Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-14

then come to the conclusion that those
| who do not speak confidently and boldly
for Jesus are not acquainted with him?
1t would seem SO. Dr. Stokes says: st.
Peter was bold because he was daily COM
pretending more and more of the meaning
of Christs work and mission, was gain
hg clearer insight into the dignity of
his person, and was experiencing in him-
self the truth Of his supernatural prom
ises. How could a man help being bold
who felt the spirits power within, and
really held with intense belief that there
was salvation in none other save Christ:
Personal experience of religion alone can
impart strength and courage and boldness
to endure to suffer and to testify
They took knowledge of them that they
had been'with Jesus" There is the s cret
of it all. We do not take time to be with
Jesus, else We should not only have plenty
of experience to give forth to others, but
we should rejoice to give the testimony, as
did the disciples. There can be no prep
spent upon ones knees Communion with
Jesus is sure to bring experience out of
| which one can speak with hepfulness to
others and with compelling power.
If one knows his theme well, if he is
full of it and loves it. he does not need
to spend hours in preparing an elaborate
address in order to convince men of the
| truth of his belief. So. If we stay In the
presence of Jesus, we shall he filled with
the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit shall
teach US what to say.
But. supposing we have spent more
time in company with the Sanhedrim and
have not come so much into touch with
Jesus. Then when we have to testify
of some great miracle we have seen per-
formed upon a mans life, we shall hardly
dare to speak out boldly and say what is
the secret and who is the author of that
miracle because 1t is the fashion to as
sign such things to natural causes. If
we say that the wonder in any mans life
some marvellous change from darkness
into light, from sin to sweetness and pu-
rity and right living-is due alone to the
power of God upon that soul. there will
be many today, even in the church, who
will smile at us and call us fanatics and
give US social ostracism. And that is. per-
haps, as hard to bear today as the prison
was for Peter and the rest.
The disciples who are willing to speak
boldly today, as centuries ago. are still
comparatively few. and still the majority
are from the ranks of the fishermen,
who come to know Jesus best of ALL and
perhaps just because they are humble
| and" think so little of themselves. Who
are the great reformers of the day? Are
they not the poor and humble. largely
They are willing to sit at his feet until
they gain knowledge and power to work
miracles and confidence to give God the
glory.
We can have such holiness and such
confidence. too. in testifving for him if we
will become personal. friends of Jesus.
When Henry Martyr was In Persia as
missionary he wrote of the Moolah Aga
Mohammed Hassan. who, he said. was a
very sensible. candid man. and had Moth
ing to find fault with in the Christian re-
ligion except the divinity of Christ. 1T
is this doctrine" says Martyr, (which ex-
poses me to the contempt of the learned
MohammedanS. in whom it is difficult to
say whether pride or ignorance predom
mates. Their sneers are more difficult to
bear than the brickbats which the boys
sometimes throw at me- however, both are
an honor of which am not worthy How
many times in the day have occasion to
repeat the words:
If on my face. for Thy dear name.
Shame and reproaches he,
All hail reproach and welcome shame
If Thou remember me.
On the 18th of June, 1872, one of the
viziers said to him: You had better say:
God is God. and Moha mined is the prophet
of Cod" Martyr replied. God is God
and Jesus is the Son of Cod They were
very much enraged at this. and cried out
contemptuously to him: What will you
say when your tongue is burned out for
this blasphemy." Martyr finally went
away to his tent to pass the rest of the
day in the heat and dirt. What have
done to merit all this scorn.' thought he
Nothing but bear testimony to Jesus"
In writing of it in his diary he says: II
thought over these things in prayer, and
found that peace which Christ hath prom