SOFTENING HARD HEARTS by D. F. Newton

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 17, 1859

SOFTENING HARD HEARTS.

By D. F. Newton

A hard heart? Have you? well friend, what will you do with this hard heart? Keep it, or take it to Jesus? The only remedy for a hard heart is Jesus! Jesus is the cure-all. No matter how hard your heart is, if hard as the nether millstone Jesus can soften it directly. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? If all the hardness of all hard hearts, were put into one heart, the blood of Jesus is sufficient to melt them down into perfect softness.

We know of no other remedy for hard hearts but Jesus. Some have tried and tried every way and all ways for five, ten, twenty, thirty years or more to soften them themselves but in vain—instead of being softer, they seem to grow harder, until they were constrained to cry out, "O wretched hard hearts, who shall deliver us from them?" Then as a last resort they were compelled to carry them to Jesus to have them softened into hearts of flesh.

Friends you who are burdened with hard hearts, why not go to Jesus at once, take them directly to this cure-all; Jesus is always ready, always able, always willing. He never turns away a single case of hard-heartedness. The remedy also is plain, simple, easy, sure. The conditions on which Jesus softens hard hearts are not difficult; besides, there is nothing to pay. Some physicians are exorbitant in their charges, so much so, the poor are unable to meet the expense of being cured. Not so with the heavenly physician. All Jesus requires is merely the grateful acceptance, a willing mind, a heart of submission and patient waiting.

"In my hand no price I bring, Simply to thy cross I cling."

"Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye buy and eat; yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price." *

The very moment you begin to feel your hearts are hard (and O what a blessing to feel and know this!) take them right to Jesus, quick! don't wait a moment to soften them yourselves by prayer, fasting, or doing penance; all this trying to soften your own hearts is labor lost, worse!—it is offensive to Jesus, it is taking the work that belongs to him out of his own hands. To soften hard hearts is Christ's work and not yours. Beware how you interfere or monopolize! Prayers, fastings, agonies, groans, tears of anguish and tears of blood will never take away these hard and stony hearts of yours, never! And those are physicians of no value who teach you to wait and try to get them softened before you go to the great Physician. What says the poet:

"Just as I am, without one plea But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God I come. Just as I am thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon cleanse, relieve, Because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God I come."

This is it, the poet understood the Gospel way of softening hard hearts, the only way indeed. Friend, take yours to Jesus now, wait not, doubt not, fear not; take it to him, give it up to him to soften it in his own good way and pleasure. And when you have taken it to Jesus and laid it at his feet, don't be discouraged because you do not feel that it is softened immediately; leave it there on his altar; don't take it up, or so much as touch it; let it be. Jesus will take good care of it; let it be. Wait, have patience. Hold on, on! Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while and he that shall come, will come and will not tarry.

Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him! Hold on—on!

"O for a glance of heavenly day To take this stubborn heart away, And thaw with beams of love divine This heart, this frozen heart of mine!" "'Tis done, the great transaction's done, I am the Lord's and he is mine!"

Jesus has taken away the stony heart and given a heart of flesh.

"O happy day that fixed my choice On thee, my Saviour and my God! Well may this glowing heart rejoice, And tell its raptures all abroad."

D. F. NEWTON.