, 1877-01-29

d force nut, tlrc. Tltcy did scrt,'n,s sa1 SSs
also nrcash the Gospel, tho gla,t-.;iinci:
Lst not Mlh , that f'9e:s VT. whsl. they pe.
wcru-t use tho wor'l sl,o1shtls,lly y-awfuiy
eonvfttct Of sin, and they crtcd out fs,r ,urrrI,
Rurh result Is, by Mt means, to hn1cprcca,c3.
These cxpcrit!rcs were genuine and true. IL
Type nov; but tho prevailing typo Of r1vrs.
cnsc at lIc present ttmo Is quito different Gna.
virtIon Of aln Is not 70 sharp, The conflict with
sin au'i hclf Is not s" lo,'.. The struggle Is not
thc teaching nnd preaching Of tho present day.
Whit o,lr fnthcra, It 1nay be, rfynrl,cd ioo
much, We 1o, .nt rrcacl, enough, t;ol's la,T.
Then ttic slsHtrlnal element III tho sern,vns Il
10 sentiment ,-and this sentiment so,ct!me,
has sckly hue. TIC popular, cry Is asain.s
!rceds ntl loctr'nc, as though, tlcr wcre testt
1c',cc. Our fatt1crs, Terrlmncc. ncnt 10 t1ic ci.
Int much fntslcrn preaching Would be yasti;,
improved by larger infusion. OF tl0rttns.
Shallow sent!n.cntal!sts cry out for dt,vorr,,,
In which there Is not the ftinlcst econt ~ dos
.r4. tr'e, rs T. ,nan soul3 resly preach oo1a
Doetrinc !s tic whole pitt' and marrow Of rea
sermon. II It dues nut Contain t!uytrir1
clearly atl strongly put, IL Is not worth tho Vi
Int there Is one thing in which, we excel on,
.fatlcrs: wc present Christ With fullucss and
ttlstlnrfnesa which Ia set.!om found III apy of
their tifsco1trscs. ChrfAt's willingness 10 nj.
don aud Ravo every repetting snucr Is nov ire
.se''tc'l with ercatcr frequency and ,clearies.
tho Church. And, rs n result Of Tits, men ,icr
MS Ecrcral thing, conc to Christ without tha.s
tcsrsI'lu and protractctl struggles through wlIeh
p"sisu s4'' tie he0 oes M ay 'yp$ fS2 sss
THAT all profcssetl believers ought to have an
experience lust like thdrs, an, lint 1t ts sign
+: ol the dcscneracy OF oltr times that such e.
pc1enSes arc 70 seldom. now to b. found. AMI
when sllcy mect With s1el MI experience wifi
cxultatl'n they cxclaInl, "Oh. ttiat'a grn,itna
work; We ase Elal. to bear All old-inshio.rd ez.
pcrtcncc ut 1ast!H
hut obstinate opposition to God, tong.eon
timed struggles Agattlst tho truth, nre to
bright evidences of tho cenulncncss nf (rlsitan
experience. Here is n ,nau who has twn e,,n,;
|; they 70 Into tue street and quarrel mud ltghtwth
Other boys; Telr conduct Is reported to the iah.
"No, ieir," says John. 'jo careful, mr. ton
what you sny'. Then john bluhbcrs, mil says
"fatiler, dill fight, and lied about It; hut
En- rgy yysy sSstS c MT F, ssys and is l'e ei 10 ns,
yo avs ,,. % frankly eontessed your faults, viii
"Janirs," hc says, turning to the other aon.
ts so%s sFs' D ya st With ant, th' h by,
MT, "'e careful, :Jates. 4,!l tell tie tr!!tl'
won't confess Ills fault, 50 TIC l,as to /.
whipped and sent TO bctl without Ii,
% fatncr says to lin, "bid you not ieht WI
| those boys oil ihr street yestcrtlayin And b,
| obstnA.e'y rcp1lcs. mo, str. did not.n M
carciuf;Jnnss," says the fathcr. ~ tell you'll
didn't do IT," hu answers, n,.tl he has IL h
\ Tic third tay comes; towards night tho fath
CT says nsnn, Nov, james, .!Il you not fgtI
Will. those 1oys In tile street day icf,rc ycstet
md louE silence. he breaks down in tears ani
aaYe, Yes, ! lid fight, u,d haye been lyIu;
aoolit tt; md n,l tl.e time I 'te!
a1fai ,l,fi aul. bad. aa and lDpe % that r.
too, ga'l to forgive 1tH. rcpcntiug hoy. Bst
\ 'vl',ei, OF tue two experiences Is tfc bcttc't
Judging as those do, wln, think that a Long
o''.t!,'ate, utter strusEle against the Gospels
mans col,yereiou, that Of Jamcs would br matt
| lgstlY the better.
