Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-04-08
PRESENT DAY EVANGELISM.

he Son of man is come 10 seek ana
to save the lost"
''As the Father sent me. so l send
you So spake the Divine Master to
his Disciples
From those words we learn, hrst'
that the supreme errand of Jesus
Christ into the world was to redeem
the race of man from the power and
consequences of sin and lift it into
righteousness and blessedness.
Second; He organized and sent out
his disciples on the same mission that
had engaged him. The church is the
enlargement and embodiment of our
Lord to do his work and realize his
purposes in the life of humanity. In
doing this work the church is to be
guided by his Spirit and even pursue
his plan and methods of activity;
therefore the great business of the
church Of Jesus Christ is 10 save men
from the power of sin and build in
them a character like that OF the Great
Head. The church is Il home for its
members, a center of social culture, an
bStAAN y lOi OhiitN N4GANt anu AililAly
and 4 power to inspire social political
and moral improvements; yet, the ul-
innate purpose of these efforts is to
save men for God-save them in body,
mind character and soul for time and
eternity. Cat the church from this
great purpose and she is like n SHARED
Samson, the sport of Philistines, her
strength gone. her infut uce nothing.
This supreme aim of the church of
God never changes; from the day of
Pentecost to the organization of the
last church on the arid hills of India
this purpose has remained changeless;
to change it would annihilate the
church. However, methods of effect
ing THAT purpose change and vary as
they are adapted to places. times and
peoples. The Christian missionary in
India, the Salvation Army soldier IN
the slums, and the preacher in a beau
tiful church editice have the same
purpose before them; they preach the
same Jesus, ii needs the same grace of
God and as much of it, to bring about
results. Sin is as bad in one place
as the other, hut while there is the
same spirit there are different opera
tons.
a great change that is passing over
the methods Of Christian work in our
day is the new emphasis given to the
personal elemeat in religious work.
However you may explain it, people
now rs in otAer times do not enthuse
and rush "a crowds after a strong lead
er whether it lie politics or religion.
The Individual man to-day must be
rec ehed, convinced and persuaded by
himself. This personality of influence
is seen everywhere. In business life
years ago offices and stores were open
ed. SIen sat in office chairs in elegant
il Surance Offices. or behind the desks
OF wholesale ccuters waiting for pat
rms or customers to come in regi-
ments with no other inducements.
Later on merchants sent out letters in
vitlng trade; but these years great
firms. corporations and business
houses send out trained men, with
mastery qualities and tact for trade.
These commercial travellers are the
evangelists of their firms to go out
among men to persuade them personal
~ TO buy goods or to become insured,
or to vote in 4 certain way.
To-day, trade and business depend
not only on the value of the goods of
fercd. nor entirely upon the integrity
of the firm selling them; TO those is
added another powerful element, viz,
the man sent out TO persuade, induce
and influence men to buy. 1t is the
personal element in business empha-
sized The same conditions have come
into religious work. In the last TWEEN
ty gears efforts TO support great evan
geiistic meetings have not well sue
cecded. For n time we are not likely
to have great successes in such meet
ings, especially in larger towns and
cities. People do not throng after
eyangelists unless they be peculiar and
spectacular or sensational. For ten
years before his death Mr. Moody had
discovered this condition; SO he had
given up almost altogether holding
meetings in great halls: he confined
himself 10 churches. and there to per-
sonal work.
Rib1e Preccdents.
These are not novel methods but it
was the method Jesus Christ used.
They had then the Old Testament
they had all manner of religious privi-
leges; but it was the persc nal touch
and invitation of the great .daster him
self that brought souls to his feet.
The disciples sent forth were TO 70
from house to house; when Peter was
strengthened he was TO 20 forth and
convert his brethren After Jesus
preached one of his great sermons.
then he waited to see a young man."
to pardon Il SHINING woman, and to
invite them to follow" him: The
letters Of the Apostle Paul show how
closely be initiated his Lord in these
methods of personal work. His refer
ences are to persons by name he had
led to God and baptized God saves
men not in masses but iii units. One
by one" is the quantity in which the
Spirit of God deals
do uot uudervalue the need of the
best most attractive and powerful
preaching the most captivating sing
Ing. and other means to attract people
u hear the gospel-if the means are
g1rch ne SDirfr of Cod will Use. After