., I ‘L.'/r /*
Then the l,l has afflict
culiar tofiini.-Dk rising from the war
fare between th* esh and spirit; the.
relation he sustains to the world, and
..ther things.
But there are a few thoughts con
nected with the afi-lotions of the Chris
tian, which we w? aid all do well ire*
quemtly to consider.-
1. The advantages of affliction. To
retrospect for a moment, reader, can t
you see spine instance in which afflic
tion has been a blessing to you ? For
instance, it might have been a sore af
fliction—the death of your child*—
that led to your What an
advantage! Yes, advantage. The
child is saved from all sorrow and sin.
A sainted cliernb. Through its bea
tification the parent prepared to meet
it soon. The loss of health or proper
ty, or some affliction, led another to
the Rock higher than he. But our af
flictions now arc an advantage. They
humble us, and strip us of self-confi
dence and self-dependeuce, to which,
alas! we are so prone.
As the mother eagle stirs up her
nest and makes it rough, that the ea
glets may get tired ot it and soar
aloft, so our afflictions make us tired
of earth; “we groan, being burden
ed,” till we long “ to be clothed upon
with our house which is from heaven.”
Tims by our sufferings we are made
spiritually and heavenly minded. We
grow in grace, and thus “when we are
weak, then we become strong .”
Afflictions will be an advantage in
a future point of view. “Our light
afflictions which are for a moment,
work for us a far more exceeding and
; eternal weight of glory.” Oh, how
sweet the rest of glory to afflicted
souls!
2. Brethren, while our afflictions are
.f so much advantage to us, let in
consider another consoling fact which
underlies the first! that our afflictions
by our Heavenly Father are convert
ed into blessings. Though one of the
consequences of sin, yet sent frequent
ly to chastise us, reclaim us. “Whom
i he Lord loveih he chasteneth.”
When Christians pone to her the ad
j vantages of affliction, and that they
! are all sent, watched and overruled b\
our Father in Heaven, ought they not
o be submissive? Brethren, should
A*e not, as a sister said to me a few
days ago, receive afflictions as bless
ings, and be thankful for them?
If not, how can we “rejoice” and
srglory” in them ? But do we thus
act ? Do I ? I fear I never do, some •
times I know 1 don’t. What means
this impatience? this anxious desire
to be well ? Why those hours of mel
ancholy sometimes, when I look to the
future of my earthly career, and see
darkness, darkness only? Or when I
think of nearly all hopes, physical, ed
ucational or spiritual, being nipped in
the bud, why that sigh ? Oh for res
ignation, brethren, that one be able
to live thus, who for some time has
been, and expects the few days remain
ing of his career to be, a child of af
fliction! And, brethren, let us all
pray for our absent brother and editor
in his affliction.
Sinner, you have your afflictions.—
They are the result of sin. How long
are yon going to live in, love, and
drink down sin? Every pang you
ever felt was the result of sin. Yet
you love friend torn from
you by death, you are iudebted to sin
for; and you love sin. Every evil that
disturbs a community or family, or al
ienates friends, is the consequence of
sin ; and you will love it still.
W. N. Chaudoin.
What does Jesus’ Love?
“Oh papa, what does Jesns love ?”
With touching and artless earnestness
was this question ?sked by a little girl
of some seven summers. “Why, my
child, for what do you ask that ques
tion?” replied her astonished father.—
“ B -cause I love the Lord Jesus ; and
if I knew what He loves, I could do
something to please Him.”
D. ar reader, do you thus love the
Lord Jesus? True and genuine affec
tion is shown by seeking the pleasure
and happiness of the one beloved.—
We no sooner ascertain the object in
which that person’s heart is set, than
we begin to lend our efforts to secure
that object. Now, in the touching
language of the little girl, “ What
does Jesus love?” Ou what is His
heart set ? For what did He leave His
Father’s bosom, His throne of glory ?
for what did the holy Jesus come unto
a “ world lying wholly in wickedness?”
To save sinners, and the heathen. To
extend and establish His kingdom in
all the world. This is evident from
Ilis life, promises, and last command:
“ G& ye into all the world, and preach
my gospel to every creature.” On this
Ilia whole heart is set. <fcAre ourTtearts
interested in this mattes? Are we en
deavoring to obey His last cottfmand?
