Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-03-01

was once called to the house OF friend
whose child was dying She had been sick
but few hours. As soon as ! entered the
room, the weeping father said to me, |
know what this means God is Furnishing
me- and deserve IT, have been brought up
religiouly, and | know my duty, but have
not made a syllable Of prayer for years
God knows this and he is taking away this
child from prayerless parents. Now ! want
you to pray for rife aad mc.' Not for the
child did he ask, but for himself and wife as
sinners.
said to him, b, you understand
the way Of salvation. You are right in say
ing that God is dealing with you in chastise-
ment lie means to bring you TO himself
| But why make the terrible mistake Of wait
ing for the slow process of weeks, as too many
do? You feel that you are a great sinner.
/ Why not give up your heart to God This ma
meat ?" | went down on my knees with that
suffering pair beside their dying child. | went
away to conduct service elsewhere, and in
few hours called again. | found the little
creature breathing its last, but the father re-
joicing in a hope in Christ The next day
he said to me, +" understand now why GOO
sent this darling daughter into the world
IL was that she might go home to heaven ear
ly, and take mn s0ul there with her. Both
that father and mother made a profession o
their faith Immediately, and he is now use
ful officer in neighborng church. He awok'
in the morning a prayerless sinner bcior'
sundown he was a convicted and converted
man. lie came to Jesus Straigttcay.
This case was according to the Scripture
model The Bible never describes awakene'
sinners as going through protraoted process
of so many days of inquiry and so man.
prayers, and just so much reading Of the word
and conversation with good people There Is
no stereotyped formula of conversion. w
read only Of immediate decisions on the par
Of those who came to Christ. Paul's spirit
3 ual change was as a lightning's fash. TIL
Phlippian jailer cries out in distress, Wha
must | do to be saved ?H lie is directed a
, once to Jesus as the Saviour; he yields a
once and in the same hour Of the night
he is baptized ' strqightlcay.' After tn
same prompt fashion the two fishermen Q
|, Galilee gave themselves to Christ. They lel
their nets straightway, and followed him."
/, In all these Bible cases we observe a
earnestness for the blessing, and an immediat
acceptance of the blessing. But you, m
friend, are probably anxious for your sslyi
tion only for the hour or two while listenin
to a solemn sermon, or while some one is col
yersiug with you. Then you slide back int
the old grooves again. You take one ste
forward, and slip twice as far backward
This is a mockery of the Holy spirit. Tn
is triaing with your Saviour and your sou
} such as you are never guilty Of in yor
e worldly affairs You never 60 through Il
q farce of building a wall to be pulled dow
again the next day, or Of writing letters to
torn up as soon as they are written. 1t
only in the momentous affairs Of your sol
. that you are guilty Of the folly Of undor
= everything you begin; and Of that oth'
e folly, too of refusing to take what you as
o for, when it is offered.-Reg T. L. CuWe