The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-01-18
Conversation a Eeans Of Grace.
Our \ Dung People.

| \'ul oullS CO)lc.
Means Of grace, rrc ordinances
of God, whereby Christ commune
Gates to his ransomcd people spirit
ual life and growth unto perfection.
We say means Of grace, not because
God cannot convey his blessing
without them; not because God
must confer his blessing on man in
the use of them; for neither Of
these is true; but We call them
means, because God has appointed
them for the specified purpose. lie
commands us to use them for that
purpose; and in his sovereign
grace he makes them answer the
purposes intended.
Conversation among private
Christians is one Of the means of
growth in knowledge, in holiness,
and in usefulness. 1t is itself part
Of our religious enjoyment and the
means Of increasing both the desire
and capacity for more enjoyment.
Whatever other advantages Of i'm
provcmcnt Il man may possess, if
he is totally cut off from intimate
intercourse with pious friends, he
will soon discover it in the coldncss
and formality Of his profession. If
from negligence, or amy cause, he
be prevented from intcrmingling
frequently and familiarly with those
who make religion the subject Of
their discourse, his own personal
religion will be deprived Of the
case, the ardor, the accuracy, and
the opcnncss which arc so orna-
mental to the social character Of
Christ's disciples. Should he read
with attention the Word Of God;
should he hear from the pulpit the
most able sermons, or study the
works Of the best commentators;
he may become Il proficient in the
science Of didactic theology, but
both his acquaintance with the
power Of religion in others, and his
own experience in picty, must, in
such Il case, be deficient in many
very interesting respects, compared
with the attainmcnts of one who
adds to these advantages frequent
conversation about the things of
God. The Christian minister who
is far advanced in age and in God
Illness, finds in free religious con-
vcrSalion increasing instruction and
comfort; the student of divinity
who is preparing for usefulness in
the church OF God and the younger
minister Of the sanctuary will pro-
fit exceedingly by familiar society
with the saints; and to the pastor
Of a congregation it is a source Of
more improvement than the study
Of elegant literature. a man ac-
customcd 10 judicious reflections
will find in such intercourse with
Christians, so many suggestions of
Il doctrinal and practical tendency,
as cannot fail to enlarge the sum of
his ideas, and to render his own
maNims more correct and practical.
The Christian conversation which
| recommend is citlcr occasional,
III our interviews with our fellow
pilgrims, or stated in fellowship
meetings established expressly for
this purpose.
Private societies for prayer and
conference have always obtained
more or less in the church, and have
always been productive Of remark
able advantage. In times Of re-
vival and reform they multiply;
they intcrminglc the counscls and
experience of age with the ardor
and rashncss of young believers,
and both characters derive profit
from an augmentation of heat and
of light. In times of danger and
declension, such assemblies, if they
do not arrest corruption in its pro-
grcss, may preserve few from fol-
lowing the multitude to do evil;
may strengthen the weak, and di-