The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-01
CONVERSION.
The Distinguishing Feature Of
Every Religion.

To the Editor of The Times-It was
with q timld hand that l presented the
former article on the above subject, not
knowing whether it would he accepted or
rejected. l knew, would be coming
before giants. SO to speak, before men
who have, perhaps, given it double the
thought that have In the face of all
this they cannot think nor present it lust
as would do-in short, they cannot do
my work To say the least, some reader
may give this subject a more thorough
2 study than he has heretofore. am
aware of my own insufficiency and my
own nworthiness, but in. the face of all
this, do not know that it should deter
me.
have received mercy and grace from
Him alone who is allie to bestow it, and
IL re mains u question as to whether 1 con-
t!nue therein, or grow unmindful of my
high privileges and mingle again with
the disobedent and sinful
1t will be seen, then, that the object of
last week article was to ascertain from
Bible standpoint what Christian CON
version, in its full sense, implies. Con.
version means, as Webster has it: Gin
general sense turning or changing from
one state to another" but one of his
definitions of the word Convert is very
suggestive and worthy of place just
here-'To turn from bad life to good
one; to change the heart aud moral char
acter from enmity to God and from
vicious habits, to love Of God and n holy
life" So we see that it is not only re-
nouncing former course and acquiesc-
ing in another, but it implies life of
obedience as we'll. He that grounds the
arms of his rebellion. forsakes the DEVILS
ranks and joins the army of the Lord, il
he fails to equip himself and fight the
Lords battles, is hardly half converted,
to say the least of it, Tw of the most
fearful warnings in the Bible are ssthe
handles of the plow," and 'Lot's wife,
The Lord have mercy upon and save us
weak, Indifferent and forgetful Chris
tians.
During the Worlds Fair a conference
was held if mistake not, representing
the different leading religions of the
world to ascertain whether they could
not be made to harmonic. 1t was said
that r.. G. Ingersol was among them,
and yet confront him with the Christian
religion and he opposes it. Why? Be-
cause there is something in it that hits at
the very roots of sin. Did you ever no.
tice that intidels and men of "Ilberal
Thought" so called, are ready to attack
the doctrines of the Bible. The devil
hates conversion, for he we'll knows that
when it is genuine that it means much
of the mind He knows that the convert
is no longer held by him in the chains of
sin, that be has lost one of his faithful
subjects, and that his cause is weakened.
Here is and always will he tho hottest
battle ground between religion and the
world, Christ and the devil. Every ear
nest and faithful pastor knows this we'll.
They have seen that when the Spirit of
the Lord was present to convict and turn
men, then it was that the battle grew
strong between the army of the Lord and
the hosts Of sin.
At the outsel had a purpose in writ
ing on the present subject, but it now
seems that am rather slow in complet.
ing it. think that it will be plainly
seen trat to bs truly converted person
that it iW plies a complete and entire sur
render of soul, body and mind to the
cause OF Christ This requires the full
extent of every faculty of mind and soul
Of which the indi vidual is capable. Hav-
ing done this. he Is saved from all sin, he
is renewed by the blood of the everlast-
ing covenant ana his feet placed in the
patti that leads to heaven. But he is
only babe in Christ and must grow
stronger day by day by receiving "the
sincere milk of the Word" This is the
plan of Christian growth AS to any one
special blessing in accomplishing this |
am wholly unprepnrcd to give anything
bearing on the subject Fl.
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Strawberry Ice Cream made of fresh
Strawberries Mt j. j. Catognis.