An Ice Slide by John N. Quinn

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 17, 1910

An Ice Slide

By John N. Quinn

JOHN N. QUINN

THE place of worship was comfortably filled with those who had tramped through ice and snow to attend the Sabbath service. The opening exercises were concluded, and the pastor took up his theme, “The Certainty of Christian Experience.” To the one who believed in Christ, there could be no doubt as to his acceptance with God, no doubt in the matter of forgiveness of sin, and all were being encouraged with the hope of victory even to the end. Outside the sun was throwing his warm rays upon the ice-covered roof of the building, and little by little the grip of the ice was loosened. Suddenly it was entirely released, and with a loud noise the great sheet of ice and snow was precipitated to the ground, startling not a few in the congregation, bringing ejaculations of fear from the lips of children.

Sometimes a spirit of coldness and indifference settles on the believer, and in spite of himself he feels the warmth of God's love is departing from his life. The service of God does not have its old-time attractiveness, and the allurements of the world are yielded to with scarcely a struggle of resistance. He becomes dissatisfied with himself and his experience, and shutting himself in with God and his Word, he seeks for a reconversion. The Lord Jesus meets with him at the cross, and as the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon him, his heart warms with its old-time fervor, the first love returns, and the ice barrier slides out of his life to be dashed in pieces on the everlasting Rock, and its fragments melted in the presence of God's holiness. Christian service becomes to him the joy and rejoicing of his heart, and whenever opportunity presents itself, he offers praise and thanksgiving to God for his abounding love. Missionary work is no longer irksome, a mere duty, performed more to cover up his real experience than to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth. With delight he accepts every opportunity to speak for God's truth, with gladness he opens his pocketbook to pay for literature to be used in heralding the glad tidings of the coming King, and although conscious of his unworthiness, yet he is cognizant of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit to reprove, comfort, guide, satisfy, and fill him with all the fulness of the divine life. Truly he can testify that the chilly feeling in spiritual things is uncomfortable; the warm, bright one is a delight.

Takoma Park, D. C.