According to that He Hath [pp. 285-287]

THE LADIES' REPOS$IOR r.
in some degree penitent thus obtain what seem
satisfactory arguments for absenting themselves
from the helpful ordinances, to which real be lievers are invited.
The experience of F., a most exemplary and
punctual attendant upon the public means of
grace, may illustrate these hints.
He is a man considerably past middle life,
moral and upright in his relations to his fellow men.
A Christian friend, calling upon him, asks:
"And why, Mr..F., are you not found among
the professed followers of Jesus?"
"I wish-yes, I may say that I have long
wished that I might be with them. Above all
things, I should like to be a sincere, happy,
useful Christian."
"Then you have been for some time inter ested in the things of religion?"
"Yes, indeed; even from my youth I have
had an interest in them, and have felt the im portance of true piety; and as I have been for
years accustomed to hear the preaching of God's
Word, I have time and time again been im pressed by its power, and been led to say it is
the truth."
"I am glad that you do not shrink from a
conversation upon religious topics."
" I thank you for bringing them to my notice,
for often, when I have seen my minister coming
to the house, I have dropped every thing, even
when I have been hurried by my work, and
have run into the house on purpose to hear him
talk about the love of Christ and the way of
salvation."
"Do you think that you see your need of
Christ, so as willingly to receive him as your
only Savior?"
"I trust so; at any rate I have been made
conscious of my great sinfulness, and I wish to
apply to himn to take it from me."
"And do you pray daily?"
"I try to pray, and with an earnest desire to
be heard, I hope."
"But is not this to begin to be a Christian?
When with deep abhorrence of sin, one turns
to the Lord Jesus as his only and all-sufficient
Savior, and seeks by prayer to obtain his help
in obeying his commands, what is this but to
take the first steps in the Christian life? I
hope you are going shortly to take other essen tial steps in the same right direction. You
should at once confess Christ, and acknowledge
your hope in him before others."
"I suppose that this is the duty of such as
have really become his disciples; but I have
one great hinderance that I fear must keep me
back from being publicly known as a Christian,
even though the Savior should be willing to own
me as one of his followers."
"Why so? What is your difficulty lying
thus as an obstacle in your path? Perhaps
you are unwilling to tell it to me."
"By no means. It seems to be this. I have
so little to offer Christ. I would make, I amn
afraid, a most useless Christian. My early advantages were very poor, and, in fact, I have
never had an opportunity to learn much. And
even my natural talent is but little, and I'm
quite sure that if I should try to be a Christian,
I should not be of any service in the Church or
anywhere else as a Christian."
" But is there not something of pride in this
objection? Are you not, perhaps, holding back
from duty because you think that you will not
gain much credit in performing it?"
It may be so, but I hope not. I've thought
that if I should become a professed Christian,
I'cd be asked to pray in public, and I'm sure I
never could do it in such a way as to benefit
any one."
"This, my friend, you can tell nothing about.
I was once at a prayer-meeting when a newly
converted man was called upon to lead in prayer.
He rose, and in a most humble and earnest
manner stammered out a few broken sentences,
and then sat down. But the sincere prayer was
not in vain, for a friend present was brought to
Christ in answer to the imperfectly uttered petitions that came from his full and longing heart.
Besides, remember that you have not yet been
asked to lead in prayer, or to perform any other
public service. Do not anticipate these difficulties so long before you come to them. It does
not become the duty of every Christian to pray
in public. Should it be yours, God will give
you the requisite preparation for it, and grant
you his aid. You see I am meeting you upon
your own ground. And suppose that your gifts
are so humble, that your talents and abilities
are so small that you can do little or nothing
for Christ, what then?" o
"Ah, my friend, this is just my trouble; I
can do nothing, I am sure, for him."
"Well, but what do the Scriptures say about
this matter; does God's Word represent him as
so hard and severe as to demand of us what he
has not given to us the ability to perform? Will
Jesus Christ expect of you, or require from you
more than you have got?"
"Why, I do n't know that I have thought of
the matter before in this light. I can not suppose that he will."
"No, be assured he will not. When the poor
widow at the treasury cast in her two mitesher all-Jesus commended her gift, and pro
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