The leader., 1904-02-17


turns with them and makes 1t a
cleaner and better city than it ever had
been before. And no soul ever goes out
OF the city of his own desires and pur-
poses and ambitions, but that Jesus leads
back into that city again, and purifies
and cleanses and reinvigorates the forces
OF life, and makes man better busi-
ness man, better neighbor and citizen
and father. Are you afraid to trust your
self In Gods hands? Do you hesitate to
turn from the things of this life in or
der that you may meet Jesus, because
fearful that you may never get them
back again? All, foolish heart! Jesus
will go back with you. He will help to
make that business better and cleaner
and stronger than ever before. He will
purify your loves; He will give you
genuine delight in wholesome pleasures.
God does not ruthlessly tear up by the
roots and transplant in unproductive
soil and amidst uncongenial climate.
He does not spoil good business
man to make of him a poor preacher
He does not take out of life all RESPONSE
bility, or purpose, or ambition, or ability,
and set the soul to singing itself away
into everlasting bliss. Not bit of it!
Jesus goes back with a man into the
everyday details of life, and He makes
that life count as it never has before.
He cleanses and purifies, and new thrill
of pleasure is felt in the life. Think of
it, oh soul! God wants you to go out of
the city of self that you may meet Jesus
and take Him back into your life.
e A ND Jesus abode there two days"
n Those were busy days, you may be
sure, and believe the social and business
life of that city was shaken to it's founda-
tons. Was shaken until the false and
the unclean and the sinful were thrown
to the ground and buried out of sight.
We can judge something of the moral
rottenness of the city from the life of
the woman, whose Utmost secrets Jesus
revealed. And / cannot believe that
Jesus went into that city and stayed two
days without working a revolution in
the lives and conduct of those people.
During those two days we know that
Jesus taught them, for their saving faith
was the result of His direct teaching.
And do not believe it was lot of plati-
tudes and sweet phrases Jesus spoke.
Rather did He deal with the direct needs
of the people. And it is reasonably GER
tain that they Immediately obeyed the
truth, for if they had not it would have
stung them and made them angry even
as it did the Pharisees. Such joy as the
Samaritans expressed in their testi-
mony of the Christ and what He had be-
from changed life and heart, the fruit
of obedience to the truth. Gods message
comes to my heart and reveals some sin,
some wrong doing, but instead of obey
ing Gods Word and turning from the
sin l cling to it. Are there no Joy and
peace within? No, ouch condition is
impossible. l am Of all men most mis-
cradle. AS the Psalmist says: "My
bones waste away through my grooming
all the day long" But when sin is con-
fessed and turned from, then comes joy
into the heart. This was the experience
of the Samaritans, / am certain. They
heard Jesus and they obeyed Him. The
immoral blemishes were removed. The
fostering plague spots of sin were healed
by contact with the Christ. New Joy
and hope came into the life. No wonder
they joyfully told the woman who had
first told them of the Christ that, Nov
We believe, not because of thy speaking;
for we have heard for ourselves, and
know that this is indeed the Saviour of
the world"
TWO kinds of faith, q head faith
which accepts the fact of the Christ,
and heart faith, which comes from con-
tact with the Christ. What kind of faith
is it you possess? You have heard OF
Jesus. You have heard others tell OF
what Jesus has done for them. You be-
lieve in Him because of such testimony
This was the first experience of the Sa-
maritans. But have you entered into
the second experience which came to
them, and can you say with them: Now
We believe, because we have heard for
ourselves, and know that this is indeed
the Saviour of the world?" If not, dear
friend, you do not possess a saving
faith. Yours is head faith instead of a
heart faith, and again we want to re-
mind you that it is with the heart thai
man believeth unto righteousness. .
What you need to have is this second
experience of these Samaritans. You
need to go out to the place where Jesus
| may be found, and this is the place OF
the surrendered will. You need then to
invite Him, yea, beseech Him, to come
in and abide with you. And having
made Him your guest, you must receive
His message, and then obey it. 1t is
then that the heart fills with the blessed
consciousness of the presence of the
Christ, and it is then that the faith
which depended upon the testimony oil
others gives place to the saving faith
which can say we believe because we
have heard Him speak ourselves, and
we know that He is the Saviour of the
world, because He has saved us. 1t is
the privilege of every one to possess this
larger, deeper, fuller faith. Do you
want it? Will you not learn from the
poor, despised Samaritans, to whom sal
walton came? VIII you not, having
heard of the Christ, come and hear the
Christ speak personal message to your
soul? Just now He is lingering upon the
outskirts of your heart. He is waiting
for you to come and give Him an invi-
tation to enter and abide with you. He
will come. He will speak to your heart
words of eternal life. He will make you
to rejoice and exclaim: "Now we be-
lieve, for we have heard for ourselves
and know that this is indeed the Saviour
of the world"
"Thy VIII BE Done.
It is easier to pray it in the sunshine