The Portland daily press., 1875-04-26

verified. and who, like those many disciples VINO
"went back and walked no more with Jesus,
were rever disciples at ALL Consequently we
rule all such out of the list of backsiders; the
catalogue is long enough without their names.
The backslider is still follower OF Christ,
though like Peter on the night of Our Lord s
betrayal, he may be far off follower;
IL. Backsliding is not apostasy. The back
slider does not wilfully depart from God. He
does not turn deliberately out of the way OF
life.
The Bible speaks of the apostate as hope
lessly astray, but it encourages the backslider
to repent. 1t declares that the apostate can
not "renew himself again to repentance" but
it invites the backslider to return. Jeremiah
describes the backsliders of Israeli as those
who hearkened not to the voice of their God.
who inclined not their ears, who walked after
the counsels and after the imaginations OF
their evils hearts, who went backward and not
forward.
All unprogressive Christians are backsliders.
The truest conception of the Christian life is
that of growth. 1t is growing Into the full
ness of the stature of Christ it is 'perfeetln!g
the beginning of this growing Christian
manhood; it opens the soul to the light Of
heaven, it opens the mind to the sane
tfying influence of the truth, it places
the affections upon things spiritual.
gives the man new start in life. He has
now new purpose, holier aim. Now back
sliding is losing the sense of this higher life, ii
is as it were the taking back of the SOULS con-
secration; the partial surrender of the Chris
tian c.nfiict. When this spiritual warfare
ceases, then progress stops and when progress
stops, then backsliding begins.
Let none, however, be hasty to rank them
selves among backsliders because they perceive
no evidence of progress in spiritual life. The
most devoted and progressive Christians are
sometimes unable to discover in themselves any
satisfying evidence of progress. Young con-
OH tn
backsliders. 1t is when the train is moving
slowly at it's first start before it has gained
Roadway, that other objects appear to be NOV
ing while the train itself seems to be motion
less-sometimes it seems to move backward.
Young Christians must not too confidently,
trust their sensations, must not judge their pi-
ETY. by their temporary emotions, or daily
moods. A Christian may drift on the tide to-
day. but to morrow he may more than recover
himself. The backslider is one whose main
current is backward. The world is overbearlng
his religious life and he is constantly losing
ground.
The text indicates the origin of backsliding.
1t begins in the heart. There is slip in the
affections before there is waywardness in the
life. The beginning of backsliding is secret.
1t begins in the affections: they are less fixed
upon spiritual things. 1t begins with the
thoughts; they are rowing and hayward: There
is always departure in the heart. Ii your
If your heart is true you cannot be backslld-
er. Because Christian sins, 1T does not prove
him a backslider. There are many degrees OF
backslding. Some are fallen back but little,
some are not known as backsliders at all. Some
are far away, but all had their beginnings in
the heart. Let us notice some of the evidences
of a backsidden states Christian service be-
comes drudgery; worship mere formality; no
axniety for progress; no delight in the con-
temptation of scrptural truth; absence of a
prayerful and grateful spirit; increasing spir-
itual darkness
These are some of the signs by which back
slider may know himself, especially II these are
habitual signs
The danger of backsliding-"He shall be fill
ed with his own ways That is, he shall eat
of the fruit of his own folly to Tepletion. No
Christian ever departed from God, ever grew
lax in religious duty without feeling the recoll
of his sin upon himself. Half-heartedness in
misses his religion with the world, whose CON
science binds him to Christ while his hear
signs for earthly pleasure, must necessarily
live wretcbed life. He enjoys nothing fully
He has no delight in religion, be has no COM
fort IN the world. And all the time he is IL
peril of spiritual death. The doom of the
apostate may overtake the backslider. He may
slip back so far and spiritual things grow Sc
dim in his soul that hope will die, and spiritual
life become extinct. Such is always the peril
of the backslider's way. Especially is the dan
ger great when anxiety for progress ceases tc
be felt. The unconcerned backsder is IN ex
IRENE peril, and unto him the word sounds ou
ringing note of alarm, Awake thou that
sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ
shall give thee light
CHESTNUT STREET CHURCH.
Bishop Andrews preached very interesting
sermon in the Chestnut street NJ. E. church in
the morning, based upon the parable OF the
talents which the Lord committed to his ser
vents to use until he returned. Matt 25:14-3O,
The Bishop said that the parable shows rule
of diversity and accountability, gives men diff
ferent degrees of talent, some five, some two
some one and even less-that all this diversity
lies in Gods sovereignty; and, consequently
whatever gifts He gives to any one, he has nc
right to complain or find fault: Moreover
there was this need of variety of talent. All
organized thugs are made up of parts So
ciety could not exist if all men possessed the
same talents. Society needs the lumbermar
as much as the statesman-the man of the
lower as we'll as the higher ability. The di-
versity of talent Unnecessary in the church as
may be seen liz the selection of twelve apostles.
In every church there are men of different
constitutions, of diverse capacities, all of whom
are needed and it will be disastrous for the
church when men having one class of gifts
come to despise the giftsi of others. Nor is
there any room for pride because of the talents
God may give to any one, since he receives
them through the free sovereignty of God and
for which he is responsible to his Maker. Nor
can any man congratulate himself for the prop
err use of his gifts. Neither is there any room
for envy The humblest may have the rich
consolation that though poor, unknown, with
Hz~1 1A&A t,.,,1 ts
but that He loves the weakest as well as The
strongest that the throne of grace is as free to
him as to the mightiest, that God loves him as
tenderly, and if he is faithful, his reward will
be as great.
The speaker then proceeded to notice the ac-
countablity of all for the use made of their
gifts. We are responsible to God forl what He
has committed to our care 1t is not enough
that we do no harm; not enough that we keep
our talent in a napkin; we must use them.
The Bishop then criticised the selfish idea that
the gospel afforded means only of escaping
punishment Christianity was something
grander than this lit was as boundless as the
love of God. Real Christianity is such revO-
lutloniof the whole nature that we forget self
as did Christ. Further doubts and cavils will
not avail for an excuse. The farmer who says
he will plough no more because wheat could as
well grow without care, as thorns, will starye.
So the man who doubts cayils at the gospel
plan, will net receivesthe reward of the Master.
What God values is fidelity. IL is above all
gifts all powers, all else. God wants the little
helps of all. After all no one knows how
much good he or she can do. The mother Of
the Wesleys was feeble woman, but in hel
sphere, she trained her sons so that they moved
the Christian world. We walk in the midst
mysterious. One knows not what he may do
The only sure way is to do the duty which ap
pears to us. go
The sermon was rich in illustration, and
some points were enforced with great power.
INDIA STREET CHURCH.
Prof. G. M. BODICE Principal of Westbrook
Seminary, delivered an admirable discourse at
this church yesterday morning to a large and
interested congregation, the pastor assisting in
the services. His subject was 'Soul growth =
based upon the words nothing but leaves
He aimed to show in what soul growth con
sisted. aud earnestly appealed to his hearers 81
TO live that it could never be said Of their live
or their labors, that they had produced moth
ing desirable "nothing but leaves" but strive
for that rich fruit which nourishes on earth
and prepares and strengthens for eternity
MoUNTFoRT ST. A. NJ. e. CHURCH
Rev. Perry L. Stanford OF New Bedford
Mass, preached in the afternoon. Text, lev
%. 16; subiect-Christ as the Bright and Morn
ing Star
FUNETAL-Yesterday afternoon the tunera
services of the late VIM. A Kicker took plac