, 1866-11-23
TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC.
Address Of the Illinois state Union
Prayer Meeting to ahe Christian Pub

A@1 - NteA@SAAS1A
thiru week Of November: md II vas by them Or:
to ef n1s ~ and
The Illinois statc Union Prayer Meeting to The |
Christians Of Illinois and or Inc United States:
Jon. IRON God our Father. aud from ths Lord |
EsI'y II October the pastors Of Springfield, and
nominations Invited the Christians Of ills State
to assemble, from The 1sth to the 18th OF Noyeu-
be- R gs % Pn 9 s
This meeting Is the outward symbol Of ths con-
stcton that united, helicriDg p!nver and effort
ion wrought. as We believe, in mulutudrs Of
hearts th1 ouehout our land, by the power Of the
Holy Ghost. We cap1or doubt that ihe move
grace. which will never cease till il his over
The cali thrilled The Christian heart Of the M
don- Perhaps no convocation ever me. for which
more ea' nest prayer has been offered 10 God, not
prayers OF Gods dear people have been answered..
VIC 60 down from this moment OF privilege, de-
tentheo to eonsecsate ourselves wholly 10 Cbri.t.
TORS Of theology church poltsy, We believe that
thu true church. of which alf regeneratrd men arc
members, + one. Al who ne y liy1rg t4i.h
worship one God; We have one confession Of sin
70 make; one Jesns, In whom we tr4st; one
to which We hope that I'll who hold lie fuudsmen, ,
til principles Of thc Ch:is,an taith In sincerity
are jonrneying. The differences between US are
Of agreement, We MAY not wear toe same uni.
form. nor be drilled alke, but We dshl uuder the
samo Captain agathst one common foe. Let us
/ Brethren. we haye, as the body OF Christ,
work 10 accomplish in the world. Tint wo:k Is
es e. II ad u h
The magnitude OF the undertaking no human In
se!isc: !. e1es! .nough to grasp; jesus has prom
own part 70 gain ii vii require ali our taith, ali ali
our couIage. all our energy. Let us not waste
our strength By petty rivalry and needless contro-
Sod worke,, both in, the physical and in the
spiritual world, By the instsnmrutallty Of second
causes. God mntes TIE slass but he moves Them
the world hut he vii convert It by human
nsePRsy Without Co W ean Do nothng Bnt
otherwise than through Tie Church; that Is,
through Christians. Divine power and human
agency must be blended together, as the gases
human In Christ, lies The secret Of thc
Gs1ehS 5aSnS WIZ Ws must 5ote sad
Win liz other: npon on, unceayestea fellow.
men; md through %. as through The wire which
nent, God viii pour the stream Of divine fnIlu.
ence, WHICH draws men to Christ The WORK
must ne done by individual Christians. Every
need 10 place less reliance upon organization md
1ontire, and put forth more direct euots f1r The
salyailo Of ipdtsidsa i'd slnefs Aea are hroaeht
the world is rcEencrateu.
lhis Is the gloEions consnmmatIon to which the
world Is tending. Jesus has taught us to pray,
Thy Kingdom come. God has promised that tie
kingdoms Of this work. shall become tue King
d9ms q our ea and G ns Gh5 The q
day oripss us rearcI to the fuldlment. ef tho
promise; nearer to he dawn Of that millennium
f9s Which wloss speedy coming every heart burns
The sonysIson IT, & af &thc,Eotld: II Is because we
biz. Do VIC really believe it! Is ihere my such
thing as imperative faith! Oh, II We truly be-
lic,ed the commands and promises OF God, II We
eion Of Christ II we felt In our hearts that unbc-
li,sers shall be damned, and that God has COM
msesioned every disciple, Ia{mcn and clercymcn
i've as we Cd do Aasi no. FEY Iord 1s bs
lseye! help thou cur unbelief! Lord, increase our
Ard why have we 60 little filth: Our doubts
,he demands OF The Gospel. We win not believe,
sss sh S nS y a. Ssy y n a
bni den: We eIc willing to accept 1Chrtst's bcne-
iite hnt not willing 10 discharge our obligations
but not as our King; willing to be saved from
lell, but not from stn TO be saved hereafter, but
Ve1 Waat noT e O. epov 10 pa s bn bent e
~ tAO USASAA VI ~4lA1t
tbe spirit within af We walt 70 be Be juatiiled @
hond b. sbast M ssss s,n n
But We are Chrfst'e; His BY redemption, By onf
own FREE Git; Christ's property, Chfist's slaves
Of entire conservation to Him. whichever W NC : are
enabled to lay all that we have at His feet, and 10
Place ourselves. eonl and body, upon the altar, a
Jesus requires. to abstain from everything which
LIE forblds. to endure with patience every burden
W1iGn w i L. He @ imposes when our wills are swallowed
e Gethsemane q cai5al5 as 10 the Mount of
TRANSPORTATION. then we shall experience perfect
pe173esd 1Rfn RGn or doubts and issfs w,l e as
from on hieh. The Joy Of the Lord will be our
stEeDs1h, eod will uphold MS With his free Spirit
world vii hr1 se eonsefisd 70 God. M "''S' anu INC
Ghost alone. Oh, for The Baptism Of the Spirit
nea a. ahe @ oa M we enan f.
