Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-02-10
LET HIS INFLUENCE BE KNOWN.

LET HIS INFLUENCE BE KNOWN.
BY Rev Howard T. Cree.
That people are not interested In
religion as they ought to be, or as
they are in business or amuse,- ents,
goes without saying.
One must enter into business to live,
and the world of amusements proves
very enticing, while religion, in its
demands, strikes at the root of sin,
which is selishness, and cannot be
popular with the carnally minded
To insure anything like large fol-
lowing for Christianity there must be
something more than open doors tc
churches and strong sermons from the
pulpits.
Instead Of bemoaning Christianity's
lack of power with the world, or plae.
ing the fault with the preacher or the
service, saying the one should lend
more to the wishes of the people and
the other should be made more attrac.
tive by the Introduction of better mu.
sic, it is high time that the blame
should be placed where it belongs. II
Christianity is to be power among
the people, it must be proclaimed by
those processing it.
Even in a country opposed TO Jesus
much may be accomplished by one
man telling what great things the
Lord has done for him. The world
lie waiting for personal testimony be-
fore it invests in any interest
Religion is to prove its claims, not
by the aid of science or philosophy,
but this experience of the individual.
Paul called upon to defend the cause
Of Christ, merely related his personal
experience with tue Nazarene. But
church members can never have q
great testimony until they have had a
great experience. Our experiences with
the Lord are of the commonplace; we
have never had our whole lives rev.
olu+ionized, the devils driven out,
hence we cannot tell of great things
the Lord has done for us.
If one whom we have known long,
broken in health. feeble of step and
lacking in strength, the object of great
sympathy. should some day stand be-
fore us with the flush Of health in his
cheek, the elastic step of childhood.
the strength of his young manhood
again within him and tell us that this
marvellous transformation lad been
wrought by certain physician, ali
who were afflicted would be rushing
to that physicians Office
How much more true would it be If
every man who claims to be a Chris
tian allowed the great physician to
really have his way with him. driving
out all the devils of selfishness. world
Illness transforming him into a new
creature, that such testimony would
bring the world to the feet of him
who came that we might have life
ard have it abundantly." Stronger
than logic, more subtle than philoso-
ply, would be the silent influence of
such lives. Their very silences would
thunder in eloquence.
Men and women of the church, to-
day let Chris be supreme Lord N your
life; put your case utterly in his hands
let him drive out the evil spirits that
cause you to wander in the wilder
ness; then go tell by work and by act
what great things he hath done. Yea,
We cannot other than tell.
The demoniac of the text wanted
the pleasure Of personal companion
ship with Jesus, but Jesus bid him
be a missionary to his friends and
home people Christ to-day needs not
so much your songs on Sunday as your
service during the week: not so much
for you to pray to him as to persuade
others to accept him.
If Christ does great things for you,
the world will know it.