Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-07-31
2RelieiolrS Department..
AFTER CONVERsION--WHAT
NEXT
ny THEODORE L. cUYLER, D. D.

for several months past with the welcome
reports of widespread revivals. These
have been often spoken of as harvest
seasons in the various churches. But
the phrase is an erroneous and mislead-
ing one. Conversion is rather plant
ing-time with a SOUL than its harvest"
1t is beginning, of better things; not
consummation completed. Those pas
tors and evangelists commit fearful
mistake, who feel that the conversion Of
sinners is the one main object of all
Gospel effort; whereas conversion is
only the means, the essential first step.
to the great end of all true Gospel effort
which is the service of God, by genu-
inc godly life. Those young converts
make a still worse mistake, if they sit |
down contented with having soon
fessed Christ" and united with His
Church. The clock that strikes one is
expected to strike two.
What is conversion? 1t is the turn
ing from the wrong road into the right !
one The journey is yet to be performed
before Heaven is attained. Too many.
alas set out on this straight road and
fall away before they reach the mark Of
the prize. Conversion is simply an en-
listing in the army Of Jesus. The bat
ties and the hard bivouacs are yet be-
fore you. Let not him that girdeth on
his harness boast himself as he that
putteth it off. We want to impress it
upon the mind of every young convert,
that the real conflict has begun, and
they have done no more than to put on
their armor and enroll their names.
Surprising you to be truly regenerated
by the Divine Spirit, what next?
We would reply that the sowing-time
Of your spiritual spring has just begun.
Don't repeat the current prattle about
being a harvested soul gathered into
the garner" The Church is not gra-
nary. You are just beginning to SOW for
yourself: and whatsoever you SOW, you
will surely reap. You are forming new
habits Of thinking and acting. You
are an utterly inexperienced beginner
in an entirely new line of life. The
first year Of your Christian life will
have a mighty influence on all your fu-
ture. Many wedlOck has been
spoiled by bad honeymoon. Many q
promising convert has been ruined by
an unhappy start; or, at least, hi:
hopes Of spiritual power and usefulness
have been blasted.
Begin with determination to learI
Christ's will and do it. This is wha
that famous convert near Damascus wa
aiming at when he enquired, so anxious
ly Lord, what wilt thou have me I
do? IL is very we'll TO know what
Bunyan, or Finney, or a Moody, ha
written or said about the Christian lif,
But 70 to the Fountain Head. Go
Jesus in a humble, doeile spirit. an
ask him in fervent prayer, to guide yOr
Bend your will, to his will He is pc
fectly willing TO guide the meek and ii
teachable, in the right way. / honestl
believe, that when dOcile heart SIT
cerely asks TO be led, and then OBEY
the voice of conscience, that heart sc
dom takes false step-yea never doe
Jesus promises TO lead you in the WI
Of all truth. Trust him.
Conscience is the vital point. Y
need not trouble yourself much abe
your feelings or your frames,
long as conscience turns as stead
toward Christ as the needle toward
North Pole. IL is the Office Of consieT
to detect sin and righteousness to
eide for one and TO reject the 9th
Feelings are very fallaeious. So
Christians are very devout in their I,
ings and wretchedly deficient in Il
daily conduct. They forget that
best proof of love to Christ is to tx
his commandments" Fervant Oh
tiaps in the prayer-meeting, they
sorry specimens Of Christians outsid,
it. There is lamentable lack of {
science in too much Of the flaming p
which burns out all its oil in the pra
room or the "praise-meeting." w,
not wonder at the sneers which are o
levelled by shrewd men Of the worlC
this sort Of revival religion" Sc
it that you give no occasion for
sneers. See to it that Jesus is not
trayed before his enemies by your in
sistency. The best thing YOn car
for your Saviour and Master, is to
an honest, truthful. pure. and q
life. Others are watching you. J
watch yourself
In putting on your armor, don't
get that the sword Of the Spirit is
Word Of God. Not content with me-
reading the Bible, study it. Instea
skimming over whole acres Of truth
your spade into the most practical
sages and dig deep. Study the tw
fifth Psalm, and the twelfth chapt
Romans, as we'll as the sublime e
chapter. Study the whole epist
James. II will teach you how a