The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-06-13
Notes BY the Way.
The pure life comes higher

Sabbath we heard the wish expressed that
more among us might be converted. This
thought and desire has echoed and re-
echoed through our own soul during the
past months.
To whatever church we pay our weekly
or ~semi-weekly yisit-we are all aspiring
to that right of citizenship 10 Gods own
heavenly kingdom And it seems to us TO
whatever denomination we should band
ourselves we should, when that spirit OF
conversion visits us, be willing to come
out from among the multitude, as it were,
and declare before men for Jesus sake that
we have accepted Him as ou- guide. 1t
would not only be a strength to our own
spiritual natures TO do this, but it might
be setting al example which Others like
visited would be encouraged to follow.
And after we have once entered INTO this
close communion with the Father and
tasted the sweet frnits thereof We realize
that life is void without it. Whatever
may be the customary way of joining with
our church, whether it be by the influence
brought to bear through the revival meet
ings and after a few months of probation
become members with the Metkodists:
whether after the form of the public bap-
tism, or that of the Presbyterian. or
whether it be the peaceful working of the
spirit OF truth recognized in the Society of
Friends. whichever way we would follow
We think we should follow it closely with
the Savior and not be content with the
conversion which our parents underwent
long enough before We were brought into
existence.
Our heart seems full of this desire of
conversion among all people. To the
fathers and mothers among us who ave
l-Nn $500 .. ~
year, and who find it harder to accept now
than it wonld have been at first, and who
are now so near the portals of the spirit
world-let us say to you: accept this
friend of peace and righteousness that the
grave may have no victory and death no
sting. To the middle-aged, who are in the
active pursuits of life, we would say to
you as did Rebecca Townsend, "be faith
full and not De stumbling blocks TO the
younger ones who would go forward"
And to those in the younger walks of life,
non is the best time to listen to and accept
this converting power. Now is the time
hen the visitations from the Christ are
the nearest and most frequent, and when
your hearts are the tenderest TOWARD all
influences. O pray in your Utmost souls
that you may yield only to good Influences
and not to the bad or Indifferent. To be-
come indifferent to this divine power seems
to our heart to be an almost hopeless con-
dition. 1t is SO hard to reach the indiffer-
ent ones to awake to any reform or doc
trine. Theirs Is a selfish life and all
thoughts of right living for the human
family seem to find no dwelling place in
their existence. They live only for self
and selfish interests, so whatever you do,
dear young people, don't enter into this
spirit of indifference, it seems SO cold and
calloused. Between the bad and indiffer-
ent we are almost ready to say we would
rather accept the former, inasmuch as it
would go to show there is something of
humanity among you, therefore that yonr
hearts are not proof against influences
which may be brought to bear upon you,
and that yon may be touched at most un-
expected times with this spirit of living
truth.
Prayer opens to us, as it were, the por-
tails of the spirit world wherein we. too,
have some rights of citizenship Dear
people, if you would only learn to accept
this thought as your own. Commit it to
memory SO that you may be frequently re-
minded how easy it will be for you to at
tain this grandest of citizepships: and if
you will 20 faithful to the leadings of all
that is true within you, what a feeling of
peacefuluess and security would envelop
You as you bow quietly at the Savior's feet
and hold sweet communion with Him, how
you would be strengthened to go forth to
meet the duties If life. Or, how sweet it
is to ask the Savior's blessing on an absent
loved one, knowing that God hears and
answers prayer in his own omnipresent
way. Isn't this, then, happiness? Dear
friend. to thou we wouidst say. thou dost
not know what true happiness is until thor
hast accepted this converting spirit into
thine own soul and tasted the fruits which
faithfulness aud watchfnlness throu oh
Christ's divine love gives unto thee. Dost
think this would pnt a veto. as IL were. on
MANY of thy sources of pleasure Possibly
upon blind pleasure. but never upon true
happiness. Pleasure is a transient thing.
while happiness is built upon that solid
foundation. Jesus love. Once make this
latter thine own and it will always prove
a very present help in trouble, bearing our
burdens (real or ~imaeinary-the latter be-
ing equally as hard to bear, lighting the
darkness and making life one grand. sweet
song.
1t has been our lot to visit many Phila-
delphia homes. and it was always a source
OF hank fitness and wonder alike to us the
way we were received. 1t always seemed
to be with great kind!iness of spirit, and
this strengthened the growing conviction
within us that we are all members Of one