Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-08-02

came gospel nsnermen because tney
themselves had first seen the Master s
face and obeyed his voice when he said,
"FolIow me, and | will make you fish
ers of men,"
The Imporfn nee OF Revivals.
People have often asked me whether
I believed in reviyals of religion. or
course do. Every one of the different
Protestant denominations has been
started under the influence Of re-
viyal. Nearly all the mighty men Of
God. past or present, have confessed
the Saviour through the influence
which has directly or indirectly come
from some revival. But revival sery-
ices can do harm as well as good.
When a great number of sinners are
brought to Christ through the inf1u-
ence of a revival and then neglected,
nobody looking after the converts, no.
body caring for them, nobody trying
to have them identified with Sunday
school class, prayer meeting, a Chris
tian Endeavor society or Christian
work Of any kind. there is an awful
lack scm where. Il is al important
to lead men to Christ, but it is also
important not to let them backslide by
neglecting them after they have once
been brought to the feet Of Jesus.
A few years ago in Neuchatel. Swift
zerland. number Of Christian men
and women got together for an inter-
esting experiment. They meant to see
what personal work among the crimi-
nal classes might do for the Master.
The criminal records Of that county
showed that Gj per cent Of all crimi-
nails liberated from The pententiary
usually returned TO crime and ultl-
mately went back to the convict cells
TO serve ont second and third term.
So these Christian men and women put
into practice this plain simple plan:
Whenever Il criminal was incarcerated
some one of their number was detailed
to look after that convict. In sense
he was the prisoners guardian. This
gospel fisherman would v!2it the cell;
he would pray with the prisoner; he
would send him books and give him
kadvice. and when that convict had
served his term this Christian guardian
would find work and set him upon his
feet. Did this gospel plan work! The
records of that county of Neuchatel
proved that by this gospel process the
number of the returned convicts was
decreased over 80 per cent Instead
of 66 per cent of criminals being re
turned to the penitentiary for a second
or n third term there was only u pei
cent. So it is not only important fol
the gospel fisherman to bring souls tC
Christ. but it is also important to have
the new converts interested in anC
identified with Christian work. Wher
an immortal soul Is brought to the
mercy seat, the true work for the gos
pel fisherman has jast begun. If Il sin
ner is allowed to confess Christ anC
then on account Of the Indifference ol
so called Christian friends allowed t.
drift back into sin, his last condition Il
worse than his first.
Under the Masters Eye.
But the true gospel fisherman is al
ways working under the Masters eye
whether Christ's face is visible to hin
or no. After Peter and Andrew be
came Christs fishermen he never lef
them. One night when these brethren
with John the Beloved, who was als'
n fisherman, and some of the othe
| disciples. were tossing about on Lax
Galilee they thought they were goin'
to be drowned, but Christ was watch
ing their struggles, and in the fourtl
watch of the night, or just about
o'clock in the morning, Jesus was seer
walking toward them upon the wave
of Lake Galilee. And after the cruel
fixiOn. when Peter and his brethrel
went back to their old ayocatiOn o
fishing. Jesus again appeared unit
them by the shores of Lake Galile
and told them to cast their nets upo
the other side Of the boat. The tru
gospel fisherman can feel that Chris
is always ready to help him; tina
Christ will always come to his rescu
when the waters of trouble begin t
roll too high and the msts are settlin
too thickly around the gospel lifeboat.
Christs care for his gospel fisherme
is a constant and tender care. In tn
: Scotch fishing villages the mothers an
wives and daughters illustrate by
. beautiful custom which prevails anon
them their care for their sons and huS
, bands and brothers who have gone OF
to fish. When the fogs settle down III
on the coast and the lighthouses can II
, longer be seen, the women 90 out an
, sit upon the rocks. When the return
, ing fishermen begin to approach tn
, shores and while yet unseen, they star
a fishers song. The loved ones wal
: ing upon the rocks listen until the
hear the familiar notes waited throug
e the fog. Then the mothers and wlve
| and daughters and sweethearts ais
begin to sing, and the fishermen. heal
D ing the voices of their loved one'
know which way to steer. SO whe
J.. the gospel fishermen in times OF trol
o Bile call to Christ he always answer
r their call. And the Saviours voice
o sounding clear amid the voices OF th
Y loved ones who have gone beyoN1, WI
j ultimately guide the gospel isherme
r from the troubled sea Of life into tn
great harbor of eternal peace.
Y Are you and l willing to become go'
o pel fishermen? Are we ready to be on
purposed Christians, ready to be feal
r less, ready to be spiritually inspired, I
2 become Chr.st's fishers OF men! Ar
3 we ready to surrender ourselves, bod!
+ mind and soul. to the service OF ID
9 Lord? When DR.. Mott, who for year
h labored among the south sea Islander
h was one day asking a native to give hl
2 life I'D to the service Of the Maste
n the missionary explained. Il can onl
r afford to pay you 10 shillings mont
!. FOR your services" With that the M
A tive said. "Sir, | cannot afford to CIV
. ND my time for 10 shillings a montl
q but | can afford to give it up fc
sN, n