The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-18
ARE YoC IN EARNEST?

When at first you felt the load of your sins
pressing heavily upon you and saw yourself
in ruinous condition, without the pardon
ing mercy of Col through Christ, and finally
yielded to be saved by grace and gave your
heart to God, were you then in carnestt
Did you then count the cost of living life
of selEdenial, of faith and prayer, and OF
suffering hardships. bear crosses, and endure
all the ridcuie and contempt. of fr!ends,--te
say nothing of the world? Were all thEse
taken into the account? Or did you only
look upon the. sunny side Of religious lifel
If you were then in earnest about your souPs
salvation, why has the world, so often
since, found 3 paramount place In your az
fections? And why. has. Satan found 1t tc
be such an easy matter to overcome you?
But to come to the more important ques
ton: Are you now in earnest about the
salvation Of your soul? IA your secret elosel
a place of daily delight, where you and youi
God are enjoying h0l;' intercourse with each
other? Is your faith on the alert for higher
attainments in the Christian life? Is 1t the
earnest desire of your soul that through
faith and prayer you may become more and
more conformed to the holy will and blessed
image of God? Do you search the Scrip
lures daily and make them the man OF youl
counsel? Is your voice regularly heard at
the prayer-meeting! Is it pleasure for
you to support the cause Of Christ by giving
of your worldly possessions for charitable
purposes without begrudging the gift? Now
to those that can answer these pain cues
tions i'll the affirmative I would say, Lei
Your motto be onward.
Or is the reverse true Of you? Is your
secret closet place You seldom visit, ant
then more to quiet M accusing conscienc@{
than for the real enjoyment you find thersiS
While in your secret chamber do you hurry
over q few formal words and then haster
from the '.holy ground out into the care,
and business affairs Of life: Do higher. at
tainmenrs appear q. SO great distance, then
value so uncertain, and the few that affair
to them so singular, that you think 1t wisdoT
professors enjoy? II your conscience re
spends yes to these pointed questions. ther
YOU may know that your joy and delight ART
centred In some created object, and notn
YOUR Creator. Neither are you anxious tc
have your will conformed to the will OF God
because YOU have already set up your viii tr
opposition to His. The Bible, II read by sou
is not your counsellor and guide. And yor
find many excuses for non-attendance upor
the public means Of g:ace.
Without particularizing further, II i have
descrii Cd your case, let me say beware! 1ot
yourself, and your fellowmen also know
That you are not in earnest. Saints :and
angels look down from above and witness
your indifference and your insirccrity. Sa''
tan also is looking on and triumphantly an
ticipating the probable ruin Of your soul.
If You value your soul and think heaven
to be worth obtaining, peseech you bestis
yourself and for once be In earnest to secure
for yourself an "inheyitance among then
that are sanctified." Be in earnest; do all
that you can while it is day, for the night
cometh when no man can work.-(Congre
gational Messenger.