The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-05-03


means OF knowledge are not realized. Reason,
il left to itself, is lamp without light We
have ample proof of this truth in the history OF
past ages and at the present day among the
out OF darkness into the marvellous light OF the
gospel For God who commanded the light
to shine out OF darkness hath shined in our
hearts. TO give the light OF the knowledge OF
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Conversion restores the soul from the Cypress
i've weight OF guilt to a state Of conscious &C
ceotance with God This transition is wonder
full. The moral incumbrance Is thrown of and
the soul rises into liberty. Its slavsh fears are
instantly banshed, and 1t enters into state Of
joyful assurance OF the Divine power. ' Being
justified by faith we have peace through our
Lord Jesus Christ Rom. chap, verse
Conversion is clearest seen when viewed in the
region Of heavens sunlight and Divine truth ;
persist in looking at it with your own lamp,
however well trimmed, and you shall not see 1T
at all Conversion must be viewed In the great
hight winch is Its own. Hear that Divine voice,
the earth When that penitent glance is cast
upon the Sun OF righteousness, the reflex of
His beauty stamps itself upon the soul, while
the bright golden rays bury themselves in the
heart, shining through the countenance to light
up other hearts. This Is conversion, and no
name will be enrolled among the corps called
=" the light OF the world until the divine rays
fill the heart aud light the countenance.
View conversion as you may, it is great
work. costing great sacrifice even the huwiii-
alton and death of Emmanuel. Though great
Of itself, it is only the beginning OF the work so
glorious that only God can perform in the soul.
1t is the time when the new song with joy
tu cadence bursts from OVERLOOKING hearts
filed with the love Of God; ay. the Dps send
forth the song OF grace, even praise TO Him
who is Love. This is after the feet are taken
from the pit of mire and clay and placed upon
comes to the breast OF him who now is found
but once was lost in the maze of sin. Lost :.
lost that is a terrible cry. 1t makes the ear
to Jingle. 1t curdles the blood in the VEINS
Think Of the lone raft at sea. the child IN the
wood, the traveller upon Saharas strand. or the
miner In a closed up pit; q castaway, a forlorn.
hopeless waif at midnights dark, cold hour, for
whom no oQe cares But what are these scenes
compared to y soul shedding scalding tears in
the worlds of eternal despair, completely, final
ly. eternaly lost. o, lost one, take heart, for
is 1t not written " The Son Of man came to seek
and TO save that which was lost? When the
prodigal, lost in sin and dead to virtue, is re-
ceived safe and sound by the sinners Friend
and the Lover OF his soul. then is conversion
wrought Well might Jesus say Give me thine
heart and be willing to be saved by yielding
thyseli to me. Is it the opening Of my arms
to show how wide open they were | had them
nailed 30 far apart that they could not be open
ed wider; nv very heart was pierced until 1t
ran with streams Of blood to show that my
whole self is open to every guilty, weary sinner
that shall come to me for rest The going 10
Jesus and being folded in those &" everlasting
arms" is the conversion Of our souls. There is
distance between the sinner and Jesus. but
the converted soul is homeless no longer and
nestes close in the heart s dear refuge. even IN
Him who said ABIDE in me- Oh. well might
- Al . -.
ment to the Christian to warn men from their
sins God says IL thou dost not speak 10
warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man
shall die in his iniquity, but his blood Will re-
quire at thine hands Let us pray as did Da-
yld, Restore unto me the JOY OF thy salvation /
and uphold me With thy free spirit. then will .
be converted unto thee Our work in this |
matter is great Think OF sous dead in tres
passes and in sins. then we the medium thro
which God works for their conversion / never
was fit, says Pason. to say word to SINNER,
except when L had a'broken heart myself. as
though l had just received pardon to my soul
1t Is said OF Aleine that he was lnsatiaby and
infinitely greedy for the conversion OF souls:
Of McCheyne that he seemed daying TO have
men converted and when souls were withheld
be began to fear some hidden evil was provok-
ng the Lord and grevlng rhe Spirit. Nothing
can be more indecent, says Baxter. than to
hear dead preacher speaking to dead sinners
he living truth Of the living God. How many
nave warned others OF place Of torment to
which they fastened themselves promising lib
srty to otoers. yet themselves the servants OF
Lord. is it |? Am / one of these
may well be the cry OF each one OF
49, o. Brethren. we have done well TO come
ogether il it be only to remind one another
hat the Lord 5 arm is not shortened nor His
race less full and free.
After these few remarks for our good we
conclude. by saying that our work in the con-
'erson Of souls is to break the hearts of sin
lers. You have all heard OF the poor stone
breakers reply to the minister who observed
Tim breaking stones with hammer. and kneel-
ng, the better to get at his work. The minis
err said. All, John, wish could break the
tony hearts OF my hearers as easily as you are