INTRODUCTION. CHE following work was written by a gentleman interested in Working Men's Clubs,-Youths' Institutes,-Sunday-schools, &c. Before leaving England, for a time, he desired to leave with a number of youths, from 14 to 25 years of age, a book which-if carefully read-might with God's blessing, induce a Youth to commence a manly, noble, and pious Life. Not being able to meet with precisely the kind of Book he required, he resolved to attempt the present little Work. Having spent very many pleasant hours-he might almost say years-in their company, in teaching in the Sabbath-school, Night Institute, &c., he has gained some experience, and the hints given to Youths in this Volume will, he thinks, be appreciated by many a Youth setting out in life. Amongst the thousands of works now weekly published on Travel, History, Fiction, Poetry, and even Theology, one but rarely meets with a book purposely designed to encourage good and religious feeling in those young in years, and yet one which a Youth might read without feeling that weariness and repugnance so often felt by him for works of a more pretentious and advanced character. Books designed to combine entertainment and piety are often not very successful in advancing either;-"semireligious" tales are prone to become more and more uninteresting, and are sometimes so transparently unreal, and fictitious, as to become comparatively worthless. On the other hand, in the few books extant having no other object than that of presenting Religion to those in early life, the error is made of forgetting that the attention of a Youth cannot reasonably be expected to be held too long on one subject, without some break or change. In the earnest "Persuasions to Piety," by Mr. Pike, the practical part, as it bears upon the daily life and habits, has been almost entirely omitted, so as to leave the youthful, and inexperienced, in some degree at a loss as to what are the first steps to be taken, in their case, towards the Life recommended. On the other hand, the practical predominates so much in that admirable book for young students, B "The Manual," by the Rev. John Todd, and in such works as Mr. Smiles's "Self Help," &c., as to leave but little room for those earnest persuasives, so helpful and encouraging to the young Believer. The hard practical lessons. suggested, fail, in their absence, to inspire him with that love and affection for his Lord without which it is to be feared a life of self-improvement, begun under the most excellent system, will, after a time, insensibly glide back into the habits, and train of thought, common to the worldly and thoughtless of his age. To attempt to combine the two seemed a useful and hopeful endeavour. The contents of this Volume are not to be considered as entirely original. Some of the stories are from a collection made for the Sabbath School for years past from books and magazines, many of which have long been out of print; the names of the authors of many of them are not known. RELIGION THE WORK OF A LIFETIME. One view of Religion alone may appear opposed, in the following chapters, to the spirit felt so much in the present day by many; it is the insisting more upon a natural, quiet, and habitual course of intellectual and religious advancement, rather than relying upon the sudden and remarkable changes-little short of miracles-brought forward so prominently in the present day-a Religion dependent on the feelings, rather than on the conscientious life. "AWAKENING" NOT NECESSARILY, "CONVERSION." Let us be thankful for all "Revivals," and "Revivalists," -for surely there never was a time when a Great Revival of true, practical, Religion was more needed. But let the Young Reader clearly understand what a "Revival" really means. "Awakening" is by no means necessarily, "Conversion!" Surely if there ever lived a Man who might have been inclined to rest upon his "Awakening as a true, genuine, "Conversion," that man was the Great Apostle Paul! Does he rest content with that Damascus journey, as "Conversion," and as his title to Salvation? Certainly not! He is ever urging us all to follow his wise, and holy example, and leave the "things that are behind." "But this one thing I do,-forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before," Phil. iii., 13. "Not as though 7 I had already attained, but I follow after." "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended." "Know ye not that they which run in a Race run all,-but one receiveth the Prize? So run that ye may obtain," 1 Cor. ix., 24. Very different teaching this, dear Reader, to resting on a past scene, or scenes, of emotion, or excitement for Salvation! Instead of allusion to having been "Converted" on the Damascus road, the Apostle, on the contrary says, "I keep my body under, and bring it into subjection," 1 Cor. ix., 27. Why? "Lest,-after having preached to others, I myself should be a Castaway!" The after Life of multitudes who once seemed deeply impressed with Religion, has proved by the irresistible logic of facts,-that the Pious, emotions they once experienced, certainly did not lead them on to that true, lasting,-real "Conversion" the Apostle urges upon us. "If ye know these things" says our Blessed Lord,—“happy are ye if ye do them, John xiii., I. "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord,' Lord,'-shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in Heaven," Matt. vii., I. The wise Builder was he who heard our Lord's words and did them, whose house was found to be upon the rock. True, every Christian places his only hope of Reconciliation, and of Salvation in the first place, upon the Atonement, and Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the shedding of the precious Divine blood of Christ, which can alone redeem any, or can alone offer Mankind any hope, or standpoint. Nothing else gives the true Christian any hope, any satisfaction,-any confidence! We start with this. It is the first Principle,—and Standpoint of true Christianity! But then follows the question of faithfulness in the Christian life and walk, the Path of Duty. Because the Believer ever desires to be "Found in Him, not having mine own righteousness" (to rest upon for Salvation)—"but that which is through the faith of Christ," (Phil. iii., 9.)—that is surely no reason why he is not to be ever anxious to do his duty, with Christ's aid! And, dear Reader, no two words about it,—that duty must be done. Multitudes are impressed,-feel at some time or other of their lives "the Power of the World to come,"—but it was not "Conversion." By no conceivable means could their after life be called a Christian one! They fell away! They shirked the Conflict at the beginning! The Great Apostle never says, "I was 'converted' on the Damascus road." On the contrary,-years after,-he says-"I have fought a good Fight; I have kept the Faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness!" Dear Reader! Why not let us recognise with the great Apostle, -and every true Follower of our Lord, since his day,the Fact, that, though Christ's Atonement has certainly opened to all the way to Heaven, there is yet a "Good Fight," for us also to "fight;"-a "Faith" for us, too, to be tried ;-(and tried it certainly will be)—and to be "kept" also, by us, before the "Well done! Good, and faithful Servant! enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,”—-can come,-(as God wishes it to come)-also to us! Dear Young Reader! Value Religious emotions and Pious feelings,-especially in early Life,-as the most precious of all God's gifts,-but value them, as He intends them to be valued, as a Means to an End. Do not rest on them,-grasping the Shadow for the Substance ;-they are intended to lead to, but are not, in themselves,"Conversion." A religion which costs you nothing, is just no Religion at all! Depend upon it, a religion of mere sentiment, without the Cross,-will never win the Crown! "Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord," Heb. xii., 14. THE YOUNG BELIEVER DISCOURAGED. Without this true View of "Conversion," being taught him, the Young Christian may become utterly discouraged. Why I quite thought that at such, and such a time I was Converted," and yet here are all the old sins still! Why! I quite thought from that day all would be Happiness, and Peace! 66 I thought that there would be no more doubts, no more very great, or, at any rate,-very successful,-temptations, and that I should fall no more into any very serious sins." Did you? Then dear young Reader, you were expecting a Life contrary to the experience of every child of God! To be "Born again," is not so easy a matter! The change from a State of Nature, to a State of Grace, is not so easily effected! It is the Work of a Lifetime! Else what are we here "three-score years, and ten" for? You are expecting the Crown,-before the Cross,-the Victory before the Conflict! It cannot be! The Christian must be tried! As a young Christian you are expected to prove a true, not a sham-" fair weather only," Soldier of the Cross. Our Saviour's own path led Him to the Cross |