The Song of Solomon : and the Lamentations of Jeremiah

V. 19-22.] THE EVERLASTING THRONE 341
marching straight on to perfection in an unbroken line
of evolution. There are breaks in the progress and
long halts, deviations from the course and retrograde
movements. We err and go astray, and then continuance
in an evil way does not bring us out to any
position of advance ; it only plunges us down deeper
falls of ruin. Under such circumstances, a more
radical change than anything progress or education
can produce is called for if ever we are even to re-
cover our lost ground, not to speak of advancing to
higher attainments. In the case of Israel it was clear
that there could be no hope until the nation made a
complete moral and religious revolution. The same
necessit}' lies before every soul that has drifted into
the wrong way. This subject has been discredited
by being treated too much in the abstract, with too
little regard for the actual condition of men and women.
The first question is, What is the tendency of the life ?
If that is away from God, it is needless to discuss
theories of conversion ; the fact is plain that in the
present instance some conversion is needed. There
is no reason to retain a technical term, and perhaps it
would be as well to abandon it if it were found to be
degenerating into a mere cant phrase. This is not
a question of words. The urgent necessity is con-
cerned with the actual turning round of the leading
pursuits of life.
In the next place, it is to be observed that the
turning here contemplated is positive in its aims, not
merely a flight from the wTong way. It is not enough
to cast out the evil spirit, and leave the house swept
and garnished, but without a tenant to take care of it.
Evil can only be overcome by good. To turn from
sin to blank vacancy and; nothingness is an impossi-