The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-12
HIS MYSTERIOUS WAYS.
An Interesting Discussion of the
Theory of Conversion.
DR.. Ross c.. Houghton's Sermon on the
Operations of the Spirit, at Roberts
Park Church, Last Night.

Kew. DR.. Ross G. Houghton preached an eIo-
quent sermon last evening at Roberts Park
Church, on 1.-The Mystery of Conversion" taking
for his text, st. john ill., g. ''The wind bloweth
where it listeth, and thou nearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence 1t cometh, nor
whittier it goeth so is every one that is born of
the Spirit" DIR. Houghton said in brief:
In primitive times the air was suggested as
the most natural symbol of spirit. Spirit may
be called the breath of God, and in many places
HIS spirit out upon men. And so 10 Latin,
Greek and Hebrew, the word for spirit Is the
same as the word for breath Making
the Holy Spirit to the wind, ana illustrates its
mysterious workings in regeneration by the felt
effects OF this subtle element which pervades all
nature. Especially does Christ wish to teach us
that His spirit is like the air, in the fact that it
exlsts, although our senses may not behold 1t.
The air tells the simple man that there may be
existence which is beyond the reach OF his per-
ceptions. This being true in the natural world.
1t certainly Is not unreasonable that there is an
unseen spirit whose existence can be known 10
mortal sense only by its effects. 1t has, in
actos G STn t rasS n1d 1saS%5
to us. And every one that is born of the spirit
experiences the effects of power which his
physical senses cannot reach.
He cannot tell how or why or whence 1t acts.
Like the man who had been born blind, and to
whom Jesus had given sight, when the Phari-
Christ was a sinner, he pretended to no knowl-
edge OF the peculiar power by which the Savior
Dau nealeu MIN. He simply referred TO Gne
plain effects of that power, and answered,
"Whether He be a sinner Or no, know not; one
Ghlng do know, that whereas L was blind, now
see.' The fact that the operations of the Holy
Spirit in the work of regeneration cannot
be explained and can only be known from their
results, is not very strange a fact after ALL
Since Christianity, in its conception and in It's
operation, is the product of an infinite mind, we
must expect to meet with some difficulties In IT,
Some things we cannot fully understand, al
though all that is essential TO our salvation we
can understand. When we meet with difficult
ty in the religion of the Bible, ongh5 to ask
whether 1t arises from the nature of the case, or
from our own incspacity to understand It,
Ii man looks upon all the doctrines he
reason false, he claims for his own mind
a perfection which can only be attributed to the
Divine mind and many things, which he now
knows to be true but of which he once ig-
norant by this mode of reasoning must have
been false previous to his eomprehendiug them,
Yet 1t is because of just such reasoning that we
sui md many persons saying, with Nlcodemus,
in regard to the operations OF the Holy Spirit,
How can these things bel'
ITS OPERATION ON THE MIND.
II you ask, How does God operate on the hu-
man soul, might show you the Inconsistency of
the question by asking you how God moves
matterl How He supports the world
upon nothingl How He paints
the fruits and the flowers with
such varied hues and exquisite skill God does
a great many things, both in the natural and in
You want 10 know how God works upon the hui
man soul, but you tell how my mind operates
upon my body, or how my mind acts upon your
mind2 When you have explained these, then L
will tell yeu the how of regeneration. Until
then we will have TO be content with Christ's il
lustration, "Where the wind bloweth it llsteth,"
etc.
We can become acquainted with the operation
OF the Spirit upon the heart only by the results
Every man may know the fact OF the Spirits
influence by experience and by observing
its effects. Even wicked men will testify
to these general observations Here Is a person
VINO feels the guilt of sin pressing upon him like
a heavy load. He is seeking pardon, and he be-
lieves that Jesus Christ has died for him and is
ready TO save HIM, and vet he derives no com
fort from all that he does until the love of God
is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit
gwen unto him. Sometimes when you not
thinking about God your thoughts are suddenly
directed to Him, your affections qutckened-
these, and other personal experiences prove to
you that there is power which visits the human
heart and works upon it, which power
taught TO refer to the Spirit OF God, whether we
can fully understand it or not.
Sin IS spiritual filthiness-ft defles the CON
science, cOrrupts the ina ginatiOn, depraves the
heart, perverts the will, pollutes the brea1h sets
the tongue on fire, stains the life, and renders
man totally ard externally unfit for heaven. 1t
is the Holy Spirits work to cleanse the sinner.
The sinner cannot cleanse himself but God In
mercy, does cleanse him, when no humbly ana
believingly asks. He saves ''by the washing
Of regeneration and renewing of the Holy
taken place in mans heart his
life m aud works abundantly attest
are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God
and that the services of ligiOn are contrary TO
all of our natural tastes; but ii man receives a
new heart, this is all changed, and his life and
his love move exactly in contrary direction
His heart is changed and his outward life is evil
IDENTIFY changed. All the Christian virtues are
plainly seen to flourish in his heart as in a
genial soil and under genial sun. Gods service
becomes not merely an accepted duty, but in
dlsPensable delight His character and life, rs
illustrative of Christianity, impart to others a
knowledge of and a confidence in the gospel.
THE PHENOMENON OF CONVERSION.
In conversion man receives a new spirit, as
well as a new heart Conversion does not be-
stow new faculties it does not change a weak
mind into strong one, or make philosopher
out of fool. Yet, while it changes the affec-
lions, it also changes the will and the Judgment;
and while the heart ceases to be hard and cold
and dead, the head, illuminated by the Divine
light of the spirit, to be dark. In CONVEX
sion the temper and disposition are changed and
sanctifed. Aud so the existence and power of
the Holy Spirit of God are in the effects
which He produces upon the human heart and
life.
But, my dear friends, all of this wonderful,
greatly to be desired work of which have
been speaking will never be accomplished in
you, unless you fully submit yourselves IN oOedl-
ent faith to the operations Of the spirit Mr.
Taylor, the missionary evangelist of India, once
said to HindoO young man: "Lnok here
George, don't you think God wants to save you
from your sinsl" eyes, sir" was the PROMPT re-
ply. "Well, if God wants to save you, why
doesn't he do iti He is the Almighty; why
doesn't he do whatever he wants to dor" After
and seriously replied: "NIr. Taylor, it
is because L won't let Him" You see
that young Hindoo's mind had not
been becouded by the speculative doglnas of
men on this subject, ana he readily grasped the
truth as taught In the Bible, and as demonstrate
ed in the experience of all sinners l do not
mean to say there is any power in the soul to
save itself, but while God brings to bear upon
the intelligence, the conscience ana the sens-
bllities the persuasive motives of His gospel,
appealing to the will, and while the hight of
Gods spirit shines into the darkness of the mind,
the sinner, thus enlightened and awakened, may
voluntarily accept Christ as his Savior, and
thus become child of Goa; or, on
the contrary, he may close his against
the call, resist the Holy Spirit, refuse TO turn to
Goo, and rush on into perdition. This work of