Selected Quotations from the Memoirs of David Stoner

The following quotations are from the book: Memoirs of David Stoner.

How dreadful is our situation! Immortal worms, placed for a moment on the crumbling precipice of time, betwixt the two unbounded oceans of eternity! endowed with reason and free agency! born into the world, surrounded with darkness and ignorance! captivated by our lusts! possessed by Satan! allured by desires! deceived by prejudices! biased by sensual gratifications! led astray by example! and yet accountable for every thought, for every word, for every action! How great, how infinitely great, is the blessing of early piety! Its advantages are inconceivable here below, but they will chiefly discover themselves throughout eternity. —page 42

When you come to stand trembling upon the verge of an unknown eternity, just ready to wing your way into the world of spirits, how will this world appear then? —page 55

To his sister Ann he writes: “I hope you continue steadily to watch and pray. You can keen the grace of God in your heart only by attending regularly to these duties. If you omit them for one day only, it will bring coldness and deadness into your soul. You will feel more reluctant to pray than before; that reluctance will cause you to omit your duties a second day; and so on, till you lose all relish and taste and desire for spiritual things. Watch over your tempers, that they may be under the government of grace. Watch over your thoughts, that they may be exercised on good and profitable subjects. Watch over your desires, that you may wish for those things only that are pleasing to God. Watch over your words, that ‘no corrupt communication may proceed out of your mouth.’ Watch over your actions, that they may be all according to God’s holy law. Watch against the temptations of Satan, that he may not lead you astray. Watch against evil company; thousands have been ruined by light and frothy companions. Watch against ‘the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.’ Watch for opportunities of doing and getting good. Watch that you may pray, and pray that you may watch. By prayer you must get grace, and by watching you must keep what you have gained. May God bless you, and preserve you from every evil! So prays your affectionate brother.” —page 99

Be instant and constant in prayer. Study, books, eloquence, fine sermons are all nothing without prayer. Prayer brings the spirit, the life, the power. Assiduously cultivate your mind. Read your Bible regularly and with prayer. Read Wesley and Fletcher. I know of no human writings like theirs. Now write to me. Tell me all your mind. Tell me what you have read—what books you have—what you are doing—how near you are living to God. Guard against temptation. —page 129

Let me remind you that light without heat, knowledge in the head without love in the heart, is a very unsatisfactory thing. —page 129

To get the power, there must be strong wrestling at the ‘throne of grace;’ and to keep it, there must be continued wrestling. To this all our pride, our indolence, our animal appetites and desires, our natural disrelish for spiritual things, the objects connected with the world around us, and the influence of our invisible enemies are determinately opposed. To conquer all this opposition, there must be self-denial, a violence done to our own pride, the firmest resolutions, and a dependence on divine power. May God help you to struggle and conquer! —page 129