The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-03-16
TWO KINDS OF PROFESSORS

IWO KINDS OF PROF,ESSOR RS.
There are two ways of entering on the
Christian life. A man may form the
habit of explaining away everything that
he finds distasteful, and he may enter on
his Christian career with no nervous anx-
iety to get at the whole of the truth. He
will not formulate such purpose to him
self, but he will nevertheless set out with
the purpose to save as much of the old
Adam as he can in submitting to the
work of conversion. He has indeed
but scant relish for the business, and only
surrenders because he is afraid to live in
rebellion. Now it cannot be expected,
surprising him actually to have made the
great decision, that in this unwilling,
halfhearted state of mind, such a person
will make progress in the Christian life.
He will encounter thousand difficulties
he will create difficulties where none ex-
ist; he will wrangle when he ought to
be wrestling.
1t is the greatest mistake in the world
that the truth is great calcium light
that will flash in your eyes whether you
look or not; it is not that way at all ::
Truth will reward the diligent seeker
who humbly and meekly approaches her
shrine with consuming desire to seize
the precious treasure; but the gainsay-
ing, the proud, the naughty, the high
minded, the contentious, the i'll contrived,
who knock arrogantly at her doors with
a secret preference for error-to these
she makes no sign. They go their way !;
they reap what they SOW Truth reigns
serene as if they had not been.
Therefore it behooves every one setting
out on the Christian life to open his Bible
reverently, and exclaim: Here is Life
Eternal; here is the revelation of God to
man; here is the command and the ex-
pressed will of God; let me diligently,
honestly study this sacred record, with
purpose to follow wherever Truth leads. j."
Such man will not, of course, read
his Bible as matter Of form. He will
read it seriously, inquiringly, as one hunt
ing for something; as the lawyer reads
the statute-book. He will weigh every
declaration. If any man lone not the
Lord Jesus Christ, let him be onothenao.
The Lord con1eth." When he reads that
he will not close the book and leave his
chamber without having received an i'm
preston. He will not pass over the SEN
tence az something that he has no imme
date, special concern in. But he will
begin to think; he will take the sentence
to pieces; he will ask what "anathema"
means. He will ask, Do belong to this
mathematical CLASP Am one of those
to whom the apostle refers? Do T"love
the Lord Jesus Christ? He begins to
doubt. What evidence has he ever given
Of his love for him? In what serious
sense has he ever realised the perSonaZity
Of Jesus Christ at all? In what sense
in the course Of his daily life, is Jesus
Christ an actually to him? Afar off he
has recognised him-as being in the
heavens-who, he reads, died for his sins
all of which he accepts in broad, in
definite way. But here the apostle in
forms him that he has got to love Jesus
Christ. We do not love distractions or
phantoms. He reads again "For I am
persuoded that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities nor ann
other creature shall be able to separate us
from the lone Of God aOhich rs IN Christ
Jesus oar Lord" It is not merely love;
but passionate love.