The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-10-17
R vIVAL.

When the fields are barren, the trees are Leaf
less, and the flower plants are mere withered
weeds, God revives the earth with gentle show
ers and genial suns. The spires of grass begin
to elotbe the hills, the forests assume their
deep green foliage, while buds and blossoms,
flowers and fruits, and smiling fields of waving
grain ready for the harvest declare that nature
was not dead, but slept Her forces may be
locked in Icy hands for little while, but the
never failing word of Him who has promised
that "While the earth remaineth, seed-time
and harvest, and cold and heat, and Summer
and Winter, and day and night shall not
cease, the inexhaustible bounty and beney-
olence that made this world to hang upon His
hand for its daily nourishment, shall return at
the appointed time to satisfy the desire Of
every living thing. And so to WEAKNESS of
body there comes time Of restand renovation,
to the sick and wasted frame there comes re-
newal Of health and vigour, to the house of wo
and want there comes smiling peace and full
handed plenty As day succeeds night in the
natural world, so in the history of man, the
clouds which made the gloom of sorrow are
lifted up, and roll away, while the light of bet
ter days break in, and brings gladness to the
hearts Of the mOurners.
We learn then, from nature and from Prov
idenee, that while there is 4 tendency in all
things to exhaustion and decay, and disappOint-
ment, there is by the goodness of the divine
being, recovery of strength and beauty
equally apparent While the seeds of death
are scattered all around, and it sometimes
threatens to swallow up every green thing that
aoUrishes about US, the meaus appointed to
restore come in so well at tie appointed time
as to convince US, that notwithstanding all the
Irregularities that appear on every side, the
earth and man shall still be able to keep pace
against the march Of destruction. God is able
TO revive, 10 quicken, to strengthen the life
which He has created, whether it droops in the
fading flower that seatters its leaves upon the
ground, or lutters feebly in the heart Of man
whom He hath made to be lord Of His crea-
ton.
Religion is yet TO restore the world to the
beauty of Eden, and to overcome all tendency
TO destruction both in the body and the soul Of
man; but as Is the natural hfe so is the spirit
ual opposed and interrupted; and in orderthat
it may continue and grow it must look upward
to the Father for new supplies of power: it
must be rcrireo, or, ike everything else in the
world, it viii decay
In the common course Of nature, life and
health, the flowers of Spring, and the fruits of
Summer come without regard to the prayers of
man. He maketh His sun to rise on the evil
and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just
and on the unjust But the showers of grace
that keep the soul alive in His service come
not without frequent and fervent suppHeatiOn.
The frostsa and SHOWS that hold the little seed in
their embrace during the Winterwilpassaway,
and gentler skies viii come in due time, to
make it grow, though it was cast into the
ground without a thought of Him who keeps
it there; but the seed of divine grace growsnot
on prayerleSs soil: the sun of Righteousness
viii never arise 70 cheer an unwilling soul; the
Holy Comforter VIII never bring the blessings
Of joy aud peace Unsougbt On the other
hand, when darkness and Winter surround the
body there may be light and beauty in the
soul; songs may arise in the night and De-
the marks of sorrow and desOlation are spread
over every human prospect, the inner man may
glow with the love and bound with the strength
of heaven In the natural world God has Inn
tied Himself to times and seasons when He
viii revive the earth, and In the diSpensations
of His providence He hides the day of deliv-
erance from trouble dispensing prosperity or
adversely according to the secret counsel Of His
viii bur in His spiritual kingdom concerning
His gifts there is no limit as to time, or place
or circumstance, for said our Saviour: Men
ought GtCoyS to pray" there Is no need to
pray for prosperity of soul with reference to
His will it is already revealed, " For this is the
viii of God, even your sancti6cation. The
;niunctionis ''Re instant in season and out of
season, " Pray Without ceosing Coutn-
uing instant in prayer, Ask and ye shall
receive.
His car is ever open to the prayer Of the
contute ones His hand is ever ready to assist
them. Wherever they are, and at all seasons
ms well as under an circumstances, they are
permitted to say Wilt thou not revive us
again that thy people may rejoice in thee. "
And this word again may stil be used to the
end of time aud to the last throb of eonSeerated
life; for however often He may have poured
down His rich tavors in bouutiful streams upon
His waiting children, yet again, If the prayer
IS offered the blessing VIII come. While Abra-
ham in his intercessions for Sodom continued
10 ask, the Hearer Of prayer continued to he
stow The Church has never exhausted His
power, has never yet tried the extent Of His
willingness to save. IF ten thousand richer
showers than ever yet gladdeued the hearts of
His revived people were suddenly to come
down in rapid succession In answer to their
feeble petitions, these were ten thousand rea-
sons for going again to His throne Of grace for
vet more eopious illusions of the blessed spirit.
De Not as the world gjveth, give unto you said
ou- blessed Lord, % in the economy Of whose
ryace all our notions of giving and receiving
are reversed
Mans plea to man is that he never more
VIII beg, and that he never begged before;
Mans plea 10 God is, that he did obtain,
a former suit, and therefore sues again;
how good God we serve that when we sue.
Makes His old gifts the examples of the new.