Biola Broadcaster - 1966-09

came to a saving knowledge o f Jesu s Christ. Even more amazing, within a week all twelve o f the crew, including the captain, had received the Saviour. What a tremendous testimony which made Dr. J. H. Crowell’s later years o f ministry greatly blessed o f the Lord. This was the man who was “fa ith fu l unto death.’’ We don’t have such per­ secutions and trials today. P erhaps this is why we don’t see so many men ready to renounce the world fo r their fa ith in the Saviour. Whatever our arena o f life may be, let us say with the apostle Paul, “F o r to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.’’ A GIFT OF LOVE Without question, one o f the g reat­ est curses upon mankind is the scourge o f alcoholism. It is no wonder that medical science is concerned about the danger o f cigarette smoking, but yet there seem so few interested in■speak­ ing out about the death-dealing de­ struction o f liquor. It takes a heaven­ sent love to deal with those who have become enslaved. A. woman, whose hus­ band was a drunkard who often got into fights, was called late one evening and told that again he was engaged in a tavern brawl. F riends urged her to tell the police and once fo r all be sep­ arated from such an evil man. Still there was love in her heart fo r the one with whom she had exchanged vows some years before. Hurriedly she bun­ dled up their little baby boy and head­ ed fo r the scene, knowing that i f any­ thing would touch his stupefied heart it would be the sight o f their child. How many tragic stories like this there a re! But you know, there is something in this woman’s actions that reminds us o f the spirit o f the Gospel. God could have cast us off and sent us to the prison house o f eternal doom. In ­ stead, however, He poured out all His love in the person o f H is own Son who died upon the cross o f Calvary to win us to H im self. He continues to love us, fo r the L ord is not willing that any should perish. The Saviour invited, “Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”

saving power is concerned. Be as­ sured that the Lord is desirous and willing to show us His power. Are we clean vessels ready to receive His goodness? He has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Will you let Him have the complete con­ trol of your life in the days ahead? If you do, you will then experience the power and overcoming victory which He waits to give you through His Holy Spirit. FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH How our hearts should be challenged by the fa ith fu l lives o f men like J. H. Crowell, a fo rcefu l preach er who lived in the early days o f our country. When he was only 16, he shipped out on a sailing vessel, the only Christian among a crew o f 12. B efo re leaving the har­ bor, he prom ised his mother that he would not neglect the things o f God. They determ ined together to m eet three times a day at the throne o f grace. When out to sea, regularly, at the hours upon which they agreed, he went below to the crew’s quarters and knelt in prayer. The other sailors soon dis­ covered his devotion to the Cord. It obviously bothered them fo r they would shout filthy, vindictive abuse at him. When this didn’t work, they poured buckets o f w ater over his head. Still they couldn’t dampen the fire in his soul. His earnest devotion so infu riated them that they tied him to the ship’s mast and beat him repeatedly with a whip. Still he prayed. Now they had determ ined a final act o f torture which would cause his death. A rope was tied around his body and he was thrown overboard. He tried to take hold o f the side o f the ship but w ith a pole, they mercilessly pushed him off. He prayed that God would forgive them. His last request was that they would send his body back to his mother with the consoling m essage that he had died fo r the Saviour. With shrill jeering, they prom ised they would. Thinking he had drowned, they pulled him back on deck. S everal hours later, however, he slowly returned to consciousness. The stirring from the supposed dead body frighten ed some o f the sailors. The conviction o f the Holy Spirit seized two o f them, and by n igh tfall they

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