LITMIR.BIZ

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resolution, and subsequently in carrying it into effect. The truth of this remark will be more clear when we remember that young persons, and females especially, form the main body commonly of those who are drawn to the anxious bench. Their susceptibility fits them to be wrought upon more readily than others to the extent that is necessary to secure this point. But the same susceptibility renders it certain that in circumstances so exciting it will be impossible for them to hold their thoughts or feelings in any such balance as the interest of religion requires. They of all others would need to be sheltered from stimulating impressions in this form at such a time instead of being forced to face them in their weakness.

      Take a single case in illustration of the way in which the system may be expected to work. Here is a gentle girl, sixteen or seventeen years of age. She finds herself in the midst of a large congregation where at the close of the sermon the minister, encouraged by the general seriousness of the house, invites all who are concerned for the salvation of their souls to come forward and place themselves on the anxious seat. She has been perhaps a long time under some concern, or it may be that God’s truth has been felt for the first time on this occasion; not with great force perhaps, but so at least as to bring her spirit to a solemn stand in the presence of her Maker. She hears the invitation, but shrinks from the thought of doing what the minister demands. The call however is reiterated, and enforced by the most exciting appeals to the imagination. After a few moments there is a stir; one is going forward to the bench, and then another, and another. She is struck, moved, agitated. A struggle has commenced in her bosom, which she herself is not prepared to understand. May she not be fighting against God, she asks herself, in refusing to go forward with the rest? May it not be in her case, at this moment, now or never? All this is solemnly crowded on her alarmed conscience by the whole character of the occasion, in the way in which it is managed by the minister. Already her soul has passed from the element of conviction into the element of excitement. The “still small voice” of the Spirit is drowned amid the tumult of her own conflicting thoughts. But see, she yields. With a desperate struggle she has thrown herself forth into the aisle. Trembling and agitated in every nerve, poor victim of quackery, she makes her way, consciously in the eye of that large watching assembly, from one end of the house to the other and sinks, half fainting with the effort, into a corner of the magic seat. And now, where is she, in spiritual position? Are her tears the measure of her sorrow for sin? Alas, she is farther off from God than she was before this struggle commenced in her father’s pew. Calm reflection is departed. Her hold upon the inward has been lost. Could any intelligent Christian parent, truly anxious for the salvation of his daughter, deliberately advise her in circumstances which have been supposed, to seek religion in this way? Can the pastor be wise who is willing to subject the lambs of his flock to such a process, with the view of bringing the good seed of the word to take root and vegetate in their hearts?

      3. The Anxious Bench is adapted to create and foster the ruinous imagination that there is involved in the act of coming to it a real decision in favor of religion. It is well known in the Church of Rome certain observances are held to carry with them a sort of inward merit in this way, as though by themselves they had power to secure a spiritual blessing. There is a constant tendency with men, indeed, to invest the outward under some form with the virtue that belongs only to the inward, so as if possible to “get religion,” and hold it as property or means for some other end, instead of entering into it as the proper home of their own being. It is not strange then that the Anxious Bench should be liable to be so abused. It is only strange that sensible persons should make so little account of this danger, as is sometimes done. We are gravely told, it is true, that coming to the anxious bench is not considered to be the same thing as coming to Christ.149 The measure is represented to be important, on other grounds, and for other purposes. Certainly it is not imagined for a moment that any one in his senses will be found ready to say that coming to the bench is itself religion. But still that some such impression is liable to be created by the measure, and is extensively created by it in fact as it is commonly used, admits of no dispute. It is not uncommon indeed for those who make use of it to throw in occasionally something like a word of caution with regard to this point; and in some few instances, possibly, such prudence may be observed as fully to guard against the danger. But this is not common. As a general thing, even the cautions that are interposed are in such a form as to be almost immediately neutralized and absorbed by representations of an opposite character. The whole matter is so managed as practically to encourage the idea that a veritable step towards Christ at least, if not actually into His arms, is accomplished in the act of coming to the anxious seat. I have had an opportunity of witnessing the use of the measure in different hands and on different occasions; but in every case it has seemed to me that room was given for this censure.150 Indeed I do not see well how the measure could be employed in any case with much effect without the help of some such representation. We find accordingly that the whole process, as it were in spite of itself, runs ordinarily into this form. Sinners are exhorted to come to the anxious bench as for their life by the same considerations precisely that should have force to bring them to Christ, and that could have no force at all in this case if it were not confounded more or less to their perception with the other idea. The burden of all is presented in the beautiful but much prostituted hymn usually sung on such occasions, Come humble sinner. The whole of this is made to bear with all the weight the preacher can put into it on the question of coming to the anxious seat. Every effort is employed to shut up the conscience of the sinner to this issue; to make him feel that he must came or run the hazard of losing his soul. Advantage is taken of his hopes and fears in every form of awakening and stimulating appeal to draw him from his seat. The call is so represented as to make this the test of penitence. Those who come are welcomed as returning prodigals who have decided to come out from the world and be on the Lord’s side; while all who refuse to come are treated as showing just the opposite temper; and it often happens that the preacher, in the warmth of his zeal, charges upon their refusal in this view the same guilt and madness and peril precisely that lie upon the deliberate rejection of Christ himself. Now it is an easy thing to say, in these circumstances, that after all the Anxious Bench is not substituted for Christ. So the Puseyite and Papist disclaim the idea of putting into His place the Baptismal Font.151 But in both cases it is perfectly plain that Christ is seriously wronged notwithstanding. In both cases the error is practically countenanced and encouraged that coming to Christ and the use of an outward form are in whole, or at least to some considerable extent, one and the same thing; with the difference only that the form in one case is of divine prescription, while in the other it is wholly of man’s device.

      It is true indeed that the “mourners,” as they are sometimes termed, are still treated after coming to the bench or altar as persons yet unconverted. This should neutralize, it might seem, the idea of any such saving virtue in the measure as is here supposed to be encouraged in the usual style of calling out the anxious. But this is not the case. The coming is not accepted at once as conversion, though exhibited apparently as the same thing immediately before; but still it is taken practically for something closely bordering on conversion. The mourners are counted nearer to the kingdom of heaven than they were before. They are exhorted now to “go on,” as having actually begun a divine life. The process of conversion is commenced. They have come to the birth; and all that is wanted to bring them fully into the new world of grace is the vigorous prosecution of the system of deliverance to which they have now happily committed their souls. The Anxious Bench is made still to be the laver of regeneration, the gate of paradise, the womb of the New Jerusalem. Conversion is represented to be far easier here than elsewhere. We find accordingly that this idea fairly carried out leads certain sects of the full New Measure stamp to profess a peculiar tact and power in carrying the process of spiritual delivery regularly out at once to its proper issue. It is only for want of proper treatment, they say, and because “there is not strength to bring forth,” in other cases, that souls are brought thus far without being born at once into the kingdom. Their Anxious Bench, or the altar where their mourners kneel and roll, is commended to the world as a more perfect organ of conversion. Once fairly within its grasp, the soul as a general thing is quickly set free; often in the course of a few minutes, and very commonly before the close of the meeting. They know how to “get the anxious through.” All this is sufficiently extravagant; but still it is only a gross expression of the feeling, commonly encouraged by the use of the Anxious Bench with regard to its virtue as a help to conversion. The whole measure is so ordered as to promote the delusion

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