American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-03-30
8eliaioltE department.
Iscleeted,l
Linked Armor for Tempted Young
Souls.


Linked Armor for Tempted Young
Souls.
coNcLupID
There is beautiful passage in the Book
of Job which is worthy of your attention
at this point The poor patriarch was af
ficted with sudden bereavement, with
poverty, with the fretful suggestions of
his unamiable wife, and with the unjust
reflections Of his well-meaning but mista-
ken friends This harrassed, the good
man looked to the Almighty, and taking
a comprehensive view of his holy charac-
ter, asked Win he plead against Inc
with his great power"
Thon calling to mind the goodness Of
the God he loved, he answered his own
question thus No; but re would put
strength into me
Sublime faith! ra acc,ig1 jato me
Delightful assurance! Yet that is what
God actually docs to all who love him.
Listen Hear what he says to believers
These are his words " Fear then not for
ann with thee. win strengthen thee
yea, win help thee yea, 1 will uphold
thee with the right hand ofmy righteous
ness. / the Lord thy God viii hold thy
right band, saying unto thee, Fear not;
| will help thee ~
That this help is all-powcrful you may
learn by consulting the experience Of good
men in every age The celebrated CoLo-
MEL GARDINER is a notable example
He spout his youthin a career Of splend-
il Iut criminal lollios. At thrty-onc
he was o prince among proaiga'es; a chief
among The worst Of sinners as goddess as
O demon. 4 tract awakened him. lie
repcnted. believed, was saved. Having
been so Tong devoted to evil habits, twas
natural Gor him 10 fear that cmptations to
his former pleasures would be too strong
for lis renewed nature to resist But in.
stead Of this, SO nightly did God help
him. that ';thoseljccntious ploasureswhich
had before been his heaven became now
absolutely his aversion" Speaking of
this remarkable fact, his biographer says
81 cannot but be astouishad that he
should be SO wonderfully sanotified in
bodyas we'll MS in SOU, as that from that
hour he should lind q constant disinclina-
tion to, and a5horaace Of those criminal
sensualities to which he fancied he was be-
fore 50 invariably impelled by his very
constitution that he was used strangely to
think aud to say that Omnipotonco itself
could not reform him without destroying
that body and giving him another!' But
it did help him to refrain that ill-used bo-
DIV. and thus made him notable example
Of the truth, ihat God not only promises
to help, but that he actually puts strength
into those who serve him, so that they are
able to overcome when they are tempt
Cd and to come off more than conque-
rors through him who loved them and
gave himself for them"
Perceive you not, therefore, beloved
youth, the advantage which piety will
give you in your struggles with those ten
donces Of your nature which endangcr
your moral safety in this life? What
means Of solfprotection have you, as an
unrowed soul that can be compared with
the quickencd conscience, the genuine
solfrospcct the holy love, the divine aid,
which give SO much moral power to the
pious man? You have nothing absolute
y nothing Come, then, my fellow I'M
mortal, be persuaded by your hopes Of es-
Gaping thodcgradations which so often fol-
low a life Of sin this side the grave, to give
yourself to Christ by the fato Of mill
ions Of ruined iunorlais, by your fears Of
social shame, and your dread Of heart ag-
ony, boseeeh you give your heart to
Christ. Cry to God saying. Hold thou
me up and I shall be safe" God will hear
your cry, aud then you viii exclaim with
David, There art my hiding place and
my shield hope in thy word"
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