Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-04-30
UOLy-spIRIT CONVENTION.
Those Interested In II Addressed ny
Rev. DIR. }. 4. Hidden.

Tho regular weekly meeting OF 'he
| Christian workers who are arranging io'
| the Holy Spirit convention TOOK pace
Yesterday afternoon at the Young Men
| christian Association parlor Despite the
bad weather there was good alt M
! ance. Rev. Dr. j. &. Hidden addressed the
! meeting. He pointed out the analogy De
tween fire and the Holy Spirit. The on'y
| vav TO be a warm Christian ne fd'u'
was TO get near this fire OF the hoIy
| sr,tit Warmth In the Christian ne -
| not in proportion to our know ledse. ne'o
are men who are fine Biblical scholal >
/ who epand so much time In the cthlc"i
| study Of the Scriptures that they 90 h"'
| seem 10 have much time lett 10 s''
| warmed by the burning truths th"t '"eS
! analyze. .o.,.
| Of cold weather the first question every
morning is how to get warm untll some
| bodv has the nerve TO get out Of bed anu
| kindie a fire II is going 10 be pret'y
| cold house 4 great many OF our reNlNdis,
real REVEALS, in which the hearts OF
| Christian people have become quichened'
| have been the result Of some one per
sons getting warm and kindling biaze.
| Somebody always has TO bestir himself
and light the fire.
THE HOLY SPIRIT ENLIGliTENS.
| The Holy Spirit is like fire, too. In that
| He enightens The Bible Is dull book
| TO q man whose eyes are not opened 10
| its meaning by the Spirit. 1t Is Well
| known fact that many persons OF me,
| natural sense. who can discuss almost
any other subject intellgently, are per
| fectly stupid when ii comes TO matters
of religion. William Pitt was a striking
| of
brightest minds that England ever pro-
| duced-an extraordinary scholar and
brilliant statesman. WiiberforCe a lovely
| Christian man and a great friend OF
| pits. took him to church one day. the
| sermon set forth salvation By faith In 4
| crucifed Redeemer Wilberiorce was De
| lighted with IL. while Pitt confessed that
| he could not understand what the preach-
| or was talking about. and asked WIDER
| force If it meant anything to him AZ a
| contrast. the speaker said. a missionary
was summoned to the death-bel. He
went expecting 10 see the saddest OF all
sights-the death Of a heather. Instead
| he found himself at the death-bed Of
man with the hope Of Heaven in his
heart. In surprise the missionary asked
him how ne learned of such things: IL
he had a Bible No. said the man. and
| il had l can't read. Wen, was asked,
how did you know about Christ ana
come 10 accept His salvation? Why. said
| the man. heard you preach three times,
and / remembered the three texts. The
first was: God So Loved the World
That He Gave His Only Begotten Son
That Whosoever Beleveth in Him Should
Not Perish. But Have Everlasting Life
The second time the text was: There
fore. Being justified by Faith. We Have
Peace With God" The last text you
preached from was very short, but OH
so sweet-"Quickened With Christ That
Is all / know at%Nt il. and | am dying
in peace. He DIDN'T know much. but what
he knew he knew. and his heart was
sweetly resting in his Saviour.
AS A PURIFIER.
Lastly. the function of fire is to purify.
Down yonder IN birmingham there are
mountains filed with iron-ore. Ii is this
that has made a city spring up as II by
magic. on ground where not long ago
men hunted partridges. The ore as dug
out Is useless but II Is thrown into i'm
mense furnaces. and the power Of fire
separates the dross from the metal. In
| tellectual apprehension Of religious truth
Will not make man good The purifying
influence of the Holy Spirit is necessary.
Many men have given great attention
| 10 drawing nice distinctions between right
and wrong while their own morals have
run 10 seed.
Summing up. the speaker said: If you
want to be warm Christian, get near
this fire Of the Holy Spirit. II You wa II
| TO be an enlightened Christian. use this
fire Of the Holy Spirit. II you want TO be
a pure-hearted. heavenly minded Chris
tian. get this fire of the Holy Spirit in
your soul
The next meeting will take place Tues
day afternoon rext. when the several
| committees will report.