ners and astound them now as then. The reason is that the dispensation of the grace of God is one of faith and not of sight. “. . . faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). But Paul’s conversion experience is both unique and supreme. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself won Paul, he is the ascended Lord’s only convert. After the ascension of Christ, everyone else was converted by the preaching of others. At Pentecost, Peter’s preaching influenced 3,000 Christward. Again, Paul stands supreme in con version because his condition was that of the hardest type of sinner to reach for Christ. In I Timothy 1:15, Paul refers to himself as the chief of sinners . . . this seems somewhat puzzling in the light of his declaration in Philip- pians 3:4-6 w h e r e the outstanding righteousness of Paul is laid before us by him. He says, “. . . as touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Now how do you reconcile that with his declaration of being the chief of sinners? Here is the solemn truth relative to the two declarations. Paul’s sin was the sin of Pharisaism, of self sufficiency and self righteousness. Self-righteousness is, in God’s sight, the blackest of sin. It is hard to reach the Pharisees for Christ; it is comparatively easy to reach the Publicans. General Henry Booth found it easier to win souls from the slums of London than did the ministers who preached to the upper stratum of society. When Mr. Moody was in Eng land a Pharisaical Christian said to him, “Mr. Moody, I do hope you will do something for the godless poor.” “Yes,” replied the evangelist, “but the greater need is to do something for the godless rich.” Hell will doubtless be filled with respectable people — they are the chief sinners of the day as well as Paul’s. During my pastorate in a University town in Indiana, I was privileged to (continued on next page)
A sacred trust my Lord to me has given: The wealth is His; to use it is my task. Whether 'neath skies all bright or tempest-riven His service leads, It is not mine to ask; He tells me not how long the time shall be Till He shall deem It best to call me home: I only hear Him saying unto me, "Occupy thou until I come." He does not say that I may choose my toil And only do the things that please me best; Nor does He tell me when I’ve served a while That I may lay His armour by and rest; But he asks for calm endurance to the end, Alike through joy or pain, through light or gloom, And promises to be my Guide, and Friend; So I must occupy until He come. How dare I then, enwrap the precious pounds In folds of uselessness, and lay aside! On every side rich fields of toil abound Where they may be increased and glorified. I may not understand why He to me Gives but perchance one talent, while to some He gives the five or ten; yet faith fully Must I still occupy until He come. Why should if matter whether one or ten, Since all are His, and but a trust retained To use for Him until He comes again To see how much my toil for Him has gained? But it does matter whether I, at last, Among the faithless meet a bitter doom, Or hear Him say to me, "W ell done! Thou hast Been faithful unto Me until I come!"
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