New Orleans Republican., 1868-05-31
Decision.

For the day of the Lord is near in
the valley Of decision" He who knows
the way of faith will remember the
valley of decision.
Peter stood upon the edge of the
little craft in the stormy sea of Cali
lee, and seeing his Master and Lord
standing out upon the sea, exclaimed,
" Lord, ifit be thou, bid me come to
thee on the water" "And he said,
Come" Then he descended out of
the vessel, and as if the wave were
rock, walked safely.
Multitudes seeking the rest Of
faith-purity of heart-stand precise
ly where Peter did, and like him in
anxious haste they say, .'Lord, bid me
come to thee! May come to thee 2"
but when the Master says Come"
strangely remain standing. Catching
a glimpse of the troubled waters they
exclaim, II shall surely sink" What,
step out upon single promise ? Yes,
trembling soul. "Be not afraid"
The day of the Lord is near in the
valley of decision"
Those ten lepers, when they saw
him, lifted up their voice and said,
"Jesus, Master, have mercy upon u.s."
The great Physician quickly said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests"
And as they went they were
cleansed.'
Again, view thyself, doubling one,
cursed with the leprosy of sin. You,
also, have been crying ''Lord save
me,' 'impart to me thy fullness and
power" Jesus (the same eyermore)
says 'go,n "be thou clean" accord
ing to thy faith be it done unto thee"
But you still stand and say, Lord,
give me first the evidence, let me feel
the cleansing blood applied, let me see
my disease removed" All, see, you
must have the cleansing first, then you
can believe. Not so. ''By faith are
ye saved" Can you see the open,
easy way! VIII you go counting your
self clean because he who hath power
to cleanse and save to the uttermost
hath said it,
Oh, trembling soul, go at once!
''The day of the Lord (the moment of
his cleansing) is in the valley of de-
cision."
You have long been in deep distress
of soul-fer weeks or months have
been crying, "Saw ye him whom my
soul loveth! Oh, give me light, love,
| Joy, and peace!" Hold, my brother
plead no longer thus, the delay is not
in God but in thyself.
Hast thou not said, am wholly the
Lords, soul and body, friends, time,
talent, reputation, future possibilities,
and all Yea, all this have / oft re-
peated with the honesty of dying
man. Yea, know I am willing to
follow the Lamb whithersoeVer he
goeth." Then thou art near the king.
dom. The Word is nigh thee" Now
hush the anxious beating of thy hear
and believe not that he will but tina
he now accepts thee. Arise, ''go thy
way" confessing with thy mouth the
| precious acceptance. Thou art saved
now. According to your faith be i
unto you"
But what says the trembling, tear
| full one; must | at once arise and con-
fess this reliance, profess this grea
blessing, and that, too, before an
conscious of its possession, without
further feeling or token of cleansing
Yea, this is the way; this is faith.
But what if l should, after all, lacl
that which I profess, and the future b.
as the past. / shall then haYs to fal
back upon the old line of battle, an,
the church and world will cry rash
ness, presumption, fanaticism, and th
precious cause / love will be dishon
ored. Dear brother, the Lord in whom
thou art trusting will not suffer thee t.
be confounded. "Thomas, be no long
er faithless but believing" Peter
cease looking at the waters, or think
ing Of the fathoms beneath thee, o
listening to the tempest. Look +
Christ. Walk boldly out. Let tn
feet Of thy faith stand firmly upol
Gods immutable word, "The blood o
Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth u
from all SIM" Delay not. ITO falte
would be sim"
"The day Of the Lord is near in th
; vallav of 6aaisiou r-GUjde tn HOj