Be Zealous, and Repent.
By M. E. Williams
LONG since, the message came to us, to be zealous and repent, and open the door, and let Jesus in, and he would sup with us, and we with him. How many have heeded the message and let him in? And how many have their hearts locked and barred against him still? Locked with pride, and barred with selfishness; hearts full of rubbish; no place for Jesus. Pride, selfishness, and Jesus, can never dwell together in the same heart. How many times have you heard him knocking, gently knocking at the door? How many times has he turned away in sorrow that you let him not in? You intended to let him in; yea, and sometimes bade him come in; but, ah! was the heart in order? Was there room for him? Again with some affliction he cometh knocking louder and louder; the heart is softened a little; for a time you think you will obey, and make some faint efforts to do so, but soon grow weary and sink back into the same state of apathy and indifference from which you were aroused. At times the preached word is applied with such power to your heart that you strive to take heed to your ways and get your heart right. But these spasmodic efforts will not accomplish the work; it must be diligent, continual work, not occasional. He will not always wait. No doubt he will knock for the last time at some heart ere long (oh! is it mine?), and wearily turn away from his thankless task. What! and is it possible that He, the chiefest among ten thousand, and the one altogether lovely; he who bore our sins, our sorrows, and shame, and who is soon coming King of kings, and Lord of lords, deigns to knock at the door of the hearts of such worms as we, and we let him not in? What base ingratitude is this? O thou long-suffering, compassionate Saviour, with justice mightest thou spue us out of thy mouth; but wait still a little longer. We will set about our work in earnest. We will tear down the bars, and withdraw the bolts; and then, remembering that thy precious blood cleanseth from all sin, we will wash and be clean, and bring thee in a welcome guest, that thou mayest abide with us forever. M. E. WILLIAMS. Millgrove, N. Y.