The Tupelo journal., 1904-02-26

AANoS JOo "a ~ LA ~ WOulu
have taken Jesus two months, probably.
instead Of two days 70 perform His
cleansing, saving grace in that city. The
artist, who invited the miserable, ragged
beggar to come to his studio to sit as a
model for the beggar in the picture he
was painting was not more bitterly dis
appointed when the beggar came the mex.
day all cleaned and clothed in goodly
garments, than is Jesus when the soul
tries to clean up and fix up before iavit-
ing Jesus in. He wants you just as o.
are. Come out to Jesus. Respond to
the invitation at once, and 1t will be re-
corded of you even as it was concerning
those Samaritans, that Jesus abode with
them.
LIE WENT back with them to their
IL city. This suggests a beautiful
thought, and teaches a helpful les
son. They must go u of their
city to find Jesus, but He re-
turns with them and makes it a
cleaner and better city than it ever had
been before. And 40 soul ever goes out
vi Wy " liz oWH utSlIeS anu puT-
poses and ambitions, but that Jesus leads
bach into that city again, and puriies
and cleanses and reinvigorates the forces
OF life, and makes a man a better bust
ness man, a 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
dor that uo, r,ou .,o,t Toc,,, loao,1-
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 our 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.
! lie does not spoil a good business
man to make of him a poor preacher.
He does not take out of life all response
bi!ity, or purpose, or ambition, or ability,
and set the soul to singing itself away
into everlasting bliss. Not a 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 a new thrill
OF pleasure is felt in the life. Think OF
it, oh soul! God wants you to go out OF
tie city of self that you may meet Jesus
ald take Him back into your life.
g. A ND Jesus abode there two days"
"A Those were busy days, you may be
sure, and | believe the social and business
Life of that city was shaken to its founda-
tons. Was shaken until the false and
the unclean and the sinful were thrown
ID the ground and buried out of sight.
ne can judge something of The moral
1ottenness of the city from the life OF
the woman, whose inmost secrets Jesus
revealed. And l cannot believe that
Jesus went into that city and stayed two
Gays 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 a lot of plati-
tudes and sweet phrases Jesus spoke.
Rather did re 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 n 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-
come to them could only have come
from a changed life and heart, the fruit
of obedience tothe truth. Gods message
Zones to my heart and reveals some sin.
some wrong doing, but instead of obey
ing Gods Word and turning from the
Gin | cling to it. Are there no joy and
peace within? No, such a condition is
impossible. | 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;
fof we have heard for ourselves, and
krow that this is indeed the Saviour of
tAs world"
TWO kinds of faith. a head faith
L which accepts the fact of the Christ,
and a 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-
nlaritans. But have you entered into
the second experience which came to
them, and car 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 a head faith instead of a
heart faith, and again we want to re-
mind you that it is with the heart that
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