New-York tribune., 1874-03-09
SIGNIFICANCE OF CONVERSION.
T., Rev Noah Hun, Shenet ST AaHs p z. Church,
BROOKLYN

Brooklyn
Last week the Rev. DR.. Noah Hunt Schenck
preached in ST. AIMS Church in Clinton-st Brooklyn.
on Repentance" He took the subject of conversion
yesterday choosing his text from the l1th chapter OF
Ezekiel; "And will give them heart, ana will
put new spirit within you; and will take the stony
heart out of their flesh. and will give them heart Of
flesh; that they may walk in my statutes and keep
mine ordinance and do them; and they shall be my
people, and Will be their God"
The religion OF the Lord Jesus Christ he began is the
only religion that have ,heard read of which
embraces the idea Of conversion. Every other re
system which has been presented for the use OF
men proposes TO make the best out OF what is.
and not to make such reformed, renovated, and i'm
proved man will adapt him for the nbreeding reli
gious power 1t true that those who stand shining
lights either in official position among the peO-
pie generally the great Oriental religious oreaDiza-
tons those whose lives are frequently models OF
purity those whose walk and conversation exhibit a
consistency such as at times would feel very much
like migrating upon our own code or moral ana religious
living But at the same time this rather the result
forecasng One is borne TO position and he loses IL
unless his demeanor and department are consistent with
it one is inducted TO sacerdota Office and it is
sary in dschargng all the duties Of that office he
shall be above the suspicion OF immortality and free
from any reproach In the ordinary course OF his life
but the idea that such to be placed under
the culture OF great moral religious influences for the
change Of their nature or the divergence OF their life
pilgrimage another than that which they have
been called by nature TO pursue Is an idea foreign
to any system save that OF Jesus Christ.
Conversion 10 a fundamental principle OF religious
economy. Ipresent next to the great doctrine Of re-
pentanee for this reason Regeneration and conversion
to be regarded identical IN the sense in which
the Church uses the former phrase but conversion Is
@iop Witbont it, II presnpposes IT, and conversion
be looked upon therefore, as the ouhowng conse
Ouences of regeneration. Conversion and spiritual re-
generation, therefore, may, when looked upon from
point Of yew be regarded as Identical because without
Conversion spiritual regeneration is impossible 10 be
presuppOsed There is immense amount Of eccesas-
teal prudery INDUCED In upon the subject OF conversion
Tbe word is continually used in the manner in which
seeking apply IT, in which the delicate
cast and shade OF meaning Is given 10 IT, and yet it has
been so identified with some radical forms Of religion
banded about improper relations, that we find at last
the is applied to those who may turn 10 good this
month and back 10 Satan the next and sort OF
hoverng between the service of God and the OF
Inan-until TO many persons the word has become Of
feusive and because OF this vulgar application OF it to
those who would make religion friyoty.
Notwithstanding this we prefer the term to any other
that can be possibly used hrst because sclpural ana
secondly because exhaustive IL gives US the complete
idea Of Christian life One who Is marching away from
God by the mere force Of inertia his face set toward
s further circumferences Of dsobedience and depart
urc Is arrested In his course wheeled from his present
position and made to turn hack upon his footsteps, and
as before continually marching away from God, now
steacfastly marching toward hinths is the idea OF
conversion Iherc are those who would have US believe
tha conversion u an externasm that IL has inter
nal life except an involuntary fe that who is born
INTO the church, consecrated TO God infant baptism,
brought up under holy culture brought early pety
lay he hear as gtt upon the altar OF God taken upon
hlmseI the vows OF devotion and so gone cOnsuIn
and having the sanctfyng Influences the Church
nuay brought TO bear one who might he trused 10
go safely ntoIIeayen without single moments besita
ton, aud without falling out OF the full assurance of
faith. Now IL Is not enough that should find char
tered salvation alone Ia the Church register One should
have more than tins. There or three things
necessary 20 salvation, set forth in these wonderful
words IN Ezekiel and ought TO know the imporfunce
Off and how 10 recognize the results when we see them
Conversion, in every case. means change-a chan ge
IN the spirit IN the heart, aud ia the conduct OF man
life. " viii put new spirit within you" This is a
very strong expression here which denotes the great
ness OF the change man eau read bis spirit and
he tell whether Old enmiies that disturbed him be-
fore this apparent change are stu harbOfed whether
angry prOciVities are ndnlsed our SayiOf describes