The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1894-09-30
WITNESSING FOR CHRIST.
LBy the pastor OF the Central Methodist Protest
ant Church


[By the pastor Of the Central Methodist Protest
ant Church
Christ does not so much want Iogicians and
defenders as witnesses During the interim
between his resurrection and ascension He
said to His disciples, "Thus it is written and
thus it behooved Christ TO suffer and to rise
from the dead the third day, and that repent
ance and remission of sins should be
preached in His name among all nations, be-
ginning at Jerusalem. AID ye are witnesses
of these things" In the first and third chapt-
ers Of the Acts, the Apostles are reminded
that they are witnesses. How faithful were
those men to the duty imposed upon them.
II is true that the testimony of the Apostles
ana our testimony are different. On their
testimony, as eye-witnesses, was built the
evidence for the superstructure OF Christian
fly. Yet their testimony and ours is anal
ogous. in so far as bearing witness to a work
Of grace is concerned. We are to testify TO
what the Lord has done for US. The world
does not care so much what we think Of
Christ as what Christ has done for us. Men
will form their own opinion Of our Lord by
what He does for US. Men do not want the
philosophy, but the facts of religion.
Let 1t be remembered that the church has
been successful and powerful in proportion
as it has been a witnessing church. Revival
and reformatory periods are those in which
Christian men and women have had their
tongue strings loosed, that they might tell
what the Lord has done for them"
The witness on the stand is charged to 'tell
the truth, the whole truth. and nothing but
the truth As witnesses for Jesus we are to
tell what We know. As believers We are in
possession of knowledge which we could not
otherwise attain. When the man born blind
was cured and was closely questioned by
Jesus enemies, he said; lone thing know.
that whereas was blind, now I see" Paul
said: II know whom have believed No
man, no institution can give US this knowl-
edge. It is Of Divine origin and comes from
God into each individual soul.
The true believer knows
First. That He was once far away from the
Saviour. The parable Of the ProdiGal Son is
not strained. The far country is where he
was.
Second. He knows that the Holy Spirit
moved upon the heart and cons cience. 1t
was not pleasant. but pro1ta bic, 10 be con
WINGED Of sin and righteousness and judgment
10 come.
The entire kingdom Of the soul was shaken
from center to circumference. Imagination
never played so. conscience never lashed so
severely. memory never was so alert, reason
never was so well established on her throne.
Hell and destruction passed by on their dread
steeds In "that dark. lonely hour the soul
cried out "what must do TO be saved?'
Third. The believer knows what it Is 10
have the burden Of sin rolled away There
may have come over your soul great pillows
of celestial gladness. Or. perchance, a sweet,
indefnable peace stole through the corridors
Of your soul like May breeze from garden
of flowers.
Fourth. You know that the Lord has been
blessing and keeping you. He has been fling
ing to you some luscious grapes from the
heavenly eschol Breezes from the paradise
Of God have famed your fevered spirits.
Music from the skies has been discoursed to
you. Some Of you know that
'You are nearing the heavenly ranks,
OF friends and kindred dear,
For you brush the dews on JOrdans banks;
The crossing must be near
Christ who is the author Of all these expe-
riences, expects you TO testify. You are the
connecting medium between Christ and the
world Through the saved He expects to
save others. Men need to hear such testi-
monies The world does not furnish them.
and YET the world needs TO hear them, and.
we believe, likes TO hear them. Ye are my
witnesses.
But some say they cannot speak. Remem-
Der ye are witnesses. not orators. Who is the
best witness on the stand? The one who
never errs in grammar? The one whose
rhetoric is perfect? The one who can quote
poetry or weave plausible argument? No.
The one who can tell an honest, straight
forward story. Not speeches, but testimony
is demanded. Tell what the Lord has done
for thy soul. S. J. SMITH.