Newly Enlisted: Talks with Young Converts

DuRING a public ministry which has extended beyond forty years I have been brought into contact with thousands of persons who were just commencing the Christian life. No portion of that life is more vitally important than its early stages. A new convert to Christ — whether

he or she is young in years or not — has had but

a very limited experience; and experience is like the stern-light of a vessel; it only shows the path

that has already been sailed over. But every

voyager may profit by the experiences of others

who have sailed the same-track and encountered

the same difficulties or perils. Every word of

- counsel therefore which is in accordance with God’s Book and with the actual lives of his peo — ple may be of great value to those who are just

setting out. It is my aim in the following pages

to present a few such frank and fatherly counsels.

Some of the chapters may be equally applicable

to those who are farther advanced in Christian growth. But my chief aim is to reach and to

instruct those who have xewly enlisted in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My dear friends, you must bear in mind that conversion is simply an enlisting in the army of Jesus. The battles and the hard bivouacs are yet before you. ‘‘Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.” We want to impress it upon the mind of every young convert that the real conflict has only begun, and they have done no more than to put on their armor and enroll their names. Supposing you to be truly regenerated by the divine Spirit, what next?

We would reply that the sowing-time of your spiritual spring has just begun. Don’t repeat the current prattle about being a ‘‘ harvested soul gathered into the garner.’? ‘The church is - mot a granary. You are just beginning to sow for yourself; and whatsoever you sow you will surely reap. You are forming new habits of thinking and acting. You are an utterly inexperienced beginner in an entirely new line of life. The first year of your Christian life will have a mighty influence on all your future. Many a wedlock has been spoiled by a bad hon- -eymoon. Many a promising convert has been ruined by an unhappy start, or at least his’ hopes of spiritual power and usefulness have been blasted.. Begin with a determination to learn Christ’s will and to do it. This is what that famous convert near Damascus was aiming at when he inquired so anxiously, ‘‘ Lord, what wilt show have - metodo?’ It is very well to know what a Bun-: yan or a Finney or a Moody has written or said about the Christian life. But go to the fountainhead. Go to Jesus in a humble, docile spirit and ask him in fervent prayer to guide you, ‘ Bend your will to his will. He is perfectly willing to guide the meek and the teachable in the right way. I honestly believe that, when a docile heart sincerely asks to be led and then obeys the voice of conscience, that heart seldom takes a false step; yea, never does. Jesus promises to lead you in the way of all truth. Trust him. Conscience is the vital point. You need not trouble yourself much about your feelings or your frames as long as conscience turns as steadily towards Christ as the needle towards the North Pole. It is the office of conscience to detect sin and righteousness, to decide for one and to reject the other. Feelings are very fallacious. Some Christians are very devout in their feelings and wretchedly deficient in their daily conduct. They forget that the best proof of love to Christ is to ‘‘keep his commandments.’’? Fervent Christians in the prayer-meeting, they are sorry specimens of Christians outside of it. There is a lamentable lack of conscience in too much of the flaming piety which burns out all its oil in the prayer-room or the ‘‘ praise-meeting.’’ We do not wonder at the sneers which are often levelled by NEWLY ENLISTED. )

shrewd men of the world at this sort of ‘‘ revival religion.’’ See to it that you give no occasion for such sneers. See to it that Jesus is not betrayed before his enemies by your inconsistency. The best thing you can do for your Saviour and your Master is to live an honest, truthful, pure, and godly life. Others are watching you. Then watch over yourself.

In putting on your armor don’t forget that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Be not content with merely reading your Bible;

study it. Instead of skimming over whole acres

of truth, put your spade into the most practical passages and dig deep. Study the twenty-fifth Psalm and the twelfth chapter of Romans, as well as the sublime eighth chapter. Study the whole Epistle of James. It will teach you how a

Christian ought to behave before the world. As

you get on farther you may strike your hoe and

your mattock down into the rich ore-beds of the

book of John. Saturate your heart with God’s Word.

As for your field of Christian work, you ought not to have much trouble about that. Follow God’s leadings and go into the first field of labor which opens to you. Do not seek easy posts or those which will flatter vanity. Brave Mary Lyon used to tell her pupils at Mount Holyoke to ‘‘go where no one else was willing to go.” Threescore of her graduates became missionaries for Christ Jesus. As soon as you begin to think that you are too good for your place, then the place is too good for you. Do what you can do

best. A converted inebriate in my congregation -

has found his field in a praying band for the reformation of drunkards. While you are working for the Master do not neglect the inner life of your own soul. If you do not keep the fountain well filled with love of Jesus, the stream of your activities will run dry as soon as the novelty is over.

Your daily battle will be with the sins that most easily beset you. The serpent often scotched is not killed. Paul himself had to give his carnal appetites the ‘‘ black eye’’ pretty often. You will never get your discharge from this war with - the old Adam until you enter heaven. The moment you fall asleep the Philistines will be upon you. Challenge every tempter that approaches you. The dangerous devil is the one that wears the white robe and cozens you with a smooth tongue.

Finally, strive to be a Christian man everywhere. Carry the savor of your communion with Christ wherever you go. Jacob brought into his old blind father’s presence such an odor of the barley-ground and the vineyard that he had ‘‘the smell of a field which the Lord had blessed.’’? Every place you enter ought to be the better for your presence. Never disappoint the expectation of your Master. He is the best master in the universe. Having put on the uni- - form of his glorious service, wear it until you are laid in your coffin. Carry his banner up to the heavenly gate. When Death calls your

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