The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1892-08-10

~ q M Smltn, Hume, rankin,
Priestly, are his four best types of
the century, all of whom Carlyle
would say were men whose vision
was bounded by this world, Judged
by his standard, the constant sense
of the infinite, and mans highest
spiritual perceptions and yearnings
***
Says Mr.. Harrison, "The eighteenth
century threw up three dominant
movements: 1st. The idea of law in
mind and society. ID That genius
for synthesis of which the work of
Button, of Linneus, and the Ency-
clop@dia, were all phases. Sd. That
idea of social reconstruction of
which the new system of 81, the
American republic and our reform
ed parliament are all products"
This would exactly confirm Car
lyle's view, Ujz: That all this move
ment was along lines of merely
worldly and economic progress, it
never lifted it's eyes to the heavens.
1t was without God in the world.
Carlyle had said the eighteenth CEN
tury was an age of prose, of lying,
of sham, the reign of Beelzebub, and
allowing for Carlyle's characteristic
tone of rather extravagant assertion,
what he meant was essentially true,
taking the world at large during that
period.
~
I do not know anything more
pointed and forcible to show that
regeneration is not mere moral sua-
sion than the following from DR..
Nettleton "Persuasion is not sufi-
cient to make men new creatures.
If the Holy Ghost operates on the
minds of men only by setting mo-
tives before them, be the kinds ever
so diverse or we'll adapted to the
purpose, yet after all it depends on
the will of man whether he shall be
regenerated or not. On this scheme
the glory of regeneration belongs to
ourselves, no new taste, no new spir-
itual discernment springs from per-
suasion. regeneration comes thus,
then a man begets himself; he is
born of himself-he makes himself
to differ from others. On this plan
the Holy Spirit has no more to do
than Paul or Apollos. Besides, this
is not what we pray for. We pray
not that motives may be set before
US to persuade us to regenerate our
selves, but that God would change
us, create US anew. There is then
only one way for a creature dead in
sin to rise to life. This is by the
power of God which quickens him"
#**
Here is a very sharp thing of his
on the perseverance of the saints:
"Angels rejoice at the repentance of
one sinner. If they did not believe
this doctrine they could have no
ground to rejoice. They must wait
till the sinner gets to heaven. If
angels did not firmly believe this
doctrine, their Joy would be un-
founded. Their Language would be,
that sinner has truly repented, he
is now a child of God, but whether
he will ever get to heaven is a mat
ter of great uncertainty. Could we
know he would certainly arrive here,
we might now tune our harps and
sing glory to God, but since we have
been disappointed, and some over
whom we once rejoiced. fell away,
and now are lost, it is best for us to
wait and see how they will turn
out"
*s#
1t seems to me nothing is more
desirable than acquaintance with
the ways and methods of those who
have had a large and rich expert
ence in dealing with inquirers, who
have had great success as revival
lists" who we're men of thoughtful
minds, looking before and behind,
who studied future results as we'll
as present effects, who were marked
by zeal tempered with wisdom and
prudence, and knowledge of the BIZ
bic and systematic theology; and
whose revivals were of that kind
that spurious conversions rarely took
place, false hopes we're not produced,
and the conversions permanent In
results.
~
Perhaps no man was safer guide
in all this than DR.. Nettleton. He
seems to have had an almost prefer
natural insight in dealing with in
quiring sinners, and stripping the
disguises of sophistry and self-de-
lus1on from their hearts. His meet
ings were characterized by great
stillness and an awful solprnnitv