The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-10-15
For the Central Presbyterian.
Be Consistent, IF You Can.

J
acquaintance who lived in one of our
Southern States, during revival of reli-
gion was brought to see her lost and ru-
ined condition as sinner. and to embrace
Jesus Christ as her Saviour, and with
firm purpose, by the blessing of God, to
live Christian life, she united with the
Presbyterian church of which both her
parents were members. Her father was
a wealthy planter. According to the
custom of that day he resided in one of
those junior cities which were found all
over the South, which were the homes
of the cultivated and the wealthy, with
er they resorted for social, educational,
and religious privileges. She was young
and beautiful, and was adorned with all
the culture, refinement, and grace Of per-
son and of manners, which could be pro-
duced as the result of careful nurture,
parental watchfulness and anxiety, and
unstinted expenditure; for she had en-
ioyed the advantages of the instructions
of the best teachers, and had attended the
best schools. She was well prepared to
adorn society; and had she given way to
the destinations of worldliness she was
fitted to shine as star Of the first mag
nitude in the saloons of gayety. But all
her natural and acquired gifts, accom-
plishments and graces, she had protested
to consecrate to Christ and she had lived
consistent life ever since she had taken
on herself the obligations of the Christian,
adjoining by her conduct in life the doc
trinac of Cod har Souiour
A year or two after she became Chris
tan, period of remarkable coldness,
followed by benumbing worldliness,
spread like pail over the church. The
ranks of gayety which had been depleted
by the preceding revival of religion were
rapidly filled up; and the world was
greatly revived and refreshed by the
recruits which it obtained from the yield
ing ranks of Christ's professed followers.
Fashion was in the ascendant, and
gayety reigned supreme. My friend was
very popular and of cour was invited to
all the parties given by her friends and
acquaintance, in the city of her resi-
dence. Round dancing was almost al
ways introduced during that season, even
in the houses of church members, and its
practice was carried to much excess.
Many professors of religion, even some
who had gone forward at the same time,
and along with her had taken their vows,
gave way before the tide, yielded at the
solicitations of their tDoughtless COM
panions, to the destinations of the hour,
and were seen whirling about with the
gayest of the gay, in all the giddy mazes
and amorous contacts of the German and
other round dances. But still my young
friend was resolute and continued to
maintain her consistency.
On one occasion, when her parents
were present, gayety was adorned with
unusual enticements; and the excitement
became intense, as the dancers flew
around and around in a bewildering
whirl, and the trip became fast and
furious, to the measure of galloping
music. Proud of their beautiful and &C.
complished daughter, who by her stead
tastness, was keeping herself somewhat
in the background, and fearful she
should lose her position as first star in
society, if she maintained her resolution,
her doating father went to her, and said
Ella, you see all your companions are
dancing; and as there is really no harm
in mere dancing, 1 think you had better
Join with them" His daughter turned
her beautiful, full-orbed eye on him and
replied, Pa, l am a member of the
church, and I am going to be consistent,
if can.l"
Her father turned away, rebuked,
mortified, and humbled and what is
more, as he told his pastor, he felt more
gratified at her conduct than he possibly
could have been, if she had yielded to
his unwise and thoughtless advice; and
more proud of her frmness of character,
her steadtastness of principle, and her
consistency of conduct, than he could
have been made by her widest success,
had she thrown herself into the current
which had swept away so many, rushed
into the excuses of the hour and sank to
the level OF her companions in thought
lessness and folly.
That father and that daughter have
both long since passed away from the
scenes Of this life. They have met at the
bar OF God. The daughter was cut down
In the flush of matronly womanhood, but
so long as she lived she was model OF
Chistian propriety. Thus she became ripe
for her heavenly reward, and long pre-
coded her parents to the mansions OF
rest. Who can doubt that that father,
in the light Of eternity, knows that the
advice he gave his daughter was unwise,
vain.-glorious, and wrong? and who does
not believe that her unyielding fidelity
was q better preparation for the snmmons