Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-20
" No Feeling"

Thus spoke young lady to whom | was
presenting the claims of the gospel, and
whom | was urging TO an immediate accept
ance of Christ. 1t would not have been
strange to hear the words had they been ac-
companied with stolid look, careless
manner, or an impatient temper; but if you
can imagine it, reader, the tears were seen
coursiug down her cheeks while she spoke,
and there were suppressed sobs between her
sentences, and now and then a deep-drawn
sigh. Was she trying TO deceive me by
feigning indifference am sure this was
not the case. But as we talked on, and |
urged still more strongly an immediate de-
cision of this important matter, she said ;
"But | have no conviction of sin. How
can | be Christian unless | have first seen
my sins and truly repented of them ?"
"Why, sir" she continued, "I rise in the
morning determined to do right this day.
and not to fall into any wrong ways and be-
fore | know it | forget myself; lose my
temper, or speak unkindly, or act meanly,
and then | am completely discouraged and
think | won't try any more;" and with
these words the tears once more ran down
her cheeks. Was it not singular exhibi.
ton =? "No feeling" and crying while she
said it; and no "conviction of SIM" and
accusing herself bitterly all the while l?
And yet it was perfect illustration of the
mistakes we make when we try to read our
hearts. The eye was never made to look
inward. 1t can see the outward world, but
not the face in which it was set. The ear
was never fashioned to catch the sounds
that are within the body. The voices Of
the world, the winds and the waves, and the
singing of the birds, it hears at once, but
/ tho r,nl laa- -haatu apA tho irati II hoe
no inner drum to resound. So of the mind
we do declare that it is often the poorest
Judge of its own experiences and impress
sions. One can see sin in another more
easily than in himself. He can discern the
mote in brothers eye more readily than
he can see beam in his own eye. And il
is equally true that one can often see the
evidence of penitence in another more easily
than in himself. The sinner is not the bes
Judge of his spiritual state; he needs the
mirror Of Scripture or the mirror of somt
more enlightened mind than his own wherein
to discern his true condition of mind. Hence
the requirement of the gospel is, "Look untC
me, and be ye saved" In Christ crucifec
is the place to see our sins; in the mirror o.
revelation is the place to see our hearts il
the light of Gods countenance is the place
to discover our secret sins. And so we tool
our troubled, self-deceived and deeply dis
satisfied inquirer aud led her at once tt
Christ. Instead of trying to deepen he
conviction, or to persuade her that she reall,
had penitence and feeling, we brought he
to accept Christ Just as she was. This sh
did, upon her knees, in that very hour. Die
you ever see flood of golden sunlight sud
denly pouring into a room through an opel
shutter How the notes become visible
dancing and floating and sparkling in tn
brightness. So sin, which the candle o
conscience failed utterly to discover, or, dis
covering failed to mark-so sin is seen il
the light of Gods face, the revelation of hi
Word, in the manifestation of Christ's cross
Therefore, do you want conviction Com
to Christ. Do you want pardon Come Il
Christ. Do you want peace? Come t,
Christ. We shall be constantly deceived il
looking at ourselves we can never be de
ceived in looking unto Jesus.'-A. J. Cor
| ,Iop n ID