enetrating it with the sense of
forgiveness and the confidence of childhood. It is not surprising that
this new-born life should feel itself at once dedicated to the service
of God. I heard one of our most rising ministers say a short time ago,
that he knew he was to be a minister on the very day of his
conversion, though at the time he was engaged in a totally different
pursuit.

But this may come later; and it may be the burden of another great
moment of revelation. For, as I have hinted already in this lecture,
the true Christian life is not all a silent, unmarked growth; it has
its crises also, when it rises at a bound to new levels, where new
prospects unfold themselves before it and alter everything. There are
moments in life more precious than days, and there are days which we
would not exchange for years. Swept along with other materials into
the common receptacle of memory, they shine like gold, silver,
precious stones among the wood, hay, stubble of ordinary experience.
It is impossible to say how much one such experience may do to direct
and to inspire a life. I believe that many a humble minister has such
an experience hidden in his memory, which he may never have disclosed
to anyone, but which is invested for himself with unfading splendor
and authority, and binds him to the service of God till his dying
day.[12]

But this principle, which we have drawn for our own use from Isaiah's
call, applies not only to the initial act, but to every subsequent
detail of our life. It is true of every appearance which a minister
makes before a congregation. Unless he has spent the week with God and
received Divine communications, it would be better not to enter the
pulpit or open his mouth on Sunday at all. There ought to be on the
spirit, and even on the face of a minister, as he comes forth before
men, a ray of the glory which was seen on the face of Moses when he
came down among the people with God's message from the mount.

It applies, too, on a larger scale, to the ministerial life as a
whole. Valuable as an initial call may be, it will not do to trade too
long on such a memory. A ministry of growing power must be one of
growing experience. The soul must be in touch with God and enjoy
golden hours of fresh revelation. The truth must come to the minister
as the satisfaction of his own needs and the answer to his
perplexities; and he must be able to use the language of religion, not
as the nearest equivalent he ca