Milford chronicle., 1902-08-01
MILFORD, DEL, FRIDAY AUGUST |. 1902.

nIled with the piled up net, would be
launched. Then the fishermen on shore
would hold rope attached to one end
of the net, and the boat would be
rowed out around the school of fish.
Then, when the whole net had been
paid out" the boat would approach
the shore, the other end of the net at
tached by a rope to the stern. Then
the men would begin to- pull the ropes
at either end Of the net, dragging the
fish nearer and nearer inshOre until
at last they would capture the whole
school. Yes, those fishermen had to be
physically strong men. Their nerves
had to be steady, their muscles firm,
or they could never have dragged in
those heavy nets burdened with many
fish.
A Strong Spirit Needed.
The true gospel fisherman must be
spiritually, as we'll as physically, a
strong man. The gospel net Of faith
is wide net long net. heavy net,
and unless supernatural power be
given to the gospel fisherman he will
never be able to handle it. How could
Charles G. Finney have been able to
lead thousands and tens of thousands
Of immortal souls to Christ unless he
had been spiritually n strong man. In
his own strength as gospel fisherman
he could do nothing, but with Christ
he could do all things. To show how
absolutely Mr.. Finney depended upon
dfr~fnn rkss 80
gospel net, one of my old Pittsburg
elders used to tell me Of a remarkable
scene he once witnessed in q New
York theater. Mr.. Finney was preach
ing there and the building was packed
with people. After the noted esrlngel-
list had been speaking about ten min
utes. he suddenly stopped and said:
Brethren. the Holy Spirits influence
is not here today. We must get the re-
enforcement of the divine power, else
we are helpless. Let us pray" With
that he knelt upon the stage, and he
prayed until the audience was melted
to tears. He prayed, and such was
the reinforcement Of divine strength
at that meeting that the gospel net
gathered the sinners in by the score
and by the hundreds, although during
that entire service Charles q. Finney
did not preach another word. He
simply prayed = pleadingly prayed.
How could John or Charles Wesley, or
George Whitefeld, or George Muller,
or D. L. Moody ever have handled the
gospel net as he did unless he had
been spiritually inspired and strength
ened, unless he had been a man Of deep
faith and fervent prayer?
The Christian believer must be spir.
itually inspired If he is ever to become
a successful fisher of men. My mother
used to impress this thought upon me
all my life, and especially did she try
to do so after had entered the gospel
ministry. There was hardly letter
which she sent to me after my ordina-
tiOn that did not read like this: MY
dear boy, it is important for you to be
mentally equipped for your church.
But, remember, a true gospel minister
is essentially one who is inspired by
the Holy Spirit. You cannot lead souls
TO Christ unless you yourself are d.
vinely inspired. You cannot lead souls
to Christ unless you have been much
in communion with God, unless much
upon your knees in prayer. You must
plead at the mercy seat in your own
home If you would plead Alright for
Christ in the pulpit" The mother can.
Tot become a fisher of men and lead
her children into spiritual lives unless
she herself has experienced this divine
inspiration. The Sunday school teach
er cannot lead his class to the feet of
Christ unless he himself has first been
baptized by the Holy Spirit. The min
lister cannot truly preach Christ unless
he has first taken Christ into his own
heart and life. Peter and Andrew be-
came gospel fishermen because they
themselves had first seen the Masters
face and obeyed his voice when he said,
'EollOw me, and will make you fish
ers of men,"
The Importance of Revivals.
People have often asked me whether
! believed in revivals of religion. OF
course do. Every one of the different
Protestant denominations has been
started under the influence Of a re-