St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-03-31

in the church by Christ Jesus, through
out all ages, world without end. Eph.
3: 20, 81.
Enlisting as a Soldier for Christ
One day | was walking through the
streets of York in England. saw
II little way ahead il soldier coming
toward me. He had the red uniform of
the infantry-the dress of the Amy.
knew at once when SAW him that he
was il soldier. When he came near me
| stopped him. | said. "My good man.
if you have no objection would like ia
ask you IL few questions. Certainly.
Sir,' said he. ''Wtll, then, would
like to know how you first became Il
soldier" YES, Sir, | will tell Nou.
You see. Sir, wanted to become sol
dier, and the recruiting officer WAS in
our town, and | went up to him and
told him that | wanted to enlist. Well
Sir, he said ''All right, and the first
thing he did, Sir he took an English
shilling out of his pocket, Sir, and put
it into my hand. The very moment.
Sir, il recruiting sergeant puts IL shilling
into your hand, Sir, YOU are il soldier"
| said to myself. That is the very il
luStratiOu | want" That man was IL
free man at one time-hc could go here
and there; do just what he liked: but
the moment the shilling was put into
his hand he was subject to the rules of
the war, and Queen Victoria could send
him anywhere and make him ohcy the
rules and regulations of the army. He
is Il soldier the very minute he takes
the shilling. He has not got to wait to
put on the uniform. And when You ask
me how man may become converted
at once, answer, just the same as that
man became IL soldier. The citizen be
comes Il soldier in Il minute, and from
being Il freeman becomes sub ject to
the commands of others. The moment
you take Christ into your heart, that
moment your name Is written III the roll
of Heaven. 1ou are enlisted a soldier
of Christ, and NOu cannot then do as
NOu choose, but YOU must do what he
lays down. Don't You see then how
yOu can become Il Christian at once. my
friends 1t is very plain. Don't go
ont of tins hall to-day. then. and say
you cant see it. don't see how | can
make it any palmer. Though yon ac
cept Christ, yet you are ii sinner still,
but a sdred sinner. There is Il great
deal of difference between the two-be-
tween ii saved and an um>aved sinner
| have been il saved sinner myself for
twenty one years. You ask me if
don't sin. Yes, do, but hate sin.
For twcnty-one years have been il sol
dier-a poor and unworthy soldier -
but still soldier. Twenty Years
this ,,nntb | t,,,,l. I
the English shilling: enlisted in the
army of Christ, and he has been ever
since my lite, my Lord. my all. Now.
my dear friends. won't YOU have him
AS many lis received him. he gave
power to become the SONS of God" oh !,
just say You will receive him, them
From -Uoody'S Sermon in NcT York.
Too Little Work.
Every Christian should beware of his
faith lest he grow to depend upon it
Overmuch and to deem il sufficient of
itself to save him. For there is faith
which is of il deadly sort and not of IL
lively character, and it work eth death
and not lite to the soul that is drugged
by it. And this is the faith of those
who do nothing but have faith and who
trust to credulouS exercises of their
minds and suppose that salvation will
be theirs by reason of their assurance.
But the Scriptures do warn all their
readers against this spurious faith, and
make clear to all who study the sacred
pages that reliance on it is fatal to ones
hope. For the word of God is very
sharp in its teachings us to this point,
and presses with great earnestneSs of
endeavor against such us would gladly
he deceived as to it because the dccep-
ton would deliver them from many
lab"Is and make them to be excused of
all crosS-hearing. DIR. Guthrie was
wont to protest most earnestly against
this fashion of thinking III the churches,
and in one sermon he broke forth in
this way: by whatever hands they
were baptized, to whatever communion
they profcsscdly belong. let none fancy
that they belong to Christ unless they
aIe found working in his service. For
them to talk of being saved by faith is
to dishOnor the gospel and deceire Them
selres."
The life of Jesus while on earth, if it
be admitted us evidence lis to how we
ought to live, sets IL very high example
of activity before us for imitation. How
the style and fashion of his daily life
rebukes those idle followers of his who
do nothing but leave the work of their
salvation complacently to God. He is
able to save. He is willing to save.
Ergo, he will save, is their formula. SO
they do nothing but trust" They
have faith that they shall be saved.
and so rest i'll easy contentment. But
the position is wholly untenable in the
light of Scripture teaching. In it faith
is invariably defined us Il living, efficient
principle in ones own life. aud not a
meIe trusting to the energies of another
In short true faith is action. or that i'll
ner pressure of motive and impulse
which necessarily produces action.
But let the apostle James speak
"What doth it profit, my brethren,
though Il man say he have faith and
have not works, can faith save him If
ii brother or sister be naked and desti
tute of daily food, and one of you say
unto them, depart in peace, he We
warmed and filed uatwit unbiuU ~.