Now for the parallel. Hero is d man wh,
hears the t;ospcl IN Ills early life, and witlos
any special opposition accepts Il and joyfullyia
hrra>iae he seems 10 have como to Chris
70 easily. On tho other hand, auu.hs
listens 10 tho, san!c truth, hut, etus
!prnly burn r.; rsslsts t., iIe asAts against n
ii ia:i @ Io ycids Himself rsluetaniy' s l' to Cd
Ilp rrlates ilo story ot his opposition to 1t,
uospci a,nl the btterncrs Of ILLS iate rcpentaus
and sonle cxclalnl> Ab, that has tho true rlu.
~ MIli,; 81 SEQ how God hn' 'aSducd tid' st"b'0o
Oh, no! no! Wlnt Is the bcst Chrlsttun CT.
noricnces First. thAt in which there has Ocsl
least opposition to God. and second, that With
hSars tho bcst fruit. Does man grow Int" it'
pear within lsltnt Is he trncf II his eharaettr
rounded out nn,l symnctrlcall II 50, who rarst
how Or whom ttat Christian lite hegan1. Such
Mnn Is III Christ md that 10 enough.
dtnary and aanlng experiences. Looking oya
! my pastoral life. I recall soInn who related
startling experiences, anu mot Of them lart
gonc utterly astray: but I remember other
Who began Tic Christian life with no expcrlrna
that tllry ra' tcl1t who have remained stcail.s.
frars ngo, when first began to prcacl, C!lrit,
several IN my congregation profcsaed eouYef
e!on.. Seven ono day prescule! thcmscycsfo 10
ths rhursl. aud asked fos baptism. One q then
listened and errIcdI, "Ah, tllat Is n glut
nothing lIko i Tor years" And yet the mia
who related It was at the tlnlu tho rcrtest rAt.
cal. Hut In tl!ut littlu company was modest,
retiring woman, who attempted to tell whas
tiu,t lIn,l ,tons for her, hut Al}d nothing nellL
gthlc: Tl.osc who knew her best testified 10 hs
excellence Of hcr lllu. On thh testimony sht
WAS recetyud; hut some, doubting thu rropnelJ
Vi tho act, voted for her reception With sdsp.
cious glaltiey and EhruE or thu shoulders Sha
| proved to 6t lis trle US steel. All learned "
honor her as u fulthf,l servant of Christ.
A few years latcr, III tho City pf st. Louis
q lad Is years o'l desiring bal,tis.I ATTEMPTED
10 scfutc his cxrcricncc. But he could not give
expression to anything which sceIael to suggest
Christian experience. Tho brethren OF tia
for awi,ile.n ! said, "My hrrthrun, this laa |,
ont Of work aM'l wishes employment" Once
thr good 0carons responded, ~ Will take tn
home, a,d give hin, work to do" A few weiss
after he aiIne To tho Church and said, "Ne:
ought To receive that boy for baptism. !
tiuubtcd him Al first, hut la han lived INT hI
ClIistianlty before ulrA and all my hesltatoq,
concerning hItn has gone" bapszeii
htp, aud, few 5eata later, }
met him in this city. llo WAS true aud DE-
voted disciple .! Christ, -
Lrt us cherish lrOuA and comprehensive rftT1
In relation tu Christian experience. No matter
by what process a lnnn comes TO Christ; n
matter whether l,u cur tell whcn he cameo
not; the onty Vital question Is, Docs hc truly
bcJIevct HIS ho submitted his will 10 'hs
Lordt Ii he In ''hrIall Hero are number .!
men in tho icld;, yonder ts tho house; !
st0rn COMES mp. To shelter themselves fn'n
It, they run to the house. Que goes inta
1 fba fFhut i5fOr. nunf tlrr }rtn tEt