If not, how can we hope that onr love
for the ‘Saviour is anything but an
empty profession i How is it possible
for us to love the Lord, and yet feel
no interest in th,.e object which is dear
est to His Heart? Can we love nim
who bled and died this cause, and
yet spend our lively toiling for per
sonal sustenance, -gvatideation and
vain-glory? No profession ought to
be regarded as sincere, no love genu
ine, unless attended by a sincere effort
to obey. Th<§ obligation to extend the
knowledge ot God, is obligatory upon
all who profess to love the Lord Jesus.
But how ? All great public underta
kings are accomplished by combining
various agencies. Some must stay .
some must go. Let every heart, hand
and mind be employed in its own
proper station, until “the kingdoms of
this world’’ shall become “the king
doms of our God and His Christ, who
has said, “ If ye love me, ye will keep
my commandments.” S.
Paul’s Individual Theology.
“ Whose I am, and whom I serve.”
This is what Paul said when speak
| ing of his Savior. At a previous pe
riod, he had regarded the man Christ
Jesus as a bold imposter, and had em
ployed his best powers toexterpatehis
religion from the earth. But the con
verting grace of God, as it always does,
had wrought a great change in his
opinions, feelings, and actions. Look
ing now, to the once dispised Naza
rine, and contemplating his glorious
character, and sublime mission, his eye
lights up with holy joy, and his bosom
throbs with sacred pleasure, as he
says, “ whose I am.” And there
was no mistaking his meaning. He
j means exactly what he says, that is,
| that since the day of his new and spir
i itual birth, lie belonged not to himselt
j —not to the Jews—not to his friends,
| nor to any class of men whatever, hui
simply to Christ Jesus.’ When Paul
was converted, he gave himself to his
gracious Lord for time and eternky.—
Ic was areal, actual transfer of all that
he was, or hoped to be, with no sort of
reservation or limitation whatever, to
King Jesus. And what is more, he
made no secret of if, did not hide it
from others—was not ashamed that
the world should know it, but let it
stand out clear, like the sun in the
Heavens; yea stamped it., as if in gol
den letters upon his living brOw, vlicit
men might see it, and know it, and
feel it; “ whose I am.” And this is
not, all, “ whom I serve.” Paul, it
seems, had just conceptions of the de
signs of conversion. He did not pre
sume that he was brought into the
Kingdom of the Redeemer to accom
plish any private ends of his own, nor
to advance the interests of kindred or
friends, nor to be a silent admirer of the
triumphs that the Gospel was achiev
ing; but the idea was riveted upon his
mind, that he was converted to serve
Christ. Hence, liis first inquiry was,
“ Lord what wilt thou have me to do?"’
and then, lie went every where, “show
ing that this Jesus is the Christ,’’telling
Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and Barba
rians, “neither is there salvation in
any other,” and ceasing not to warn
men night and day, with tears. Thus
he became a master workman in the
vineyard of his Lord ; to do Ms work,
to advance his glory; to build up his
Kingdom, and to hasten his final tri
umph, it seems was the cue object of
his life. And though he labored more
I abundantly, and did more to win souls
j to Christ, than any of his compeers,
yet he never knew the time, nor the
place, when he could turn aside from
his work, or cease his efforts ; but pres
sed on, and still on, until death called
him, and even then, he could say—
“ whose I am, and whom I serve.” —
Well said! and well done!! thou hon
ored Apostle of the Lamb. That crown
of thine, that the Master placed upon
thy head, when thy work was done,
still shines upon thy seraph brow, and
will shine, for it “ fadeth not away.”
Thou hast entered upon thy rest —“thy
works follow thee,’’and though so many
ages have rolled away on earth, me
tliinks it is thy joy and blessedness to
stand up among the shining hosts, and
pointing to him who sirs upon the
throne, still say, and say with greater
emphasis than ever, ‘‘'‘whose I am, and
whom l serve.”
This primitive kind ofTheology, bro.
Editor, I apprehend is what the Church
of Christ needs in the present day. We
want it in our pulpits, and in our pews
—in our editorial columns and in onr
professors’ chairs; in our houses of
commerce and in our work-shops—in
our parlors and in our kitchens ; yea,
we want it in the hearts and actions of
God’s dear children everywhere. We
want it, to teach us our duties to the
world around us, to make us realize our
obligations to the Lord that bought us,
and to prepare us to give our final ac
count with joy. If this Theology would
only be written upon our hearts, and
embodied in our actions, it would make
us think less of ourselves, arid more
of the Master. It would turn our eyes
to our one glorious Leader, Christ, and
bury the idea of division among his
people forever in the earth. It would
leave no unhappy ambition in a siugle
breast, and utterly banish from among
Christians, that apple of discord, “who
shall be the greatest.” Yes, ic would
unite us, in one grand struggle, to save
souls from death, and hasten the prom
ised reign of the King of Kings. Let
us try then to get at the feet ot Jesus,
GEORGIA TELEGRAPH STEAM POWER PRESS.
arid learn our first lessons over again.
