The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-01-29

emn admonitions, are you living still in i'm
penitency and in persistent neglect of the
great salvation |? Then in tender affection
and deep concern for your soul, I beg leave
| to lay this solemn reflection upon your heart
You are daily guilty of the sin of grieving
the Holy Spirit, whose gracious call you are
refusing to obey, by resisting the gospel Of
the Son of God. And you are in coustan'
danger of going farther and committing the
sin against which you are tenderly and SOL
emily admonished, in the words found at
the head of this article, viz: of quenching
Him forever. The probabilities are grow
ing less every moment. when you may reach
that point in sin when the fearful sentence
may 90 forth against you, " Let him alone" P"
Oh pilgrim, do reflect, before you further 60.
Traveller to the bar of God and the judgment
seat of Christ give candid answer to this
question, How have you heard the Word of
God? What impression has it made upon
your heart? How have you treated the call
of the Holy Spirit? And remember this
"The Spirit of grace
Long grieved and resisted, may take his sad tight !;
And leave thee in darkness to finish thy race,
To sink in the gloom of eternity's night"
AS illustrating the danger to which ycu
are constantly exposed, as long IS you re-
main in impenitency, resisting the strivings
of the Holy Spirit, ponder, if you please, the
following, for the truth of which the writer
himself can vouch.
Some thirty years ago, at time of great
religious awakening, in certain church
within the bounds Of the Synod of Virginia,
where many were asking what must We do to
be saved, and many found peace by believ-
ing in Jesus, there was young lady under
deep conviction and in great distress of
mind, who could fad no peace under all the
means then used, and the untiring efforts Of
her pastor to point her to the Saviour. In
this condition she remained for many days,
until one evening at a meeting for prayer and
inquiry, at private house, where were gath
cred the recently converted, those still seek
ing the Saviour, and the pastor and elders
of the church. After some very earnest and
touching remarks by the pastor, be led the
little company in prayer. And as he rose
from his knees he commenced singing that
beautiful hymn
"Awake my soul in joyful lays
And sing thy great Redeemer's praise;"
when, in moment, the light burst in upon
her soul. Aud with her face lifted up and
her countenance radiant with peace, she ex-
claimed, {" have found my Saviour and my
soul is happy" And then there was joy
there in that little room, and there was joy
amongst the angels in heaven over the lost
sheep that was found, and brought home to
the Shepherds flock.
Having found peace herself, her mind and
heart turned with intense desire for the sal
vation of her ungodly father, who, up to this
time, had remained unmoved. She hastened
home, and as she entered the house, she met
her father in the hall, and falling upon his
neck she besought him with many tears and
earnest prayers to come to Jesus, and seek
the salvation of his soul. His heart was
touched; his whole frame was agitated. He
was moved to tears, and promised that he
would. That night he was found amongst
the anxious. And to the close of the meet.
ing he was deeply concerned. The Spirit
was evidently striving nightly with him.
He acknowledged his duty then to yield him
self to the Saviour. He said he had been a
great sinner and expressed deep conviction.
But he halted, he vacillated, he looked back,
he resisted, aud we fear perished. Soon all
serious impressions left him. He lived some
ten years after this. when he was laid upon
his dying bed. The pastor was sent for. He
came, and when he questioned him about his
soul, and his preparation for death, this was
his candid confession: "When my daughter
- made profession of religion and was
brought into the church, was deeply con-
vcted for my sins. then felt it to be my
duty to give attention to the subject Of reli.
gion, was almost persuaded to become a
Christian. But resisted and put it off, and
nv impressions left me. Aud from that day
to this, l have felt no compunction for sin,
and no emotion after Christ. And now am
dying and l will be in hell in ten minutes. +"
He was as rational when he uttered these
words, as l now am who write, or as you who
read them. Now the question is, Was he
mistaken? Or was it not fearful Fremont.
ton of coming wrath? And does it not pre-
sent an appalling illustration of the danger
of trifing with the Spirit of God? Then
take care, oh neglectOr Of so great salvation,
lest such should be your condition. "Queuch
not the Spirit"
"There is time, we know not when,
A point we know not where,
That marks the destiny of men
To glory or despair"
EDWIN CARTER, ESQ.