Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-29
The True Revival.
now snALL oHRIsrIANs PROMOTE IT !

uOh olALh CHhISIlANS PhUMUIE Ii
Prompted by the deepest interest in the
great work which is now in progress, tai Ike
the liberty to offer few suggestions, with
all humanity and reverence, in view of the
solemnity of the subject. We believe that
iforiginated in the Holy Spirit, but do we
cooperate in the best manner to bring about
the earnestly desired result? Is there not
danger when we request prayers tor an I'M
penitent son or brother, that our attention be
too much diverted from our selves that we
forget to ask, How stand our o,vn souls in
the sight or God +? Have ,ce no need of re-
pcntance, when we remember our own short
comings our worldiness, our lukewarmness,
our unholy tempers in the family, our
injustice or covetousness in business. our in
difference to the cry of the poor, the oppress-
ed the heart-stricken-in one word, our un-
likeness to him whom We profess to follow
Should not Judgment begin at the house
of God2" Does not the Christian Church
need to be converted to Christianity +? When
the description of a protesting Christian,
" He is very good God-ward, but rather hard
man-acard," applies, we fear, to so large a
class among us, can we wonder at the re-
proach which is cast on the cause of Christ?
Might not that very brother, or son, or hus-
band, have been won to the cross by the no.
illness Of our lives, and may they not have
even been repealed by the inconsistency be-
tween our loud professions, our fluent prayers
and our unrighteous practice? If SO, we
have a great work to do in ourselves ere we
can hope God will hear our prayersfor them
Let none feel they are in " state Of safe.
ty," while in state of temptation and sin
If Paul, who had enjoyed the near vision O
Christ, and the glories of the third heaven
and who counted all things but loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of his Lord i
he could fear lest he should be cast away
can a0e presume to call ourselves safe? Je
sus has warned us, that to many Of those
very persons who have prophesied and cas-
ont devils, even in his name, he will say Al
the last day, " [ never knew YOU" 1t may
be said that the object of this work is tC
convert sinners but next to the grace O.
God, there is no more powerful means thar
the influence of Christian example. L
was the remark of one of the early saints
in Kingsley's Hypata, that " if the Chris
tan Church were what it should be but fo
one day, the whole world would be converted
before nightfall;' and when we think of thu
power Of one holy life, in the humblest in
dividual, we can hardly consider it an exag
geration. And to what would we CONVEX
them-to mere nominal profession, to tn
influence Of strong but transient emotions o
penitence and love, sweeping like wild tor
rent over the surface of the soul, leaving il
oh, fearful thought! colder and harder tina
before-to them self-deceivcrs or hypocrlts
and thus to increase their final condemnation
Let it be impressed on every heart which ha
been consecrated, however sincerely, to Goo
that only the first step has been taken in
course of self-denial and conflict; that hi
progress must be ever onward and upwarC
" building up the whole man to the measur
of the stature of the fullness of Christ; an
that he must never rest satisfied, nor conside
the warfare accomplished nor the victor
: won, until the heart and life are brought il
to perfect conformity to the will of God
May the Spirit of the Savior pervade ever
meeting called in his name and so guide a
the prayers and efforts of those concerned
| that mutitudes may be led to " confess hir
before men," who shall SO adorn their pre-
fession, that he g will own them before hi
Father and the holy angels. Kindergarten