1888 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



223 



0aR pepEg. 



Also I say unto you. Whosoever shall confess me 

 before men, him shall the Son of man also confess 

 before the angels of God: but he that denieth me 

 before men shall be denied before the angels of 

 God.— Luke 13:8,9. 



Tip T the close of otir prayer-meeting last 

 ^llk Sunday evening, an invitation was 

 ]^r given to those who would like the 

 ■^^ prayers of Christians, to rise. Per- 

 haps half a dozen or more arose ; that 

 is, half a dozen or more who had never risen 

 before. Some of them may have said, as 

 they rose, " Pray for me ; " others said noth- 

 ing. Onr pastor, who was leader of the 

 meeting, simply asked those to rise who 

 wotild like to indicate, by so doing, that 

 they felt it would be a privilege by this act, 

 to say, " Pray for me." The sober and 

 serious looks of all present indicated that 

 very serious thoughts were in the minds of 

 almost all there. W^e had been considering, 

 all through the meeting, a very serious and 

 sacred silbject, and all felt the solemnity of 

 the occasion. Perhaps most of those present 

 remembered sins and weaknesses they had 

 been guilty of during the preceding week ; 

 and more than one was really and truly 

 hungering and thirsting after righteousness. 

 I remember the feeling uppermost in my 

 own heart at the time, and I said mentally, 

 if not aloud, " Gnd have mercy on me a 

 sinner." 



At the close of the meeting, the pastor 

 said he would like to have a little talk with 

 those who had risen for prayers. He had 

 also invited others to remain, who felt like 

 doing so. Of the hundred or more who were 

 present, perhaps fifteen or twenty remained. 

 After a few brief prayers, and some remarks 

 from the leader, in regard to the danger of 

 indecision and delay, he began to ask how 

 many of those who had risen for prayers 

 were willing to indicate, V»y rising again, 

 that they would at that time and in that 

 place accept Christ as their Savior. You 

 have all doubtless been present at such meet- 

 ings. Perhaps you have at such a time been 

 impressed with the sacredness and the 

 solemnity of the act of rising after such an 

 invitation. Can it indeed be true, that so 

 simple a matter as rising or sitting still 

 fixes the future V There were boys and 

 girls whom I knew well, right before me, 

 perhaps on either side, who were just start- 

 ing out in life. They had no fixed principles 

 for either very good or very bad. 1 presume 

 they had never thought very much about 

 the matter of uniting with Cliristian people, 

 or of holding aloof from them. One young 

 lady whom I had talked with on the suliject, 

 decided there that evening that Jesus should 

 henceforth and for ever be her portion. The 

 decision was made by simply rising. I don't 

 know that she spoke a word until questioned 

 somewhat by the leader. She then s;iid siie 

 had for many years considered the matter of 

 following Christ in such a way that he should 

 be first, last, and all. I knew she had had 

 some experiences in her life that told her 

 pretty plainly M'hat it was t<^ choose Christ, 

 or to choose what many young people might 

 consider liberty to do as they please in regard 



to matters of conscience. May be she did 

 not fully comprehend all that was included 

 in this little act of rising to such an invita- 

 tion, and, for that matter, I am not sure that 

 any of us do when we make the decision. 

 But I felt sure, when I saw her rise, that 

 God would make it plainer as she com- 

 menced taking these gradual steps from 

 earth toward heaven. 



A young man present, who had once be- 

 fore risen for prayers, did not rise in an- 

 swer to this last invitation. When the pas- 

 tor spoke his name, and asked him if he was 

 not ready then to choose Christ for his 

 friend and leader through life, he shook his 

 head ; and as 1 saw him shake his head, a 

 chill went over me. This young man knew 

 of Christ and of Chrisfs teachings. He 

 knew what it was to be a Christian. He 

 knew what he must do to be a consistent 

 follower of Christ, an<l he also knew what 

 he must not do. Another one, perhaps en- 

 couraged a little by the position this one 

 had taken, decided also that he was not 

 ready to choose Jesus before the world and 

 what the world had to offer. I fell to won- 

 dering at the time if it were not possible 

 that both of these young friends didn't 

 understand exactly what this invitation 

 meant. Why should they refuse to publicly 

 announce themselves as among Christ's fol- 

 lowers? What was there in their lives that 

 they hesitated to change or give up by so do- 

 ing? Only God can read the "inmost 

 thoughts of the soul ; but I felt sure they 

 both comprehended clearly what it was they 

 declined. They said by acts, if not bywords, 

 ''You are right, friends, and it is true that 

 we prefer not to be one of Christ's followers 

 just yet." As I look back at that time and 

 place I am again tempted to think they did 

 not comprehend nor understand exactly the 

 crisis in their lives. Our pastor tried to ex- 

 plain to them by different lignres and illus- 

 trations tliat they stood at the place where 

 the road of life forked. There are only two 

 ways, or only two roads, if you choose. 

 There is not any third road, lior is there 

 any chance to go 'cross-lots. We must take 

 one road or the other. One of these two 

 roads leads to the gates of the heavenly 

 city, and the other leads to ruin and despair. 

 It is true, that at some future time these 

 boys may turn back and take the way of 

 life ; but the chances are, I believe, against 

 such turning back. Every day of life we 

 live pushes us ahead. 



I mentioned this matter at our noon ser- 

 vice the next day. T related tlie circum- 

 stances, and then asked of our little audi- 

 ence — 



"■ Were those who rose for prayers at the 

 close of the meeting. Christians ?" 



The reply came back promptly, " They 

 were not." 



"Well, dear friends, were those who rose in 

 answer to the second invitation :it the close 

 of the meeting. Christians V or. in other 

 words, suppose they siiould have died that 

 nijrht, were they among the saved V" 



The answer came promptly as before, 

 "Yes, sir." Tliere was no dissenting voice 

 in any of tliat audience. Some present were 

 church-members, and some were not ; but 



