St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-03-19
copyright, 1904, bs ]. M. Edsou.)

this faith is not sought after, and is
Lot wanted. The world is ready and
willing to hear of the Christ and to view
Him from afar, but to come into close
contact with Him, to hear Him instead of
hear of Him, this is deeper experience
than is desired, and so having heard OF
the Christ, the world is content in this
life to go rushing on madly without
feeling the Transforming power of that
Christ, and with only an uncertain and
vague hope for the life that is to come.
That is one kind of faith.
TT IS the faith which accepts the fact
OF the Christ, without feeling the
quickening, Transforming power Of the
Christ. 1t is the faith which these
Samaritans experienced when the
woman came back with her message
concerning the Man Who had told har
"all things that ever she did" They
believed on Him, but if they had been
content to let the matter end there we
would not have been told Of that
mighty work of grace wrought there
during the two days sojourn Of Jesus
in Sychar. If, when they heard OF
Jesus, they had not come out to find
Jesus, if they had not invited Jesus
to abide with them, if they had not
come into personal heart to heart con-
tact with Jesus and heard Him for
themselves, they never could have
borne that glad, heartfelt testimony:
Nov we believe, not because OF thy
speaking; for we have heard for our
selves, and know that this is indeed
the Saviour of the world" John never
would have had the privilege of telling
of that two days revival, but instead
he would have had to write that al
though many believed on Him because
of the word of the woman still they
would not receive Hin, and Jesus was
obliged to pass by. This is the sad
record which is being written every
day of many, many precious souls IN
the world They hear of the Christ,
they believe on Him because OF the
testimony of others, but they do not
come out from the city Of their own
desires and ambitions and activities
| and invite the Christ to come in and
| abide; they do not care to hear Of the
message of life from His lips, they do
| not want the personal contact with
Him which will change their lives for
| ever. Sad, sad tragedy it is, bringing
eternal darkness to the soul, that hav-
ing heard of Jesus, people are indiffer-
emit to the message and let Him pass
by, perhaps never to come that way
| again.
| DUT the Samaritans, when they heard
II of Jesus, came out to Him. Two
| things command our attention here.
| Their prompt obedience, and their plac-
| ing the claims of God before the things of
this life. The affairs of the city
| business obligations, social activities.
and pleasures-were left behind in the
one earnest purpose to meet Jesus.
There is no reason to suppose that
these men who came out to Jesus were
a lot of idle, shiftless loafers who had
nothing else to do. 1t was getting on
| in the afternoon towards the cool of
the day when the bu siness of the city
would be at its height, and undoubtedly
one reason the men were SO accessible
was because they were gathering in
the market place and the shops for
trade and work. But Notwithstanding
| the pressure of the cares Of this life,
when they heard the message of the
woman, "they went out of the city"
There were no excuses Of pressure of
business, Of important social functions
or home csres or of pleasures planned,
but, hearing of Jesus, they left all be-
hind and went out to Jesus. If bust
ness plans and the pursuit of pleasure
had been of greater weight with those
Samaritans than meeting Jesus they
would have missed their opportunity;
they would not have met Him. And
this is the reason so many, many,
| many precious souls who hear of Jesus
and believe on Him, never meet Him.
They are too busy They must keep
this social obligation. They must in
| dulge in this pleasure. And as long
as they continue to abide In the city
Of their own desires and activities, just
so long are they kept from meeting
Jesus and kept from coming to know
that deeper, larger faith which brings
| life to the soul. Out of the city OF
self, if you would meet Jesus! Give
God His rightful place in your thoughts
| and plans! In no other way may you
| meet Jesus.
And If Jesus Will not listen to ex.
cuses as to why you cannot come,
neither will He brook delays. If those
| Samaritans had reasoned that to-mor.
row would do just as we'll, they would
| then have searched for Jesus in "ain
| for He would have passed on. Theirs
was prompt response to the message
and because of that promptitude they
| met Jesus.
600 WHEN the Samaritans came unto
y Him, they besought Him to ABIDE
with them" Here was the second step to
the saving faith in Christ which they
| came to know. Having heard of Jesus
they came out to Him; and they besought
Him to abide with them. He was wait
ing out there at the well for just such an
invitation. He wanted to come in and
abide with them. This is what He longs
to do for every heart. Behold" He
saws. Il stand at the door and knock;
If any man hear my voice and open the
door. will come in to him, and will sun
with him and he with Me-" They invited
Him in. If those Samaritans had been
like a great many people they would
| have wished to wait until they had
eloanad un their city and covered lid all