The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-02

known. If the world is ever to know God as the God of all grace, it must learn Him as such through the preaching of Him by those unto whom He has so manifested Himself in their experiences. Men are not to be converted by the light of nature; 1t matters not how bright that light may shine in the created universe; but by the hearing of God in the voice of the church.
 believe 1t strictly true that never has a man been converted whose conversion was not either directly or indirectly due to the preaching of some other man. cannot, of course, prove so universal proposition, but I am sure you will not be able to gainsay that the normal natu- ral way of conversion is through the word of some one who has himself been con- verted telling what he knows of God to some other person. Natural religion re- vealing only the wrath of God leads only to fear: but the revelation of God which comes to us through the experience or men in the social world leads the nearer thereof to the feet of God in simple child like trust. How can they believe on Him of whom they have not heard, and how can they hear without preacher2' So faith by hearing and hearing by the word of God' Did you catch what that said to you? If anyone Is to believe on God 1t Is to come through hearing you speak the word which conveys the knowledge or God. So far as being believed on In the world is concerned. God has depended on you and me to furnish the means for that end. My brethren, what great confidence our God has reposed in usi How impor- tant is our part In the conversion of the world This thing you call preaching which wears you out if 1t be given except in homeopathic doses and on pleasant sun days in comfortable churches, not intend- ed for in your amusement as you think, salve for your aching conscience, an opi- ate for your moral consciousness. An, no it has more serious purpose than that. It Is intended to bring you into the immediate presence of God and to voice His love and grace to you, that you may the more believe on Him, and experience His favor and fellowship. We have our ideas and ideals of what is good church services, and our Ideals are according ,o our ideas of what that worship Is intended to accomplish. If 1t is intended to enter tain, then that which makes religion a means of entertainment Is best I cannot get my consent to believe that "the word of the message of God' should be per- verted into any such purpose as that of mere entertainment. If our music or our preaching has any other purpose than to voice God to the people, we are pervert- i ing this only occasion on which the world is dependent for it's knowledge of it's di- vine Redeemer and Lord of its life.
 If the world that knows not God ever believes on Him, 1t will be by receiving the word of the message of God from us. Do not then let an occasion when we have invited them here for so important a pur- pose, be diverted to mere season of entertainment. We have in our city abundant theatres and institutions for the entertainment of our people, nor Is 1t quite good business ethics for us to de- moralze this business by furnishing a free one. We are not in any sense com petitors of these, but are working on different line entirely This is the place and the time to voice God to the people that they may believe on Him and enjoy His fellowship in life Come hther. my friends to receive 'the word of the mes- sage of God" Here we preach Him, here we sing Him. here we pray to Him. He is here and speaks to thee in every sound that fills this house.
 2. When one hears the word of the mes sage of God, how ought he to hear 1t? Not as the word of man. but, as it Is in truth the word of God. Listen as though you were listening unto God, and you will find that you are listening to him.. It matters not whether 1t be q Judas, or a John or Peter or Paul that is preaching, if the preaching be the word of the message of God. 1t will be the true and living God that breaches to you. So then 1t becomes us to listen as unto God when "the word of the mes sage of God" Is being voiced.
 But how ought one to listen to God? Hok should we receive His word and accept it?
 How to Hear God.
 CD Fix your attention on him and not on anything else. Realize that you are in his audience Chamber where he Is wont to speak to those who will hear his word and it will greatly surprise me If you do not get word of his message. The reason you do not oftener hear the word of the message of God" Is that you are not listening for 1t to the ex- clusion of everything else. l have heard a lot of poor preaching in my life, most of which I myself have furnished; but it Is the rarest occasion that some good listener does not say, "I thank you for the message of God" l believe God is in all sincere preaching and the word of His message Is to be had by those who are looking for it. When you go to church put your mind on God, and He will speak to thee.
 (2) When you are attending to the word of the message of God listen with all your