1904: “Too many regard their religious experience as a profound secret;
–which they must sedulously keep to themselves. An aged Baptist minister told me he had praying parents, but they were not forward in talking to him of the religion which they professed, and so failed to lead him to Christ.
By some outside instrumentality he at length found his Saviour when he had almost reached manhood. With the characteristic zeal of a young convert he sat down by his mother’s side and told her the story. She wept over the simple narrative, for it carried her back to the days when she gave her own heart to God; and then, unlocking her long-hidden secret, she told him, in turn, for the first time, the story of her own conversion—a simple, beautiful, touching story, and gave quite a lengthened account of her inner religious life.
The boy listened with delight, and, when she had finished the story, said–“O mother, why didn’t you tell me this before?”
I can remember as a boy that I learned more of the religious experience of my parents from chance remarks which they dropped to others, than from anything they ever said directly to myself. They talked enough about religious things in a general way, but seldom or never talked about their own religious experience; and I well remember that when any word was dropped I valued it more than any general religious instruction.
Though both my parents were Christians I never heard the story of their conversion, nor any account of the struggles they met with in the religious life. I longed to hear it, but did not dare ask questions, and the impression left on my mind was that religious experience was a secret which should not be inquired after nor revealed.
Religious experience is no doubt a sacred thing, but it may be choked, like a spring for want of outflow, and can be a means of refreshment to others–if properly used.”–Old Truths Newly Illustrated; By Henry Graham, D.D.; 1904.
- Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
- Romans 10: 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
- Acts 22:15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
- 2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
- Luke 12: 35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
- Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
- 2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
- Mark 8: 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful. generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
- Matthew 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
