The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-06-30
Why Christians Fail In Their Work.

DIX. .NhOLAN ANOOA f
WEDNESDAY, EVE, JUNE q, 1888
Some one has said that "the average
: church membership can be divided into
two classes: Those who go ahead and work,
and those who sit still and say, why
wasn't 1t lone some other way?'" In
what L say tonight, I am not talking to
the ~second-eIass, If there be any such in
this church. There are many who are in
terested and at work, but who feel that they
do not accomplish as much as they ought.
swhy do I faiI?' is a question often asked.
Let as see if we can find some reasons why
we are not more efficient.
Well, first, there is too much of a desire
to work by proxy: 1 once asked Mr..
Moody, 8 What is the prime cause of fail
ure i'm work to the average Christian?' and
got for my answer, Waiting for somebody
else to do his work for him. Is there not
too much Of this sort of reasoning "Here
are three hundred members to sustain the
prayer meeting. If / stay at home L will
not be missed" But suppose al would rea-
son in that way? eff 1 could talk as well
as brother A. j., I would not remain silent.
WHY don't he talk?" "There are scores of
our people who would make good Sunday
School teachers why don't they do their
duty?, and so on to the end of the chapter.
But suppose all the Church should thus at
tempt to lay or work? If instead of this
readiness to see the work Of others, every
msDIeF OF Tnfs Church would say, Now /
have some work to do in this Church, what
is it2r and seek until he found it, how
much more work could be done. Wesley
gave the motto to his Churches: "AIl at
ft-always at IT."
We are too apt to wait for signs and sea-
sons. We are ready to work; we love souls,
but we wait for ripe opportunities and for
ft occasions. If n man were to come and
ask. "What must I do to be saved ?" we
would gladly welcome him, and do our best
to lead him to Christ. But we are timid;
we are afraid to approach men religiously;
perhaps / am not the person to speak to
him; 81 may fail" Do we not
need a more adventurous spirit? You
may fail2T Yes, but you may succeed.
You will certaTHlls fail if you don't try.
Then are y-<e not warranted in saying that
the chp>@nces are that We will succeed The
snir1t is at work in the hearts of men. 1t
is/our way to call the impeuitent around Us
{careless " and "thoughuess.U It is not a
Mood way. It is born Of want of faith In
Kline cases out of ten it isa profound mis-
,lke. There is no subject ON which the
fnajOrity Of men nave 50 many thoughts as
.AreIigion. Very few impeniteat men are
t~houghtIess. They cannot keep the subject
out of their minds. Why" yOa saw these
non who sheer and jeer AT rsIioion
fbou0htfuI ," Yes oft-times "sneersu
and . ieers" are only attempts to atiae con-
science. Multitudes of men wouldhs thank
f,l 70 have their Christian friends braak
the ice for them that they may tell their
,roubIes. Don't wait for winds or clouds
Don,t wait for your brothers Don't wait
Co. ravivals. Don't wait for times and sea-
sona Draw your bow ut a ven ture. Keen
wour arrows flying. Change your doubts
- dfstrust for hope and courage.
There i failure to follow up personal e.
man may be very busy and accom-
I'll uttIe. because he takes up one case
- . stroke. and passes on to another Ii
vor5 il all you can speak, ifyou have but
aoDortuuity, use IL. But if you can,
rav follow up your first appeal, do It,
t4~,1[-mbsrman was to go into the forest
- strike a BrSy only ona tree, and ther
- on to anotheFHnld anether he nigh
Slaze'' mis- wsxthrOugfAths i2rss.: S91&;
..ouId never bring alpg to the mill. That
l1ust be done by kepeated blows, in one
ttnca, on one tree. liNene visit, one inter
&1 is not enough tand in ninety-nine
out Of every hundred it will not be,
y Again, and again FOLLOW up your man
6n't stop till he is safe in the kingdom.
And this suggests lack of concentration.
When we were in the army the most dan
rsrous place was on the skirmish line.
Each sharpshoOter singled out his man.
So we should do i'm Christian work.
We should single out individuals, pray for
theua-~ them, follow them up, and
point of failure is that we
yen In masses - for nobody in
n but everybody in general. Some
sodv has said hat "perhaps the priest and
tba Ievite were so intent on their plans for
.aeing che masses" when they got to
,rleho, that they had no time-t0 save one
- dviuR man." That is it. We are so
- TO g save Honolulu" that we forget
OK for the poor sinner who lives next
eorI Men are not saved in crOwds-in
Sses Salya6on is an individual work.
resbing more is w~anted-nothing less
6Sf-a1 women would speak to the
manrT (4neIt to them Save the
Y~s1eyA motto.