Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-10-16
The Converted Man.


Send in your mite however small;
Or when the snow of winter strikes us,
We shall have no pants at all"
The Converted Man.
Ye must be born again.-John, ill.,, 7.
1t is absolutely necessary to a mans
spiritual welfare that he should be con-
verified. It is an old fashioned wo:d d,
but stripped of certain abuses and
errors which have been connected with
it it has the right ring.
To be converted is simply to be turn
ed toward God, and the converted man
is one who deliberately comes to the
conclusion that it is better to obey
Gods laws than to break them. With
that definition the word has peculiar
heterodox, we all admit that the men
tai struggle which ends in the cenvic-
ton that faith in and submission to a
superintending Providence will pro-
duce higher results than uncontrolled
selfishness is a struggle which every
man who lives ought to make. There
is no room for difference of opinion on
this subject, provided we look at it in
broad and generous way.
NY impression is that the Church has
done the world a great injury by in
Producing into that experience a mys
ticism which drains from it all philosO
ply and common sense.
If a man who is going wropg-and
every one knows when he has goue
wrong and how far he has gone-says
to himself on some occasion, "This
kind of life is leading me into the
bramble bushes; l am losing my self
respect, and will face the other way
and by Gods help keep it," that man
has taken a step of infinite Importance
to himself, and its happy consequences
are not to be reckoned. Whether we
are pagan or priest, whatever theologi
cal views we entertain, we say heartily
that he has done we'll.
But if you tell a man that by assent
ing to this or that belief he is thereby
and from that instant saved soul yot
make religion a very cheap affair ans
import into it an element which rem
ders it even ridiculous, for, after all
religion is the sturdiest, the manlies
and the most straightforward thing il
the world. There is no necromanc,
about it, and if you put any into it j
ceases TO be the kind of religion which
Christ taught. When heard an evan
gelist say to a kneeling profigate, int
whose soul breath from heaven bat
entered, you believe that Christ dice
for you? Then you are saved" shud
dered. That poor fellow had had
noble impulse. He wanted to unstraI
the burden from his shoulders AM
thereafter look the stars in the face
But he knew that no amount of belev
ing would blot out his sins and make
new man of him. The preacher wa
telling him about something magical
y h. 49,
that the dark life behind him was az
awful fact, and that if his future wal
to be bright he must buckle on the
armor and make terrible fight fol
honesty and honor. He went out into
the night, and Heaven knows what ha.
become of him.
There is no magic in the new birth
but there is glory, peace, happiness anG
final victory. 1t is discouraging to g
man to be told that everything will &c
well with him after his conversion, fol
that cannot be true until the laws of
the universe are repealed, and if you
deceive him on that point his last con
dition may be worse than his first. 1t
is safest to tell the truth always
Let NE illustrate. You are dissipated
and evil minded. You are sailing your
craft in dangerous seas and among ice
bergs and ice foes. Suppose you awak-
en- to the fact that you are wasting
yourself and imperilling everything a
man ought to hold dear. You say, 81
shall never get to the other side on this
course. | will strike for the open sea. ~
You have certainly been converted, but
your conversion does not remove ice
bergs. You must get away from them
by carefully trimming your sails and
nj fo1, fr11 l. L
you are in clear water the voyage is
still before you, and it is folly to tell
you that the friendly winds will watt
you to your journeys end and the
waves will not rise up against you. The
life of the Christian is life of work, and
will be until the churchyard gate
swings on its hinges.
But the change in you is something
wonderful; both the mental and the
spiritual change are favorable and
stimulating. The consciousness that
you have taken Gods way to be your
way works curious effects in your soul.
Your whole outlook is different. and
the new man is quite unlike the old
man. The heart that knows it is right
is not like the heart that knows it is
wrong. The peace that passeth under
standing is its guest, whose daily bene
diction inspires and ennobles.
Moreover, when man has taken that
step the whole spirit of the universe is
with him. He is in accord with the ma
ture of things and feels Gods actual
and literal presence. The dear Lord
said, Il will come unto you" and He
does come. Heaven becomes reality.
and the spirits of the departed lift him
up lest he stumble to his hurt,
IF ic q bSOlutalv naopcSarv for q ,no,,
to decide at some juncture whether he
will sacrifice for the right or simply live
a selfish life. If the latter, he plays on
a harp with broken strings; if the for
mer, he is a warrior with mailed armor,
and he must do himself credit in the
battle. Do not persuade him that he
had nothing to do, for he has every
thing to do; but he will do it with a
new spirit and a new courage.
Our days are burdensome and duties
are heavy. Nothing can change that.
But if you feel that you are in God
service you can bear with less friction
and endure with loving resignation.
While there is no magic in religion, yet
the difference between religion and ir-
religion is SO great that in the one case
you have only the poor companionship
of your doubts and in the other the
constant company of the angels, who
will help you to-day to overcome and
tomorrow will lift your tired soul from
the worn out body and lead you into
eternal light.
GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH.