417
September 1929
T h e
K i n g ’ s . B u s i n e s s
Indians were changed from their besotments into devout, intelligent Christians. Brainerd was animated with love to Christ, and passion for the souls of men. Who knows an engrossment in the Master’s service like that of Brainerd, who could say of himself: “I cared not where, or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so I could but gain souls to Christ. While I was asleep, I dreamed of these things; and when I awakened, the first thing I thought of was this great work” ? There is a holy contagion in a life controlled by such a passion. Of the Sainted Fenelon, it was said: “No man could be in his presence two hours without desiring to be a Chris tian.” Of Arnot it is recorded that “his preaching was good, his writing better, but his life best of all.” Few men won more souls to Jesus Christ in his day than did Richard Baxter. Of him, his biographer says: “Baxter would set the world on fire while another was lighting a match.” “He preached as though he would never preach again, as a dying man to dying men.” These men believed that society was lost and needed to be saved —not merely sunken to be merely raised. I have known Christian ministers and workers who have had this soul passion, and lost it—a sight, methinks, that makes angels weep. It was at the close of an address before a ministers’ meeting. One of the ministers came'forward and asked the chairman if he had time to listen to a story. “Cer tainly,” he replied, “tell it.” I can give only in brief what he told. “Many years ago,” he said, “there came into our home a bundle of heaven in the form of a big, wholesome, healthy baby boy-; there was no evidence that he was not in perfect health; but when he was about three years old a subtle disease fastened itself upon him ; all that the family doctor cotild do availed nothing. Then he suggested a consultation with a specialist; we followed instructions faithfully; the specialist was baffled; he could do nothing more than the family physician. We brought our baby home and watched him grow thinner and paler every day. One day when the physician was present, he reached for the baby’s pulse and it was gone, he listened for the heart beat and it was not there; then the baby’s eyelids fluttered,' his eyes grew glassy, and the little chin dropped. ‘The baby is dead,’ said the doctor as kindly as he could. Any parent can imagine the stab of that hour. But,” said the minister, “I could not give him up. I called to my wife, to bring the warm blankets. I tore open my clothing; I lifted the limp form of my baby and, put him over my heart; my wife wrapped us. in the blankets. I held my baby there nine hours.” For a few seconds the min ister’s lips quivered and he said, “My baby is now twenty- three years old. a senior in college, and is doing a wonder ful work for Christ.” I stood aghast as I looked at him. His boy had been saved by a glowing heart. A R enewed D evotion to a - S piritual E xercise —P rayer , Prayer is as essential to evangelism as air to the lungs. Charles Spurgeon, “who, being dead, yet speaketh,” says: “Of course, the preacher is, above all others, distinguished as a man of prayer. He prays as an ordinary Christian, else Ije is a hypocrite. He prays more than ordinary Chris tians, else he were disqualified for the office he has under taken. If you become lax in secret devotion, not only will you need to be pitied, but your people also; and the day cometh in which you shall be ashamed and con founded. All our libraries and studies are mere empti ness compared with our closets.”
Pity! B y H enry G uise *
Tossed in the turmoil of unchecked passion, The soul lies writhing, yet often sighs — “Oh, for a friend who can feel compassion Who with my strivings will sympathize!” While, ’mid the mountains of molten fire, God’s hosts are waiting with quiz/ring wings, To change the object of our desire, And breathe a longing for better things. Only a moan from a young life squandered! A piercing cry from a pit of sin. . However distant the child has wandered, However black may his past have been. Such prayer has reached the Almighty power, And wrung with pity a Father’s heart; Life from the dead has begun that hour-^ ' Life, like a well, that can life impart. Grant me, great God, Thy intense compassion E’en for the man who has gone astray, Since he is one whom Thy hands did fashion — Made—half o f iron—and half of-clay. '•'Copyright by author. The evangelistic movement that gave birth to the Church of Jesus Christ was born in prayer. “These dll continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1:14). “And suddenly there came a sound from heaz'en as o f a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting” (Acts 2 :2). And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). As in apostolic days, so in post-apostolic times every real evangelistic' movement, with the resultant spiritual awakening in the history of the church, has been the result of prayer. There never has been a real spiritual awak ening without prayer. They have differed in other re spects, but all are alike in th is: they began in prayer. “The Great Awakening” of the eighteenth century began with Jonathan Edwards’s famous “Call to Prayer.” Both the Wesley and Whitefield revivals were characterized by days and nights of prayer. Again I am tempted to call the roll of the noble wor thies whose names adorn history. Payson wore grooves where his knees pressed so often and long. Listen to David Brainerd: “I love to be alone in my cottage, where I can spend much time in prayer.” William Bramwell, famous in Methodist annals, almost lived on his knees; he went over his circuits like a flame of fire. The fire was kindled by the time he spent in prayer. He often spent four hours in a single season of prayer in retirement. Bishop Andrews spent the greatest part of five hours every day in prayer and devotion. Sir Henry Havelock always spent the first two hours alone with God. If the encampment was to be struck at six, he would rise at four o’clock. Dr. Judson’s success is attributed to his prayer life: “Arrange thy affairs, if possible, so that thou canst
Made with FlippingBook Annual report