Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-04-26
h,.,GloCs CONVERSATION.

LohtlilI, and profitable in lis proper exercise
man that of religious conversation. 1t IS
nreatlv to be iamcntcd tina there Is 50 gen
eral n;,,teution and neglect in reference TO
it among professors. Instead OF lmbu'ns
their discourse with the spirit Of religion, as
might be expected from the name the!
bear, il as Oy many, almost entirely cN'
GUIDED. Many, when the subject OF r"''-
glon is introduced, treat oniyas asunleH'o 0.
Controversy, a topic of curious speculation,
or I'm occasion OF discussing the merits ol
some preacher OF writer. by religious
conversation. We mean that WHICH teLCS
directly to Cnrlsrian experience, anl pEIc-
iica! Sodncss. Tnc Scriptures rep II dly
urru GA our attention ;h!s duty. "lacSc
7r6rds srytich / command thee. totW shah taN
OF utcM ttoH siHcS' in Gy hoasc, ant ohen
thou .caihcSt by tie ~ay, 0AI rhsn MoH
lest doun, 0nd rhtn Moa risItt up. % Let
that communication proceed OFT Of yow
auouth, uhich is gcot IN the use Of cd!iyng
that It may munster grace unto tAe nearer.
Let your speech always bc.w!;h grace
seasoned with sal"
Some endoavor 10 JUSTLY ;hc;r neglect oi
religious conversation by pleading liie'r ma
mraj dltfidencr. 1--WE are afraid to talk
(sav ,hev) of rel goas subjects lest we
sloulJ degrade them, or expose our Igno'
r,nce and mexpcr cnce, or seek to claim the
mcri: OF degree of plcty,Mhch we 90 not
really possess" There is frequently some
,nlng so apparently ama5le in This modes
excusr. that il tnav be somewhat difficult to
mark its l;,Ilacy. Surely, the persons who
cincerciv make it are far less TO be ccnsured
tuan hose conceited phar!sccs who are ever
obrudmg their religious cant for the purpose
ofexc.tns wonder at their superior pety. y.Bui
surely this excuse is opposed 20 plain dU'y,
and therefore must be vain. This feeling
i, not yielded to when it topposcs tic Claims
OF BUSINESS. How much less should 1t be
endured when Inconsistent with the obscr-
vance of Scrptural daty. In the former
case it is p,rscycrngly opposed. until 70 t:'ik
ofbusiness becomes easy and delightful.
Surely then it should be much more resisted
in tine later un Il to converse OF religion be-
co:Ilcs delightful.
turc, be pleasant and delightful 10 every
true Christian. 1t brings before tlc mind
the most noble and interesting objects and
thomes and in connection with peculiarly
f,vorable asscialio!.s. What heart cspe-
ci,l!v what Christian heart can be satisfied
with selfish pleasure? Who does not find
his JOYS Increase when participated IN con-
peciioa with friend! In this exercise our
aff.ction for our Christian friends is excited,
and we share in sympathy each o,hcr's
iovs. and sorrows aud tolls. They who
have been mosi constant, AMI frequent It's
observance, will testify that in 1t their hearts
have often burned wlhlnthem as did those
ofthe two disciples who talked with he Sa-
vior on his way TO Emmaus.
Religious conversation Is useful to the
believer in many ways. l. encourages
dcjsioa and circumSPeclion in our daily
in;ecourse with the word. By engaging
in it We openly acknowledge ourselves to
be scrvan:s of God and we viii be greatly
induced to guard against cdrclesscss and
tomporizing amidst temptation. 1t IS Pc
cnli;,rlv calculated 10 nuture brotheriy love,
tonn K known our real sentiments, eXpNss
our Chris ian regard, and exercise Our mu-
NAL svmoaiAies! How of.ca has II been
the me ans ofmstructlng the ignorant, con.
frn;ng the doubtful, rccialmlng the back
slider, strengthening The weak, conso'ng
the distressed, annnating the discouraged,
and increasing the knowcd ge, Zca, sra-
:,ude, aad joy, # Christians IN all circum-
stuncCS.
This duty is likewise ittcd. to do god, to
the unconperted. lflhey are only listeners
to it, an important opportunity is offered
for such observations as may especially
meet their case, though not directly ad-
dressed to them. But the advantage is
much greater when they can be prevailed
upon 10 take part in thc conversation
Thea their particular objections can be
answered, he most dangerous Stumbling
block pointed out, their bcsctting SIN shewn
and opposed, and their special perils dcs-
cr;bed. In the addresses from the pul pif,
they can evade the blow directed against
them. or take refuge in some excuse and
cavil. to which the preacher perhaps may
not follow them; but III private converSi.-
ton home tlrnss may be mad; Ni;:c.l ey
canno, ward of, and they can be followed
wi,hersoever they lice.
Consistency requires Christians to cu!-
tivate religious conversation. They pro-
foss TO have had their minds sanctilied ami
enlarged, and raised by divine influence
How can such a professor be r2concilcd
with prcfcrring to converse habiiually on
the grovclli.ss aid polluted things of the
world. rather than on the purer and nobler
abc t. o. rnity. They prof IS to have
y.ielded their affections to religion, and to