ear of God fell upon the nations around. And when the
churches turn towards God, and we cease grieving the Spirit, so that
He may work through us, we will then have conversions all the while.
Believers will be added to the Church daily. It is sad when you look
over Christendom and see how desolate it is, and see how little
spiritual life, spiritual power, there is in the Church of God to-day,
many of the church members not even wanting this Holy Ghost power.
They don't desire it; they want intellectual power; they want to get
some man who will just draw; and a choir that will draw; not caring
whether any one is saved. With them that is not the question. Only
fill the pews, have good society, fashionable people, and dancing;
such persons are found one night at the theater and the next night at
the opera. They don't like the prayer-meetings; they abominate them;
if the minister will only lecture and entertain, that would suit them.
I said to a man some time ago, "How are you getting on at your
church?" "Oh, splendid." "Many conversions?" "Well--well, on that side
we are not getting on so well. But," he said, "we rented all our pews
and are able to pay all our running expenses; we are getting on
splendidly." That is what the godless call "getting on splendidly;"
because they rent the pews, pay the minister, and pay all the running
expenses. Conversions! that is a strange thing. There was a man being
shown through one of the cathedrals of Europe; he had come in from the
country, and one of the men belonging to the cathedral was showing him
around, when he inquired, "Do you have many conversions here?" "Many
what?" "Many conversions here?" "Ah, man, this is not a Wesleyan
chapel." The idea of there being conversions there! And you can go
into a good many churches in this country and ask if they have many
conversions there, and they would not know what it meant, they are so
far away from the Lord; they are not looking for conversions, and
don't expect them.

SHIPWRECKS.

Alas! how many young converts have made shipwreck against such
churches. Instead of being a harbor of delight to them, they have
proved false lights, alluring them to destruction. Isn't it time for
us to get down on our faces before God and cry mightily to Him to
forgive us our sins. The quicker we own it the better. You may be
invited to a party, and it may be made up of church members, and what
will be the conversation? Oh, I got so sick of such parti