"Born of the Spirit;" or, Gems from the Book of LifeOsborne, Zenas
Religion
"Born of the Spirit;" or, Gems from the Book of Life
Osborne, Zenas
Free Methodist Church of North America; Osborne, Zenas
Doubtless this Brother had been converted. His father was a United
Brethren preacher, and believed in the life and power of salvation.
This Brother had said to me previous to this that he and his father
used to hold meetings with just such results and manifestations as
you Free Methodist have. He was looked upon by the association as a
_free thinker_.
Doctor D. T. was next called on. “Well,” said the aged divine, “I sin
every day in thought, word and deed. That is all I have to say about
that paper.”
A Congregationalist missionary to the churches of America, was
present, having preached in the city the Sabbath previous.
When called upon to state his views upon the paper, remarked, “I take
no stock in the doctrine discussed by the paper. If it means to feel
good, there may be something in it and it’s possible I have got it,
for there are times when I feel pretty good.”
Several preachers present would not venture a remark on the subject.
The only one that endorsed the paper was Rev. Frank Beck, an M.
E. preacher. He endorsed it heartily, backing up his argument by
Scripture, Wesley and others; at the same time he was in bondage to
oath-bound societies, and lacked that freedom and unction which every
minister of the gospel ought to possess--might possess, if all was on
the altar, accepted of God, set on fire of the Holy Ghost.
I was surprised with that intelligent, cultured, company of
ministers, who manifested such ignorance in regard to what was meant,
in being a gospel minister, or a real child of God.
Brother H. H. S., a Presbyterian, when asked what he had to say,
replied, “I never met with any of those changes; and am satisfied
with this--I have always been good. I think that I was converted
before I was born, never since.”
XIII.
A DIRECT ROUTE.
Many have a desire to see Jesus, but miss the route, and fail in the
end. They say a great deal, and do much--but after all they fail.
We read of one away back in the days when Christ was on earth, who
desired to see him, and hearing that he was to pass that way hastened
to the road where he was to pass, _and climbed up a tree_, in order
as he supposed to have a fine prospect; but Jesus called him down.
It is just so with many at the present day; they want to see Jesus,
but take the wrong route! they climb up,--_i. e._, they tell you how
good they are; how much good they have done here and there. I heard a
young preacher say, he went to Baltimore and converted two souls. His
talk was full of self. Jesus was not the one altogether lovely with
him.
It’s down at the foot of the cross, where flows the blood, that
bought our guilty souls for God. This brother like a great many, fail
to touch the blood, consequently, they always dine on old manna.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account