The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-06-22

= tiict has only begun, and they have dom
no more than 10 put on their armor anS
! enroll their names Supposing you 4
be truly regenerated by the Divine Spir
il, what next2
We would reply that the sowing tim,
of your spiritual spring has just begun
Don't repeat the current prattle about
being a Harvested soul, gathered iutc
the garner" The Church is not a gran
airy. 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 future. Many a
wedlock has been spoiled by bad hon
ey-moon. Many promising convert has
been ruined by an unhappy start; or. at
least. his hopes Of spiritual power and
usefulness have been blasted.
Begin with a determination to learn
Christs will and to do il. This is what
that famous convert near Damascus was
aiming at when he inquired, so anxious
I ly: Lord, what wilt Thou have me to
doT 1t is very well to know what n
Bunyan or a. Finney or Moody has
written or said about the Christian life.
sus in an humble, docile spirit, and ask
him in fervent prayer TO guide you.
Bend your will to his will. He is per
fectly willing to guide the meek and the
teachable in the right way. ! honestly
believe that when a docile heart sincere
ly asks to be led and then obeys the
voice OF conscience, that heart seldom
takes a false step-yea, never does. Je-
sus promises TO lead you in the way Of
all truth. Trust him.
Conscience is the vital point You
need not trouble yourself much about
your feelings or your frames. as long as
conscience turns as steadily toward
Christ as the needle toward the North
Pole. IL is the Office Of conscience TO de-
tect sin and Righteousness; to decide for
one and to reject the other. Feelings
are very fallacious. Some Christians are
very devout in their feelings and wretch
edly deficient in their daily conduct
They forget that the best proof Of love
to Christ is to keep his commandments"
Fervent Christians in the prsyer-meet-
ing, they are sorry specimens OF Chris
tians outside of it, There is lamenta
BILE lack Of conscience in too much Of the
flaming piety which burns out all its oil
in the prayer-room or the ''praise-meet
ing" We do not wonder at the sneers
which are often leveled by shrewd men
OF the world at this sort of revival reli-
gioD. See to il that you give no occa-
sion for such sneers. See to IL that Jesus
is not betrayed before his enemies by
your Inconsistency. The best .hing you
can do for your Savior and your Master
is to live an honest, truthful, pure, and
Cody life. Others are watching you.
Then watch over yourself
In putting on your armor, don't forget
that the sword Of the Spirit is the Word
Of God. Not content with merely read
ing your Bible, study il. Instead OF
skimming over whole acres OF truth, put
your spade into the most practical passa-
ges and dig deep. Study the twenty fifth
Psalm, and the twelfth chapter Of Ro-
mans, as well as the sublime eighth chap
ter. Study the whole epistle Of James
1t will teach you how Christian ought
to behave before the world As you get
on further you may strike your hoe and
your mattock down into the rich ore
beds of the Book Of John. Saturate
your heart with Gods Word.
As for your field Of Christian work,
you ought not to have much trouble |
about that. Follow Gods leadings and !
20 into the first field of labor which he /
opens to you. Do not seek easy posts or |
those which will Aatter vanity Brave |
Mary Lyon used to tell her pupils at /
Mount Holyoke to "go where no one else I
was willing to 20" Threescore Of her 1
graduates became missionaries for Christ 4
Jesus. As soon as you begin to think \
that you are too good for your place, then l
the place is too good for you. Do what /
you can do best. A converted inebriats
in my congregation has found his field in
a praying band for the reformation Of
While you are working for
the Master, do not neglect the inner life
Of your own soul. II you do not keep
the fountain well filed with love Of Je-
sus the stream Of your activities will run
dry as soon as the novelty is over
Your daily battle will be with the sins
that most easily beset you. The serpent
often scotched is not killed. Paul him
self had TO give his carnal appetites the
black eye" pretty often. You will ney.
er get your discharge from this war with
the old Adam until you enter Heaven.
The moment you fall asleep the Philis-
tines will be upon you. Challenge every
temPter that approaches you. The dan.
gerous Devil is the one that wears the
white robe and cozzens you with a
smooth tongue.
Finally, strive to be Christian man
everywhere. Carry the SAVIOR Of your
with Christ wherever you 10.
Jacob brought into his old blind fathers
presence such an odor of the barley
ground and the vineyard that he had
the smell of a field which the Lord had
blessed" Every place you enter ought
10 be the better for your presence. New
er disappoint the expectation Of your
Master. He is the best master in the
. A.. e. II
his glorious service, wear il until you are
aid in your coffin. Garry his banner up
10 the heavenly gate. When Death calls
your name on the roll, be ready to an.
swer Here"