Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1830-11-11
DANGER OF GRIEViNG THE HOLY
GHOST.


"lpo 70 them when I depart from a.em.n
send you another statement OF facts 10 IL
%lustrate the dreadful danger OF grieying away
the Holy Spirit. 1t is an affecting case of :
young lady.
iir>t became acquainted with her when
she was about III years old. She came TO 4
select Bihle Class which | was teaching about
MAJ tune fhere were 80 or 90 yosag Ce
males from 10 to 10 years old who regularly
attended once a week. | tDinis she c%9ntiai-
ea 70 attend about a year and a aa!f Dor-
i"S 'i's lsfii a considerable part of these
young ca'echhm2as became more or less Sc
f'ousiy impressed WITH a sense of their guilt
ana danger, and a so2dly humber were hope
fully converted to God, aad are now uaa,harx
OF the visible church Of Christ. Inis ye.,g
lady was alss brought under very seF,a,s
concers Of mind, and seemed to be deeply
convicted, and apparently in q fair way a.
become a Christian; and had / been asked
the question, | should have Judged her b, he
as hkciy 10 brought ia;o the kingdom as any
one in my class
Much was said TO h,r, and many motiyes
presented 10 induce her 10 submit ana gtsa
her heart TO God without delay, aud she am
peared, sometime, almost persuaded 10 give
IL up, ana as nearly every week some OF the
CLASS gave np their opposition ana cane o
yer 10 The Lords side, il was constantle han.
ed she would 10 the SAME; aud as long as
she continued her attention 10 The meei,hSs.
and sat under the plain and simple exbih,,i,ns
OF the truth, | had strong expectation Of her
CONVERSION.
But by and by she began TO be remiss. and
was oiten absent; and Notwithstanding many
ialihi'll and a:;ee;isnate eiitreaties TO be more
attentive, she became more and more mat.
tehtive anJ finally left Che class altogether
ohe went into the company Of careless noai 10
~ associates, andI seldom could hear of hcr
atteadins any place 81 religious instruct an. /
sometimes usea 20 icqsire about her. and
was often taid 81 her excessive f~sn,luess Of
dress, amascments. company, &e. [ called
several times at her place oil residence. sat
was never able to see her but sgo, ar 4yv;.e.
and then shoeeerlcd 10 haraen herself against
every serious thing | said. 1T last lost sjght
OF her for several years, and did NOT know
where she lived.
OHe day a pious lady called apcn me- aud
desired me 10 a%ecosapany her t. gisit q yshnx
iaay' who she sad, was very IL. and sink.
ing very last IN 4 rapid ceEay. immediate
~ conseated. aud Wide es,a 10 the place, |
asked tue name sf the yo3ng nerssu Win was
sick, Tbs lady co4ld not seh me her aau,e.
she sand she was abslt n yeagx Of age. CO.
ing very fast, ana ehtiroiY Unpteqarcd 10 tic.
When ] c-urc TO the place 81 L.cr residence.
and entered the sick chamber, 10 NV g.eat
surprise | found it was E-yv:
but y, how changed siuee I had sees her last.
The pale, wasting consumption had been
making dreadful rdyages npon her e~ons,itu-
ton. She appeared 10 be IN the last stage
and near her end She was much affected at
seeing me so Unexpectedly.
u, SAID she, e'have you fosnd me at
last! | have often avoided seeing Won, hui /
can fly away no more. Here YOU iipd me
dying. l have no expectation of recovery,
and | am dying without hope. 1 have lived
without Goa and without hope, and now |
must die the same,',
While was preparing to answer her, and
was turning over the leaves Of the Bible 10
find some passages which | thought applica-
bic to her case, she fixed her eyes upon me
for some moments with the most steadfast
look, They were black aad glossy, and see
med to pierce my very soul. "Oh, said she,
mir. , what a. dreadful condition YOU
find me IN, How fallen from what once
waSl Five years ago | had pardon aud sal
vation offered me. Five years ago, when |
used 10 go 10 your little society, when the
two Misses lis, and (some others she
named) gave their hearts to God, the Holy
Spirit was then striving with me powerfully.
| was often almost persuaded to be a Chris.
tIan, aud join that little band Hhs set out at
that time; and o, if bad only done it, what
a blessed thing it would have bcen-what a
happy creature | should have been. How
much trouble. and perplexity, and anxiety of
mind | should have escaped; how different !
sheuldhaye been at this time! Perhaps | might
have been 10 gaed health,-I might never
have fallen into a consumption; or if | had.
how happy and peaceful ay mind would
have BEEN But | left the class, and went
into wild, trlhing company, and followed the
fashions and customs OF the world. ! left my
convictions and grieyed away the Holy spirit
But my heart has never been at rest. have
had no happiness in sin; my conscience has
always reproached me, and | have been ia
constant fear; and now the thing | greatly
feared has cesae upsn rae. Now my heart
is so hard that ! can't iepent;'' and bursting
into tears she exclaimed, like Esau have
sold nay bithrishi, and like Esau ] End 20