Part 6 (2/2)
”But what does the Scripture say?” he interposed ”It says that 'he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed' (John 3:18); and in another place, 'tie that believeth not shall be damned'
(Mark 16:16) As surely as the believer is saved and goes to heaven, as surely the unbeliever is lost and must So to hell”
”Do you mean Gehenna, the place of torment?”
”Yes, I do”
”This is very dreadful”
”More dreadful still” I said, ”must be the soleht and putting it off, I rather let it stir and rouse me to warn unbelievers, so that I erous path I think this is the only true and faithful way of showing kindness; and that, on the other hand, it is the most selfish, heartless, and cruel unkindness to let sinners, whether they are religious, o on in an unconverted state, and perish”
”Do you believe, then,” said my visitor, ”in the fire of hell? Do you think it is a material fire?”
”I do not know; I do not wish to know anything about it I suppose , is but a shadow of so real Is it not a fire which shall burn the soul--a fire that never will be quenched--where the ill never die?”
”Do you really believe all this?”
”Yes,” I said, ”and I have reason to do so” I reh when I was under conviction, and the terrible distress I felt for others who to the Jews, and warning theainst their unbelief and its fearful consequences, He did not allow any 'charitable hopes' to hinder Hi the whole truth He told them of Lazarus, who died, and went to Paradise, or Abraham's bosom; and of Dives, who died, and went to hell, the place of tor ure of speech!” I repeated ”Is it a figure of speech that the rich man fared sumptuously, that he died, that he was buried? Is not that literal? Why, then, is it a figure of speech that he lifted up his eyes in torment, and said, 'I am tormented in this flame'(Luke 16:24) My dear friend, be sure that there is an awful reality in that story--a ulf If here we do not believe in this gulf, we shall have to know of it hereafter I never saw and felt,” I continued, ”as I do now, that every man is lost, even while on earth, until he is saved, and that if he dies in that unsaved state he will be lost for ever”
My unknown visitor remained silent for a little time, and I could see that he was in tears At last he burst out and said, ”I areat ”R's”--'Ruin,'
'Redeeneration,' and to see if you really meant what you preached Now I feel more confirht I had been contending with an unbeliever all along, but instead of this I found that he was a man who scarcely ventured to think out what he believed to its ultimate result--he believed God's Word, but, like too entleman had experienced the truth of the three ”R's”--that is to say, he had been awakened to know himself to be lost and ruined by the fall, redeeenerated by the Holy Ghost In other words, he had been converted, and he knew it
I found out that at the tiy responsible to any rector or vicar, he began to preach boldly the things he had seen His changed preaching produced a manifest result, and the people were awakened, even startled, and it would appear he was startled too Instead of thanking God and taking courage, he becaation, and finding that his preaching e his tone, and speak sained their treacherous good will; but as a living soul he could not be satisfied with this state of things He knew that he was not faithful to God or to his people; so being a , and retired into private life--”beloved and respected,” as they said, for being a good and peaceable man
At this distance of time I continue to thank God for his visit to me; it helped to fix the truth more firmly in my own soul, and to confir, in the face of much opposition I must say that I have had no reason to waver in my conviction, and still feel that I would not, for ten tiood-hich he enjoyed (if he did enjoy it), stand in his place
After long observation, I perceive that it is not the sword of the Word which offends congregations, for preachers are co as it is judiciously put, and with ”much discretion,” so as not to wound the prejudices of the people
The ations rather like to see the sword drawn out to its full length and flashed with dexterity, and they do not always object to being hit with it, and even hit hard, so long as it is done with the flat of the sword; but they very quickly resent a touch with its edge, and , which is beautiful, as it is har to be dreaded and avoided For instance, a man may preach most eloquently and acceptably on the three ”R's” if he does not apply the subject too pointedly, by telling the people, both in the pulpit and out of it, that they are now ruined and lost; and that, having been redeemed, they are responsible before God; and that, if they will not be regenerated by the Spirit, they will be da, ”You hath He quickened,” but to turn these same words into a personal question is too often considered ih, indeed, it is the sincerest kindness and truest Christian love
”This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim 1:15) He came, and is spiritually present now, everywhere, for this purpose His real presence with power is particularly promised to the preacher of the Gospel (Matt 28:20) The Lord Jesus is ever present to take especial interest in the result of preaching How disappointing thentheir tiood they rieve Him to see that their object is too often not the same as His; and when He does apply the Word by the power of the Spirit, it rieve Him to see that they are afraid of the result
Gospel preaching should not be to entertain people, nor even to instruct the them from death into life, which is manifestly the Lord's chief desire
This was the definite object ofshort of this could or would satisfy s In the church, in the school-rooes, we prayed that the Holy Spirit would bring conviction upon sinners, and then we sought to lead the testiain, or die to all eternity”
CHAPTER 10
The First Christ the revival, was a wonderful time The people had never realized before what this festival was, beyond regarding it as a season for do It surprised many to see that their past Christmases were a true representation of their past lives that they had cheered and tried toHim out of their consideration in His oorld, as they had on His own birthday What a Christless and hopeless life it had been! What a Christless religion! Noe praised the Lord together for His ht henceforth live unto Hihest, and on earth peace, good-will towards athering, and dedicated ourselves afresh to God's service It was a blessed season, and several hundreds were there, who, together withthe previous two months The new year opened upon us with fresh s I endeavoured to show the people that the Lord was called Jesus, not that He ht save us from hell or death, but from our sins; and this while we lived on earth--that our heart and all our ht live to His glory; that Christ's religion was not intended for a death-bed, but for a happy and effectual Christian life---a life showing forth the power of His grace