The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-01-27
Saving Souls.

For whatever other good purposes
churches and ministers are made, one
great purpose certainly is to save inn
mortal souls. And when Jesus Christ,
by his grace, makes any one of us
Christian, it is that we may each try to
lead somebody else to Christ also. We
cannot recall too often good old DIR.
Lyman Beecher's memorable answer
to the question, What is the greatest
of all things?" The veteran replied, cit
is not theology, it is not controversy for
the truth, but it is to save souls!" What
better resolution can pastors and
churches form as they go into another
years work, than the solemn resolve TO
make it year of winning souls to
Christ?
If sinners will not come to Christ,
we must go after them. That per-
son does not come to my church,"
well then, 60 and invite that person to
come. If the child does not attend
any Sunday school, see to it that the
child is got into your school. Every
church, every school ought to be self
charging. Multitudes of people in this
land are not church-goers, simply be-
cause the church does not try TO get
them into Gods house. And when
they are won to the house of the Lord,
the next thing and the main thing is to
win them to the Lord of the house. The
foremost object in the pulpit, and the
foremost object in the Sunday-school,
and the foremost consideration with
Christian parents, must be the salvation
OF the souls within their reach. "I
care not where l live, or how l live
said the missionary, David Brainerd,
" if | can only lead some poor sinners
to Jesus" What doth it profit to get the
Gospel in TO a mans ears if it is not got
into bis heart? Therefore, the preacher
and the teacher ought to follow up the
truth preached or taught, not only with
fervent prayer, but with personal eff
forts to lead the soul to the Savior.
Hand-to-hand work is the work that
tells.
The good woman in the parable
lighted her lamp in order to discover
the lost coin. Gods Word is our lamp;
and we ought to turn its full blaze on
our hearers and on our scholars, and on
every soul that We are after. Is soul
awakening and soul-convicting preach
ing as abundant as it might be? l fear
not. The minister who does not preach
for souls seldom saves a soul. Plain,
sharp truth, spoken in love, is what our
auditors require. The good woman
probably raised dust with her broom
when she was sweeping her kitchen for
the lost coin. Gods Word is bosom
when it is well handled, and if our
preaching, or our close, personal con-
versation raises disturbance in sin
ner's heart, all the better. Preaching
that never makes anybody mad is the
preaching that will yet make minister
sad. DR.. Spencer, in his loving fidelity
with inquirers, often got them angry,
but they soon found that they were
fighting Gods Spirit; and the broom
that raised the dust found the precious
coin. When the Holy Spirit is behind
US, we can push the truth home very
closely; all we are responsible for is to
use the broom faithfully, and in the
brave tenderness of love. When the
Master sends us after soul He always
goes with us.
Perhaps some of the readers of this
article may say, "This is the very talk
that my minister or the members of our
church needs" But what is the condi-
ton of your own soul7 Is that saved
or is it yet lost? The woman who lost
her coin by her own carelessness oil
neglect was the one whose first duty was
to search after it. Do you consider it q
contradiction in terms for you to take
the Bible lamp and search for your own
soul2 Mystery as it is, it is not ar
untrue statement. The Prodigal Sor
came to himself before he arose anC
came to his father. Your conscience
awakened by the Holy Spirit, must GO
after your will and your affections anC