Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-05-12
8eliyipns department.
WHAT Is 1T TO BELIEVE
ON CHRISTI

Milwaukee.
His darling son departed May %,
1882, at the age of twenty-five. The |
father, returning home from jour
ney, hurried to his house, knowing
that son to have been already dam
gerously i'll for nine days. AT the
train he parted from friends who
covenanted with him and with each
other that the son might be spared,
or might, If taken, leave behind him
clear witness that he had gone to his
glorified mother and to Jesus.
While these friends were '.yet
speaking in prayer the anxious
father, crossing his threshold, hasten
ed to his dying boys bedside.
Father" said he, ''come lie down
here by me. Mother always said [
would be a Christian before | died
and [ feel sure that her prayers viii
be answered. And now l do not see
the way; it is very dim; and | want
you, father, as simply and briefly
and plainly as you can, to tell me
just what it is to be a Christian
Thane Miller says that he never
felt the need as then of being Taught
of God. He whispered an earnest
prayer for divine help, and then, as
simply as he could, pointed the dear
boy to the Lamb of God. Presently
he heard whispered by those lips a
prayer, so full of humble confession,
penitence and faith, that there could
be no doubt he had found the way
and was walking in it; and from that
day that chamber of anguish was
TRANSPORTED into a gateway of heav-
en-.
This experience suggests ques-
ton of vital importance to us all:
'How shall l in the simplest, brief
est way, tell soul just what it is to
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, so
as to be saved?'
To get at the very heart of the
subject, let US suppose that you are
| at the bedside OF q dying sinner,
whose only hope of salvation lies in
your being able at once, in the SIM
| plest words, to tell him how to per-
form the saving act of faith. Many
a person is told to ''believe" who is
not conscious Of not believing, and
who has no appreciation of the DIFF
ference between belief and faith.
How can the matter be so put before
an inquiring soul as to help to the i'm
mediate appropriation of saving
grace? Time may not be left for the
study OF the word of God, or for any,
thing but the bnefest prayer. How
shall this last moment be improved
to the saving of soul?
Faith differs from belief, because
it is an act of trusting. Belief is the
assent of the mind to q fact or truth
being put before US in the form of a
proposition or statements as though
/ should say, s'Christ died for sin
ners." Faith is the consent of the
whole mind, heart, conscience and
will to the fact OF truth of the Chris
tian religion, as represented in the
person Of Christ. Hence we read,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved" That little
word Eon' carries the idea that sucl
a way of believing brings me near tc
the person of Jesus, and makes me
not only believe what he says, bu
lean on him. resting not only on hi:
words, but his work for me. Here is
not only believing but trusting.
Faith differs from belief, becaus,
!, it Is an act of taking. God not onl,
e puts before me truth to be believed
but a personal Saviour to be takel
i. to myself. Faith is that by which
, apprehend and then appropriate, frs
i perceive and then receive him. | Sc
y Christ to be my possible Saviour an,
+ take him to be my actual Saviour.
), How do l take him? BY giving my
;, self the only way which one perso
;, can 'take" another. So a lone OF
l. phan takes one who offers to be
father; so a wife takes a husband
so soldier takes a general, OF sui
g ject a king; by giving ourselve
# away to another we take another t
5 ourselves. No act can be simpler
:, and in fact it is its simplicity +;
is which we stumble.
d Faith thus differs from belief, b.
lo cause thus trusting and taking jest
70 it becomes a tie or union. 1t make
it me one with Jesus and him one wit
ig me forever. All my sins become hi
Il. to bear for me; all his righteousne'
ds becomes mine, to wear as a viii
garment. l lose myself in him.
take his name and call myself Chri
ed tan. I lose my life in him, my w
IA in his Will. I look at this world al
IL the world to come through his eye
re and become part of his body, a men
nd Der obeyipg him as my Head. ]
guide a soul to Christ, we must fir
then get clearly IN mind that the ce
nd trail thing about faith is this act
trusting, taking, tying to Christ.
,fer child in years OF in mind can unde
the stand this. Let even the dying 81
ner lay his hand in mine, as Chris
un messenger to him, and say, $40
Jesus. | trust thee [ take thee.