Forsaking All for Christ.
THE following facts from a letter to the Missionary Herald, relative to the willingness of converts from heathenism to give up their foolish ornaments, should put to shame very many professed followers of the Saviour in Christian lands:— "Most of those who are now with us at this station have given up tobacco, hemp, drink, and ornaments, and say they have left forever their heathen friends with all their customs, and want to build houses on our premises, and learn and practice the customs of God's people. Should you be in one of our meetings and hear them pray and testify, you might think we have had a day of Pentecost. But you should know the whole truth. Converts here have just as much of the earthly element clinging to them as anywhere, and among the few chosen ones there are doubtless the many who were merely called and who may only endure for a time, as is the case everywhere in the world. Among them all I do not see yet much poignant conviction of sin. But we have certainly great reason for encouragement in the fact that they show a disposition to obey the truth as fast as they receive it." "One instance of this will be enough to show what I mean. At our meeting at Mongwe I had been preaching about how the early Christians brought all their wealth and laid it down at the apostles' feet. They—that is, our people here—professed to have given up tobacco, beer, etc., but that was not enough; they must consecrate all to the Lord and not keep back anything. Now what had they left that they would not give up? With scarcely a moment's forethought as to what I was going to do, but observing their foolish ornaments of iron and brass on their ankles and wrists and dangling from their ears and around their necks, I asked who was willing to lay them down, hardly supposing that one would consent upon the spot. But immediately they began to strip them off." "Some of these ornaments were grown into their bodies in such a way that we had to send for instruments to cut them off. There were charms of snake skins and bones, to part with which, most natives think, is next to parting with their lives. But, excepting the girls, not one of those who professed Christ went out of that house wearing any kind of ornament. Other instances might be given of this spirit of willingness to put the truth in practice at once. But what they all now need most is not sudden outbursts of self-denial, but steady instruction and discipline in almost everything that goes to make up Christian manhood. It seems to me as they now are they are as impressible as the clay in the potter's hand."