Church needs IT. The world needs II. We need
revival, whose power wll BE- felt nos only IN the
world cofruptinS lie Church, tho Church onsht to
purify the world. Christians must BE- 80 ,mbued
wlth The principles Of the Gospel that they Will be
well upon the ii ther iataily I'D So o.
ctal and business relations. as we'll as In those
@ Whleb H. they sustain to the Church IS an orsan!za-
brought 60 to bear upon every form Of moral evil
In o,, 1ss wS,ld = to nnF to psrRs,as end
:. A4VW EuA!l VIZ 0QLdlN INC fe$1T4l we 0GS1fGY I.
Tray: Ask and ye shall receive. 8, For: axe sin.
Look awuy from sjnfaI self to lie Lamb Of God
more diligently the sacred Sc:iptuses. s. By he
foolishncss Of preaching It hath pkased God 10
Eye FrS,ch hen ia.ns Which 3 nssye fsach r. Word
a into Labor G a iol III innsatas s. sFaS as,
se oR oRsa sa ii; suh Wiz .sss d,S t
and will fill II. 3. Seek 10 lead the children 10
Jesns; has he not said suffer lltte children 10
agree on earth ~ touching auy one thing, Il shall
&C dohe for yon ofmy Father which is In hcaven.r'
We venture to recommend concert Of action, In
Christians oi dideren, dcuomlnasions. Wc do noi
dsstIe organic 4rit5. What we need Is the unity
o. 1he Split The experiences Of the pas, year, Ii
spirit has been poured ont provo that without any
eas,,tee @ Of pE1nciple such union Is possible a
w and silepes .h eays q
prayer together. LctsevcEa1 congregations gather
1soss 9s o hsa: o. many gatherings
90, u. We bail them as hArbingcrs OF the coming
blesafng. Organize In every village a daily union
prayer meeting, and ausrain 1t. ii some counties,
US all With that Spirit Which Viii take 10 denial,
ao ard s Enable ~ 10 pray with groahtngs which can
Next year is the seventh eemicentennsa, ami
my years ago, on The Slss Of October. iuthet
raied 10 the door Of the castle church At Witten.
oers tts famous :hcsis. Does not the Church
nsso iss 1,esh impulse from above: The Kttorma-
Hn nioSe ne .9e o9nas Of 1ofma.m BY which The
Selte5c ane 1n; Nh 10 We 9t nee4 70 ee
Reformation re.uiied II the orrsn,ep aag n5
the Church. Do We not now need mnre snir;tnoi
unity. The Reformation gave psomiusnce to TIC
crcnt Bible doctrine Of Justllcatton By faith
alone: Does net 1he Church need 70 be more
deepls IMPRESSED VIZ The CONVICTION that there can
hoo, ~ ~ = 3, =. Saaeaeanons Ms nave
n, s "S Sn,s y apRS1n1 ano1aer esuns tos
Fussd.y p1ceedn: ihe slst 81 Gco6sr IND We iae n:
vite to Il iii Evangelical Protestant Christisns in
Illinois. May God prepare US for II, and bless il