.Let us tarry around the blood stained j
Cross, until we learn the spirit of him, j
whose latest thoughts were thoughts of j
love, whose dying breath was praver. ;
S. G. D. i
Savannah, June 14th, 1858.
Original.
Tha Heavenly Home.
Up to the star-lit dome,
I lift my longing eyes,
And think of that glorious Horae
Above our earthly shies!
A Home, than the fairest on eanh more fair,
A Home that our Saviour went to prepare. *
No eye has e’er behtld
Those mansions wondrous fair;
Nor has mortal ear ever heard
Such strains of music ra< e!f
And not till the pearly gate shall unfold,
. Can the glories of that bright Home be told.
We only “know in part;”
But soon, it will be given,
To each anxiou.-ly wailing heart,
The perfect bliss of Heaven!
And then, without even a glass between,
Shall we Him behold, who is now unseen.:}:
What though the cruel thorn
Should pierce our weary feet ?
And full oft, in journeying on,
Wc many crosses meet?
Each “ light affliction” that boweth us down,
But addetli a gem to our waiting crown.§
Courage! earth-pilgrim! soon
The hippy day will come,
t When the family of the Lord
Shall all be gathered Home !
Then, burden and staff together laid down,
Welcome, forever, the harp and the crown !|j
J. A. G.
•John 14:1.
fist Cor. 2: 9.
j Ist Cor. 13 : 9,10,12.
§2d Cor. 4: 17.
| Rev. 3: 12.
Faith.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for.”
Your correspondent, J. 11. G., says:
“Faith is the belief of testimony,
whether that testimony be human or
divine.” Assuming our brother’s po
sition to be correct, it would hardly
fie necessary to have faith in order to
tho belief of testimony. If he had
transposed ihesentence tilittle, 1 think
■ it would have sounded more in accor
! dance with the scriptural definition of
faith.
Now faith and belief, in the gospel,
i are not always synonymous terms, if
j one is the legitimate offspring of the
j other. A ChrCfirtn mnsYliave faith
j before he can believe; and none are
■ Christians but those who are in the
I faith, as Paul says, “if we have faith
| to believe.”
Conviction cannot be faith, for a sin
ner may be convinced of sin by tbe
Holy Spirit, and labor under convic
tion many years before be attains to
tbe faith of the Sou of God. Neither
i
will it answer to say that faith is the
assent of the mind to testimony, or ta
king God at His word, as some say.-
These, however, are some of the fruits
of faith.
What, then, does Paul mean by say
ing that “faith is the substance ?”
I understand by the expression, that
faith is the grand basis or foundation
upon which the Christian’s hope is
budded. The knowledge, spiritually,
which is imparted to tbe convinced
sinner when he views an only Saviour,
and is constrained to lay hold on Him
for eternal life. Here begins the mu
tual confidence which ever will exist
between the saint and his Saviour.—
Here his understanding is opened to
know that lie is chosen of Jesus, adop
ted into the family, “tbe household of
faith,” the faith of the Son of God. —
“ The substance,” therefore, is the con
fidential relations which the sinner is
now brought into with the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, unfolding to
his view the great “mystery of godli
ness.” Upon this substance, with thb
confidence, the Christian commences
the heavenly pilgrimage upon earth.
Obedience to tbe command meets <t
Christ is the first buddings in the faith.
Moved by love for Him who gave ila
power to believe, the Christian’s be
lief should be exercised, with a view
solely to tbe plain letter of the com
mauds, as expressed in the Testament,
to believe, to do, and to hope.
Confirmation of hope, perfection in
i love, are blessed privileges, comtbrta
. ble assurances, to which all those in
| rhe faith may attain. To this end,
j Christians are exhorted by the Apostle
| to be rooted and grounded in tilt faith,
to believe the doctrines and ordinan
ces of their Redeemer. Ami as it is
“by grace we are saved through faith,”
in like manner it is by laying in the
use of the means of grace—searching
the Scriptures and praying for guid
ance in the faith—that we may “grow
in grace and in the knowledge of the
truth as it is in Jesus.” And the
Scriptures hold forth the truth that
those who are in the faith and believe
not, nor perform the ordinances of
Christ are deprived (so long as disobe
dient) of the full assurance which is
attainable in “ the hope set before
them in the Gospel.”
