all never succeed in keeping
the tongue from bitter words if the heart is left to itself. It is
useless for men to think blue ribbon will save them from drink if they do
not look to God to take the selfishness out of the heart. It is a wise
prayer, "Cleanse Thou the thoughts of our heart by the inspiration of Thy
Holy Spirit." Is it not strange that men do not see that an impure
fountain cannot be cleansed by either altering the course of the stream
or using remedies lower down?

III.--And then we have THE RESULTS OF CONVERSION. "_The waters were
healed_." Mark you, the prophet took care there should be no mistake as
to the cause. It was neither he, nor the cruse, nor the salt: "_Thus
saith the Lord_, _I have healed these waters_." "It shall be to the Lord
for a name." Let the crown be on the Head. So the waters were healed.
What a change in a short time! But the results would not be seen all at
once; it would take time to prove the _realness_ of the change, yet each
season would only prove the grand conversion that had happened. If we
have received Christ into our hearts, the results will be shown; and
there are no evidences of Christianity better than these true
conversions, which change a man's life, and make it evident that he, like
the fields around Jericho, has passed from death unto life. The other
day, a Lancashire coal-miner was killed in the pit; only a minute before
he was killed he was overheard praising God. He had been a sad drunkard;
his home was wretchedness itself. Money was in his hands only helpful to
hellish enjoyment. But the grace of God changed his heart and life. His
home and family were soon made happy. He became a preacher, went about
from village to village testifying of God's saving grace. In one place
he said: "When I was here last, I won 20 pounds by jumping, but my wife
and children were no better for it; the publican got it all, and I was
locked up into the bargain." He was buried with every sign of respect;
hundreds followed him to the grave, and everyone felt that the world was
the poorer now that he was gone. These are the evidences we want; these
proofs of the truth of the Bible close the mouth of the infidel and
scorner. If you would help on the cause of Christianity, love the truth,
and make the fields, once barren, bloom with beauty; so shall the name of
the Lord be magnified. Shall we not all join in Charles Wesley's
prayer?--

Jesus, Thy salvation bring,