The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-05
REV. N. E MORRIS
 TALKS ID '. M, [, \,
Sermon on the Power of Per-
 sonaI Work.
SOME APT ILLUSTRATIONS
Preacher Said There Were More Men Thar Some of Us Thought Who Wanted to Talk
 About Christ.

The Rev ". E. Morris pastor of the Eleventh Avenue Methodist Episcopal church spoke at the meeting of the Young Mems Christian association yes terday afternoon. His subject was Per sonal Work" He defined personal work as a face to face heart to heart talk with a man not Christian. with the object of leading him to Christ The speaker alluded to the exalted mission of the personal worker stating that his re- ward in an objective sense was the great est possible reward. for to lead a man to Christ is manifestly the greatest thing you can do for him, while subjectively the Christian gets his greatest joy and I strength from bringing men to the Sa- vior.
 Serious Men.
 There are more men than you think" said the speaker. 'who want you to talk to them about their souls interest; more are serious about their salvation than 
 great statue of David from a thrown away stone. What cannot the Son of 1 God do for a man whose life Is being thrown away? Paganini, the great vio- 1 linist, won in the renowned musical con test, after all of the strings of his h. strument had snapped but one So men whose moral fibre is almost all broken may be made to live winning lives in the l hands of Jesus Christ.
 The Equipment.
 "The equipment for personal work Is first a personal possession of Christ in ] the heart, such as Paul had when he said, For me to live is Christ l Second, a worl.ini knowledge of the Scriptures Dr. Torrey's book on How to Bring Men to Christ was recommended
 In Sympathy With Work. 1 "Third, we must be In sympathy with l the object of our efforts. Smiles of steel never won anyone's affection or conf dence.
 Fourth. The personal worker should have imma ginatlon sufficient to realize the condition of the one he would help, and fifth, a memory, from which he can recall scripture passages readily, and other evidence of the power of Christ In speaking of being in touch with Christ, as the prime requisite of success full Christian work the speaker recited Isaihs wonderful experience of cleansing; of how he had to see the purity of God before he realized his unclean condition; and later of how the angel touched his lips with a live coal from off the altar. | It was only after this that Isah could respond to the call to service: Here am | l, send me-. You must be unselfish in your efforts to save men, or else you will fail," said the speaker.
 l Paul. on one occasion was being great ly persecuted by members of one of the many churches he established, but said to them that he still would love them: Though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved" The speaker pointed out that that expression of Paul marked him as a Christian of the high est type. The history of the Christian church while Christ was on earth was shown to be the history or the work of individual Christian workers of that l time.
 John .he Baptist.
 John the Baptist's great sermons did not establish a Christian church. It was when he said. Behold the Lamb of God, '' that John and Andrew followed Christ and thus Johns personal work made l those two first followers of Jesus. An n sermon at Pentecost brought 5000. in one day to a knowledge of Christ, thus An drew was indirectly responsible for Peters | great work.
 It was shown during the discourse that if the Christian world today, man foi man, would bring one man each to Christ for three years the world would be evan gelized in three years. Edward Everett | Hales book Ten Times One Are Ten.' was referred to as showing very force. fully the great opportunities which are ops T to the personal worker.
 Invitation Extended.
 At the closing of the meeting Secretary Johnson gave an invitation to all who had not done so to accept Christ.
 Two young men expressed desire fol prayer, one of whom definitely entered upon the Christian life. The usual seasor of good fellowship was enjoyed. Re freshment were served.
 Secretary Bridges made some announce ments of interest to any young men whc contemplate entering the association nigll school The school opens Octo | nfr 20 rrLrea vounp mon who have hear in the work, Dennis R. Bell. w. H Caldwell and Percy R. Hodges leave foi college this week.
 They were given a hearty cheer and wished God speed in their new under taking.
 J. H. Conkil assistant secretary al Decatur has returned from his visit tt