Landmark.
Number 28.
THE 1?K CONVERTED.
Are you Converted?
Reader, i here is a great quest ion be
fore your eyes. Try to answer if. The
Bible says, that without conveision
there can be no salvation. Now, are
you converted?
You attend church pet haps. You
go to the Lord’s table. Yon like good
people. You can distinguish between
good preaching and bad. You think
Popery false, and oppose it warmly.—
You think Protestantism true, and
support it cordially. You subscribe
ro religious societies. You attend re
ligion; meetings. Yon sometimes read
religions books. It is well; it is very
well. It is good ; it is all very good.
It is more than can be said of many.
But still this is not a straightforward
answer to my question. Are you
c mverted , or unconverted t
Have you been born again? Are
you anew creature? Have you put
off the old man, and put on the new?
Have yon ever felt your sins and re
pented of them ? Are you looking sim
ply to Christ for pardon and life eter
nal ? Do you love Christ ? Do you
serve Christ ? Do you loathe heart
sins, and fight against them? Do you
long for perfect holiness, and follow
hard after it? Have you come out
from the world? Do you delight in
i lie Bible ? Do you wrestle in prayer ?
Do you love Christ’s people? Do you
try to do good to the world ? Are you
vile in your own eyes, and willing to
rake the lowest place? Are you a
Christian in business and on week
davs, and by your own fireside? Oh,
think, think, think on these things,
and then perhaps you will be better
able to tell the state of your soul. —
Are you converted?
You hope to be Converted.
You hope to experience those extra
j ordinary influences that can overcome
! all these difficulties, and do for you
! what no means could effect. Why do
you hope so? Is God bound in justice,
>r obliged by promise so to do ? Does
: lie do so for the majority of mankind,
and thereby render it probable that
you will share in the blessing? Is the
; gate of conversion the wide'gate ; or
| are they few who find it? Is yours an
exempt case, which makes it more
probable that sovereign grace will
reach yon, than the multitudes who
| perish around >ou? On what do you
found that exemption? On your good
ness? But you have no goodness
! Your heart is totally depraved, and
you do not even sincerely wish it to
tie otherwise. No man who loves sin
| supremely, wishes, or can wish, to love
j anything else supremely. Your re
ligions anxiety is not sorrow for sin,
but sorrow that you cannot sin for ev
er without suffering. Such is your
condition: condemned, at the disposal
of justice, with pardon offered, and yet
with no disposition to accept of pardon,
even after every means to induce you
to accept has been tried; and convin
ced that} on never will be disposed,
unless lie whom .you daily provoke
should make you “willing in the day
of his power.”
And yet you hope to be saved, while
all evidence and reason say that it is
h ighly probable yon w it / be lost !
*What is your nope?
Reader, what is your hope about
your soul? Have you any, or have
von none? Can you tell me in what
way you expect to be accounted right
eous before God ?
Depend upon it, these are very seri
ous questions. You and I are dying
men. After death comes the judg
ment. What is our hope of acquittal
in that awful day ? What are we go
ing to plead on our behalf before God?
Shall we say that we have done our
duty to God? Shall we say that we
have done our duty to our neighbor ?
Shall we bring forward our prayers,
our regularity,onr morality,our amend
ments, our church going? Shall we
ak to be accepted by God because ol
I any of these thi
Which ot these things will stand
God’s eye? Which of them will actn
i ally jusify you and me? Which ot
1 them will carry us clear through judg
| uieiit, and land us safe in glory ?
None, none, none. Take any com
mandment of the ten, and let us exam
ine ourselves by it. Wo have broken
it repeatedly. We cannot answer God
one of a thousand. Take any of us,
and look narrowly into our ways, and
we are nothing but sinners. There is
I but one verdict. We are all guilty,
all deserve bell, all ought to die.—
Wherewith can we come before God?
We must come in the name of Jesus,
j standing on no other ground, pleading
j no other plea than this, “ Christ died
jon the cross for the ungodly , and 1
’ trust in kirn.”
Oh, believe me, Christ must be all
the hope of every one who would be
justified and saved. Y T ou must be con
tent to go to heaven as a beggar—sav
ed by free grace, simply as a believer
in Jesus—Oß YOU WILL NEVER
BE SAVED AT ALL.