The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-10-04
For the Central Presbyterian
EARLY and Late Conversions.


1t is the testimony of many prominent
ministers of the gospel-of such men as
Spurgeon, of London-that those who
profess Christ early in life, run the best
course, and are most useful in the church.
doubt not that every one who has
carefully looked at this subject has found
it to be so. am also confident that it
will be found by every minister who will
examine his experience, that by far the
largest portion of those who make pro-
fession of their faith, do so before their
twentieth year and that very few of
those who pass their thirtieth year
reason of this is plain what any one
has become by this age and habit in the
early period of life under the means of
grace, he will most probably continue to
be through life. If the means of grace
are not effective in youth In the !orma-
tive period, before habits are fixed, they
will most probably not be effective in
the later period when tA~ habits are
l suppose the experience of Christ's
ministers, especially in the more settled
portions of the country, are about the
same, So that the results re c,ao ! = a.;
matter would most probably be about
the same with all.
Dr. Spencer has left on record a state
ment of his experience, which has been
used to advantage by many ministers.
In limited period of his ministry he
received on profession of faith 253. Of
these there were under 80 years old
223 between 80 and so, &c over so, 4.
This was the experience of city pas
tor. | will give the experience of
country pastor. During my pastorate OF
nearly twenty years in New Providence
church in Virginia-one of the oldest
and most favored in our whole church
l kept a careful account of all who were
received on profession of faith, putting
down their ages. From this record l
am able to make the following statement
for the warning of all, old and young,
and for the use of my brethren in the
ministry
Received on profession under 90 years
old, 1876; between 20 and 80 years old
lO4; between 80 and so years old, Al
between so and 70 years old, 8. Total,
$40.
1t will thus be seen that more than
half of all who were received into the
church were of the youth-those be-
tween 10 and 20 years old. In the next
period Of ten years, from 20 to 30, there
were l04-only about half as many as
in the period from 10 to 20 And after
the thirtieth year the number diminishes
very rapidly.only Al from those who
had passed that limit. And after the
fiftieth year is passed only in twenty
years were brought to Christ. Under
the thirtieth year there were 800, and
over it only 40. The lesson is a most
solemn one. But it may be said that
the reason why there were go few gath.
cred in from those over thirty was that
not many over that age were left. / an
swer there is force in the objection
but still can testify that in the congre-
cation to which / ministered there were
very many for whose salvation 1 earnest
ly labored and prayed who had passed
their thirteth year, and who to this day
have not protested Christ
] may also add another leaf from my
experience bearing on this subject. Dur
ing this same pastorate | buried 294
persons OF these 81 were infants and
1870 were protesting Christians. There
were thus l0l non-proiessors Of adult
age buried during period Of not quite
twenty years. OF these II were under
and "a were over forty-fve years old II
the same period received only 10 whc
were over forty-fve into the church, anC
buried 24-j c. buried more than twic,
as many over that age than 1 received