A cold chill fell upon their hearts!

(J.A. James, "The Christian Professor" 1837)

LISTEN to audio! Download audio

It has frequently occurred that young converts in the ardor of their first love, and while much unacquainted as yet, with what is called the 'religious world', have looked upon the church as a 'sacred enclosure', within which dwelt a kind of heavenly inhabitants, who could think or speak of little else than the glory which awaited them. In the church these novices expected to find . . .
  the sweetest and holiest fellowship,
  an almost unearthly spirituality, and
  an uninterrupted strain of pious conversation.

But alas! What a woeful disappointment did the reality produce! In the 'sacred enclosure' they found worldly-minded professors-almost as intent upon seen and temporal things, as those they had left out in the world!

In the 'vestibule of heaven', they beheld professors . . .
  covered with the 'earthly dust',
  disordered with worldly concerns,
  and given up to worldly amusements!

In the church members, they saw little but worldly conduct, and heard little else but worldly conversation!

A cold chill fell upon their hearts, which checked the ardor of their pious affections; and even they, lately so fervent, soon sunk and settled down into the lukewarmness of those among whom they had come to dwell.