The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-01-23
Walking.-.NOt Waiting.

The year begins with large number of
unconverted persons in all our coDgrega-
tions. Many of them, like the invalids at
the Pool of Bethesda, are chronic cases.
None of them intend to die as they are /;
they expect at some time or other to be-
come Christians. Not one of them has
decided to "make his bed in hell" yet
they all persist in lying upon bed of lin
gering delay, waiting for something won
derful to turn up. Let me hold a short
inquiry.meeting with them, in which the
inquiring shall be on my side, not theirs.
Coming to A., and asking, Why are you
still here among the diseased and un.
cured ?" the frank answer is, al am wait
ing for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Most people are brought in during a re-
vival, and l hope that the next one will
bring me in" Good friend, you are under
q strange delusion. The Holy Spirit has
striven with you Thousand times, and
you have only resisted him; the fact that
you are unconverted, proves that you are
resisting him this very hour. What folly
to wait for one who is already at the
hearts door knocking for admission To
wait for revival means to postpone your
own duty until Christians are aroused
more earnestly to their duty. "Now is
the day of salvation" says the Divine
Healer, who is as close to you as he ever
will be. This whole matter of your sal.
walton must be settled between you and
the Lord Jesus Christ. No one else can
cure your diseased and depraved heart /;
it grows worse every day, and for you to
lay the responsibility of your own condition
over upon Christ or upon the Holy Spirit,
is as impious as it is insane. He will
save you this day If you will only let him.
Be very careful how you dictate to the
Lord Jesus as to the way or the time, the
sermon or the season, the agency or the
process, by which you shall be converted.
Waiting for revival is delusion of
the devil. Another attempts to answer
my question by saying, 81 am waiting for
more conviction" For just how much 2
How much conviction OF his own disease
did the poor cripple at Bethesda require ?
If you honestly admit that you are q
guilty sinner, and that Jesus alone can
save you, that is conviction enough fol-
you to start with. Faith in Jesus Christ il
an intelligent act, an intelligent choice
and for you to say that you will not accept
and obey him unless you are narrowed ny
with an intense distress of soul, is an insult
both to common sense and to your Savior
There is no side mark" of emotion to b,
found in the Word of God, up to which
you must arise before you can be forgiven
and accepted. Weep and be saved, il
nowhere in the Bible. Believe and b,
saved, is the one and the only condition
will venture to say that you have fel
convictions" of sinfulness, and SOM
pretty sharp ones, again and again; bu
they never yet have made you Christian
That thousands of souls have expert
enced intense agonies of conjunction
which have been succeeded by sudde
and glsddening views of Christ an
great joys of deliverance, is no proc
that you will have the same experience
There is no mechanical mould in whic
hearts are melted and fashioned by th
Divine Spirit. Waiting for more col
viction is another delusion of the devi
In short, all and every kind of waiting is