T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
1010
the doctor “ you can make it ten mill ion years, if you leave Him out.” We m u st go w ith th e Gospei Dr. Holmes says of the ftomans th a t they conquered the world w ith th e short sword, and lost it when they adopted th e long sword— th a t is to say, they were invincible when they went to meet th eir enemy and closed w ith him hand to hand. They were vanquished when they stayed behind th e ir fixed defences and awaited th e ir foes’ assault. How tru e th is is of modern methods of' Chris tian work, P aul did the hand to hand work. We stay in our churches,' Y. M. Cf. A.’s and missions and expect people to come in. L et’s go out to men. , Positive Message “ B rethren, you must repent, as it were, and be converted in a measure, or you will be damned to some extent.” This is a Methodist Episcopal Bishop’s description of th e kind of preaching addressed to rich sinners in some of the aristocratic congregations. An aristocratic lady said of a noted preacher— “The vulgar man! Why, he said ‘You sinners’!” God gave Paul a positive message. Golden Text Illu stration Dr. Baldwin said, “W ith another, I testify th at, a t th irty , afte r ex am ining as best I could the phi losophies and religions of th e world, I said, ‘Nothing is b etter th an th e Gos pel of Christ.’ A t forty, wfien burdens began to press heavily, and years seem ed to hasten, I said, ‘Nothing is so good as th e Gospel.’ At fifty, when there were empty chairs in my house, and the mound-builders had done me service, I said, ‘There is nothing to be compared with the Gospel.’ At sixty, when my second sight saw through th e illusions and vanity of earth ly things, I said, ‘There is nothing b u t th e Gospel.’ At seventy, am id many lim itations and de privations, I sing: ‘Should all the forms which men devise
tance is th e Thames River and there is no w ater in hell. Second, over the way, Dr. Dixon preaches th e Gospel and th ere is no Gospel in hell. Third, 1 and other Christians are here, and th ere are no Christians in hell.” Oh, for Christians today who will go for th e lost w ith th a t fervor th a t Paul had. A beggar once asked alms of a lady. She gave him a six-pence, say ing, “This is more th an ever God gave me.” “ Oh,” says the beggar, “Madam, you have abundance, and God hath given all th a t you have.” “Nay,” said the lady, “ I speak th e tru th , for God h ath not given, b u t lent unto me what I have th a t Xmay bestow it upon such as thou a rt.” P au l held th e gospel, as a doctor does a remedy, to give it to those who need it most. Bible Illu stration s In Matthew, chapters 8 and 9, th ere are ten m iracles of Jesus. He went about doing good. In Mark 5:13 two thousand swine were drowned th a t one soul m ight be saved. A wealthy gentlem an, urging Mr. Spurgeon, th e g reat preacher, to come and preach a sermon to provide funds to pay th e debt on th e chapel offered th e use of his town house, h is country seat, or his seaside place. -The reply came promptly— “Dear Sir,— Sell one of your places and pay th e debt— Yours very tru ly , C. H. Spurgeon.” If you have so much to look afte r th a t you have no tim e to spread th e gospel, sell some of it and make provision for the gospel to go forth. God is Responsible God is responsible when th e gospel is preached. If His preachers get in jail or in trouble, God is responsible. “ It will be ten thousand years before India becomes C hristian,” said a friend to Dr. Agnew Johnson. “You are draw ing a hard line on God,” rem arked the doctor. “Oh, I forgot about H im ,” was th e sta rtlin g reply. “Then,” said
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker