Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-06-08

many there be who walk in Christ's
name. but few who walk i'll his truth.
THERE is nothing so efectual to OBJ
tain grace, to retain grace and 10 re-
gain grace, as always to be found be-
fore God, not otherwise; but to fear;
aud happy thou art if thy heart be re-
plenished with three fears-a fear for
grace received, a greater fear for grace
lost, and greatest fear TO recover grace.
NATURE respecteth temporal things,
rejoiceth at earthly gains, sorrows for
loss, is irritated by every injurious
word; but Grace looks to things eter-
nal, cleaves not to things temporal. is
not disturbed at losses, nor soured with
hard words; because she hath placed
her treasure and joy in Heaven, where
nothing perisheth.
AN ANECDoTE OF MOODY.-When
the revival in Brooklyn was at its
height, very wealthy, cultivated and
skeptica1 lady from New York went
over there to hear Mr.. Moody preach.
She was amazed and a little disgusted
by his style of oratory. But for some
reason which probably she could not
have defined, she went again. Still
again. On her fourth visit she passed
into the inquiry room, and said to Mr..
Moody that she would like to. hear
from him directly and privately, his
argument why she should become a
Christian. He answered her, saying,
Madam, know of no surer way to
reach your heart than through prayer.
Let us pray.' Mr.. Moody knelt. His
manner was such that the lady could
not choose but kneel beside him. He
asked her to repeat after him his pray
er, In low, earnest tones, and with
all the tender and pathetic phraseolo-
gy of which on such occasions he is
master, he uttered his supplication,
pausing after each sentence for his COM
panion to follow. The prayer cOnclu-
ded with the VOW:
And now, o Lord, give my life to
Theep.
'Mr. Moody said the lady in hard
painful whisper, Il cannot say that;
truly, / cannot
Mr.. Moody made no reply, nor did
he change his position. There was
pause Of half a minute. Then again
he uttered the words: 49,.
And now, o Lord, l give my life to
Thee!'
The lady, trembling, did not respond.
The evangelist paused for about the
same space as before, motiOnless. And
now With voice still more resolute
and fervid be repeated for the third
time the pledge. After mOmentary
interval of silence the new convert
said:
'A,ad no,O, o Lord, Igive my life to
Thee"
Mr.. Moody arose, took his weeping
charge by the hand with. the words,
Madam, devoutly thank Godv and
led her quietly to the door. She has
ever since been actively employed in
religious work.
THE DULLNEss OF PEws.-It is as
tonishing how much the manner of lis
tening has to do with the force of the
preaching. We will take the contract
of rousing the dullest minister that ev-
er addressed an audience if you will
give us twenty alert and wide-awake
hearers placed at proper distances from
the pulpit SO that in whichever direc-
ton the preacher looks, he shall, by
clash of eyes, strike fire.
How much spirit would you have in
conversation if in your parlor your
guests should demean themselves as in
church. one of your friends in the arm-
chair closing his eyes, another lying
back on the sofa as if he were asleep,
anocher putting his head down on the
back of the chair in front of him? You
would quit talking, and wish they
would take their stupidity out of your
parlors and go home. But the stOlid
and unconcerned manner which you
would not endure from your friends,
you every Sabbath infiict on your pas
tor. Wake up, or if you are awake, as
you probably are, do not let your man.
ner belle your real condition.
There are some churches in which
the unarousable look is so chronic, so
hereditary, SO perpetual, that we new
er want to preach there. If Metho-
dist should cry out in that assemblage
an Amen or 'Hallelujah,' it would
create a panic in the audience, and
make the reading of the riot act apprO-
pirate. That church is a pond frozen
over, smooth, and good for skating.
But no warm tides of life, no meeting
of preachers eye with hearers intent
stare. Every Sunday humdrum, and
extract of poppy, and ecclesiastical
morphine.
AS for ourselves, we resolved, years
ago, we would not have an inattentive
congregation even if there were not
enough brain and heart within US to
keep them awake, and SO we asked, in
the midst of the sermon, if that gray
headed marin the third pew would
just hunch that man next to him with
a white vest. The effect was imme-
diate, not only on the two persons spo-
ken of, but upon all the gray-heads and
white vests in the audience. We had
deacan who regularly slept through
hymns, notices, reading of Scriptures,
and sermon, and who said that, from
some physical ailment, it was impossi-
BILE for him to keep awake.
One Sabbath, while we were preach
ing on the glories of heaven, this dea-
con got in a most unsafe position; his
head was leaning far over the door of
the pew, and we were fearing that if
the pew door should give away he
would land in the lap of some one on
the opposite side of the aisle, and we
modestly expressed the opinion that
when these heavenly glories did ap-
pear we hoped all the sleeping deacons
of that church would be awake to see
them. Somebody must have pulled
his coat, for the deacon aforesaid imme-
diately changed tack and went sound
asleep in another direction. Come!
come! church pew, you must share
with the pulpit in the responsibility of
lethargic service.-Talmadge, in
Christian at Work.
n
WE all know that religion is not a
sentiment; and that feeling Is not its
best expression. Mr.. Finney nsed to
say that religion was obedience;' and,
after our way Of thinking, that deini.
tion is like a bullet driven into the
oop rol nj of tho foroaf