St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-12-31
Nobody said anything to Me.

The title which have given to this
sketch is taken from the lips of Il Young
man. who afterwards became Il memher
of my church. He had called upon me
tor conversation upon the subject of his
religious duty : and after convcrsin@
with him. and saving such things to
him Us thought appropriate To his state
al mind. | asked him how it came about
that he had not given his prayerful at
trutiom To the subject of religion before.
"Nohody said anything To me" says
he.
Yes" | replied. II have said Il great
many things To H"u."
Il know You have in ~cymoM~ ; but
mean, nobody said anything 10 me in
pdrticHldr. before lcstcrlay.'
''Wh" said anything to you yc>rrr-
day ?"
''IIrnry CIapp." said he. (naming Il
Young man who had recently entertain
ed II hope i'll God.D
"What did Henry say to you -
AS met him in the street" said
he. ''hr stopped me, and told me he had
something to say To me. and asked me
il lac might say it. said yes. he might.
And then he said. 1T is high time for
You Ia begin to seek the Loud.
And what did You answer ,"
n
for he passed right on. But | said t."
him. when he had got Il few feet from
me. so it is. Henry He turned back
his face partly toward me, looking over
his shoulder, and ANSWERED. do it then.
and went right on"
"IIalr YOU seen him since -
mo. sir"
"Iou say. nobody said anything To
You before. If he. OF some one else.
had spoken to You before. do Nou think
You would have begun before -
Il believe should"
Such WAS the opinion of this Young
man. To this opinion he adhered long
after. The last time spoke To him on
that subject. he said to me that he be
licvcd he should have sought the Lord
gears bctorc if any body had spoken 10
him about it,"
Here, then. WAS Il Young man. living
in the midst of Il Christian community
till he WAS more than twenty years old.
Il regular attendant at church, known
tn scores of Christian men and women ::
and yet, 'uohodl said anything to him ="
The first sentence that was uttered to
him WAS not lost upon him.
There are few points of duty more
difficult for wise and engaged Christians
Ia decide. than it is to decide what they
shall say. OF whether they shall say
anything, To the irreligiouS persons
whom they are accustomed tn meet
MANY times they are afraid To say any
thug to them on the subject of religion
lest they should do them an injury 10y
awakening opposition on disgust.
No man can teach them their duty.
What may he the duty of one. NAV not
he the duty of another. The question
depends upon 81 many things. upon
character. upon intimacy. upon time.
place. occasion. age. and Il thousand
other circumstances. that no wise man
will ever attempt to lay down any gen
eial rule upon the subject. But if Il
Christians heart longs for the CONVEX
sion of sinners as it ought, he will not he
likely to err. If he speaks to an uncon-
verified sinner. in love. and alone. and
without di>putation. and in humility.
and in the spirit of PRAYER. his words
will do nu harm. He may not he able
Ia do good. but at least he can tyy. The
unconverted in the midst of Gods peo-
pie. meeting them every day. their
friends. their associates. and neiwhhors.
certainly ought not to lie able to de
clare, "nobody said anything to me. .
no man cared for my soul" pr Spen-
Ger.