Hold On in Prayer

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 24, 1858

Hold On in Prayer.

CHRISTIANS lose much moral power, and often fail of securing the desired blessing, from lack of perseverance in prayer and effort. They stop short of perfect success. A gentleman in my congregation had been interested in the subject of personal religion for nearly twenty years. He had felt the heavy burden of his sins. He had often asked, "What shall I do to be saved?" Affliction had come into his family, and chastened him sorely, and alarmed him by the warning, "Be ye also ready!" Grace had come into his household, and a beloved daughter had given her heart to the Saviour, and taken up the cross to follow him. But deep convictions, and sore bereavements, and spiritual blessings, had all in turn failed to subdue his heart, and bow him at the Saviour's feet.

Again the divine Spirit touched his heart. The kind words of a Christian friend troubled him, and strengthened the purpose of his heart to seek the Lord. For several nights he tossed sleeplessly on his bed, overwhelmed by a sense of sin and guilt. He went about through the day with a heavy heart, seeking peace and finding none. He attended solemn meetings, but light did not come to his darkened soul. He asked the prayers of God's people, but the burden of his sins seemed to grow heavier and more crushing.

At length three brethren of the church, who felt a deep interest in his case, went home with him one night to pray. They bowed together at the throne of grace, but it seemed only to add to his agony of soul. He walked the floor almost in delirium, fearing that he had sinned away the day of grace, and salvation was now impossible. They asked him if he was willing to give up all for Christ, without any reservation. He thought it easy to surrender every thing. They inquired very earnestly if there were any duties from which he was shrinking, or any crosses he was unwilling to bear. He hesitated. They pressed him the more closely. At length the secret trouble was brought to light, and the obstacles were seen, which had been keeping him from Christ for nearly twenty years. He was unwilling to commence family prayer. He was unwilling to make known his feelings to members of his family, who had no faith in evangelical religion. For many years he had been trying to go round these crosses, without taking them up. The brethren pressed him to an immediate decision. They set before him distinctly the necessity of unreserved submission. But for a long time he hesitated. He seemed convulsed with the intensity of the inward struggle. But divine strength was at length imparted, and with great emphasis he exclaimed, "I will do it." In a moment the cloud was lifted from his soul, and cheering light shone into it from heaven. He felt that his sins were forgiven, and his name written in the Lamb's book of life. On the following morning, these duties, which had long seemed impossible to perform, were discharged almost without effort, as naturally and cheerfully as if he were sitting down to his daily meals. From that time his heart has been filled with joy and peace unspeakable, and he has found it a pleasure, both in private and public, to tell of the love of the Saviour, and the preciousness of his salvation.

He ascribes his conversion, humanly speaking, to the perseverance of these Christian friends, and believes that without their resolute purpose to "hold on" till all his difficulties were removed, he would be still in the gloom of impeniteness and indecision. Let other Christians learn a lesson.