A Pastor's Sketches Quotes

“Mercy! mercy!” he vociferated; “that is what makes my situation so dreadful! I have despised mercy! I have scoffed at God! I have refused Christ! If God was only just, I could bear it. But now the thought of his abused mercy is worst of all! There is no mercy for me any longer! for years I have refused Christ! My day has gone by! I am lost! I am lost!” “You think wrong,” said I, “God has not limited his invitations. Christ says, ‘Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden.’” “My day has gone by!” said he. “No; it has not,” I replied, in a voice as firm as his own: “behold now is the accepted time—now is the day of salvation.”
― Ichabod Spencer, A PASTOR'S SKETCHES: The Art of Evangelistic Pastoral Visitation

“in conversation with her, the idea was often suggested to my mind—how frequently ministers address. children upon the subject of religion as they ought to address those of mature age, and address those of mature age as they ought to address children. It is children who need instruction. It is the older who need impression. Children are sufficiently ready to feel. The danger is, that their sensibilities will outrun their knowledge and judgment. Older persons are slow to feel Their danger is, that they will not have feeling enough to impel them to obey their judgment.”
― Ichabod Spencer, A Pastor's Sketches: Conversations with anxious inquirers respecting the way of Salvation

“By this time I had become well acquainted with her, and could judge of the power and character of her mind, and the natural turn of her disposition. She was no ordinary girl. She had an uncommon degree of intellectual power, and especially of keen discrimination. She was a severe reasoner. She grasped the points of an argument with the hand of a giant, after she had discerned them with the eye of an eagle. Often afterwards I had occasion to be humbled before the penetration and strength of her uncommon mind. She was modest and timid to a fault. Mind —reason, was her forte. She had not much poetry about her. Her taste, however, was correct; ,not only, as might be expected, from the severe correctness of her intellect, but it was gentle and refined also, as might be expected from the amiableness of her affectionate disposition. A truer heart never beat or bled. She was all woman, all affection. A stranger might not think so, because she was timid and reserved in her manners, which cast over her an aspect of coldness. She had a fine education, moved in polite society, and was universally esteemed. The more I knew of her mind and heart, the more I esteemed and loved her.”
― Ichabod Spencer, A Pastor's Sketches: Conversations with anxious inquirers respecting the way of Salvation

“I soon perceived she was so much attached to her false system, had defended it so long, and had so much pride and false philosophy embarked for its support, that no direct demonstrations addressed. to the intellect would probably avail to hatter it down. But her system, had not saved her. That was her weak point. It had not led her to peace. It had not satisfied her heart,—a heart still wanting something, and roaming, like Noah's dove on weary wing, over a world of waters,—no rock to rest upon. So”
― Ichabod Spencer, A Pastor's Sketches: Conversations with anxious inquirers respecting the way of Salvation