Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-02-07

| 10 duplicate his statue of David or
a Moses out of snow bank? What
Is the good of a jeweler trying TO make
diamond rings out OF a dewdrop? What
is the good of trying 10 build forti-
tication upon the shifting sands? lis
not the life more than meat and the
body than raiment?' Is not the soul
more important than the body, which
will be dead in n few years at the
most?
OF Infinite Importance.
oh, the infinite Importance OF the i'm
mortal SOUL Oh, the never ending ex-
lstence which Is stretching out before
all of US after our bodies are deadl
Can you not catch a faint glimpse Of
that apocalypse? In one of our great
educational institutions some years
ago there was a student noted for his
mathematical genius. He loved to
challenge his fellow students TO a
friendly trial of skill I'm figures. But
one day n Christian student entered
his room and said, "Tom, here Is
problem wish you would try to solve
for me-" The mathematician took it
and looked at it and then read the
words, what shall it profit man If
he shall gain the whole world and lose
| his own soul?' In anger he tore the
| paper mp and threw IL upon the floor.
But after his Christian friend had left
be proceeded 20 study the problem. He
began to compute the value of money
and fame and position and worldly
success. Then he commenced to weigh
| the value of his soul. What shall il
profit man if he shall gain the whole
world and lose his own soulY At
| last revelation of the souls value
above the combined value of all other
| things came to him. Then he dropped
upon the floor and cried out, God be
| merciful to me and save my soulr' So
1 put the question to you, DO you de-
sire to make the most out of your life?
What o man, is to be your life's work!
How shall you get the maximum OF
return for your labors? Do you not
| see how this text rises and spreads un-
I'll at last it girdles the earth and Cir
dies the heavens and girdles the eterni-
ties? HE that winneth souls is wise"
But these words of my text are sig
| niticant for another reason. Soul win
ming is not only the greatest of all
work, but it is also the most rational
Our Lord God is not unreasonable nor
does he require of us more than we
can do, but he says: go forth in this
mighty work of soul saving. and / will
be with thee. l will give thee divine
power, and l will work through thee
as l worked through the great soul
winners Of olden times" Paul express
as my meaning i'm words more power
full than any living man could frame.
He maps out great evangelistic cam
paign for Christ. He maps out great
religious campaign that from a human
standpoint appears that of Il crank or
fool. From the human standpoint Paul
seems to be the widest of fanatics
but for one reason. lie says: "m my
own power can do nothing. but IN the
divine power l can do everything.
can do all things through Christ. which
strengthened me-" In other words. he
believed that God would reinforce
him, rs he will us, with divine power
In the great work of saving soul.
In the Spirit of Paul.
All, this is n blessed, mighty en-
enlargement. | do not feel we have Il
right 10 speak the words of my text
unless ut the same time we do it in
the spirit and confidence of Paul. Con
slider what ii is that we have TO do.
We have to wrestle with Satag for his
prey. do not care whether YOU call
the evil spirit sin or Satan or the
devil; 1t is all one and the same. No
sooner Is a child born than the evil
spirit goes 10 that cradle and says: II
Will hover over this child. | will fol.
low him step by step ! vii! study his
ancestors to lind out their moral weak
nesses- Will offer him the form OF
temptation which Is best suited to his
taste. Then will say: Drink friend
Drink. Drink until your temporal life
Is imbittered and your soul Is poi.
| soned-'"
Have you ever had an enemy on
| your trail; Have you ever had n man
or a woman with bitter malice follow
you step by step, undermining your
lifes work; Have you had foe mis-
representing you and thwarting your
efforts while you kept silence for the
sake OF the work which you were try
AiAH ~ tO. W. " nat II MOTSC,
have You ever had friend whom you
loved ms brokerage. loved as your
own child-whom you have lived with
and helped and encouraged and aided
I'm his work. suddenly draw a knife
and treacherously drive 1t into your
back! oh, yes, we have all had these
troubles! But | want TO tell YOU that
no human enemy. no modern Brutus, Is
ever so sly, so stealthy, so malignant,
SO cruel, as is the spirit of evil He
| VIII follow you. He will fatter you
and throw you off your guard. But
when the time comes he will drive into
your heart the poisonous fang. and
then, from a human standpoint. there
| VIII be no hope. Do you not realize
that today over every immortal soul
are hends innumerable-fends strug-
Cling, lighting and battling? From q
| human standpoint every soul Is a lost
soul unless it isSsared by divine grace
God Is Stronger.
But thank God, diyine power can
save the soul. Though temptation has
an arm Of iron, yet God, who made the
iron, Is stronger. Though the serpent
or sin has fang charged with deadly
poison, yet one drop of Chrises shed
blood is an antidote for that Doison
70 death, where is thy sting? o grave
where Is thy victory? The sting of
death is sin, and the strength of sin is
the law. But thanks be to God, which
eiveth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ" There is the keynote
OF the whole text God is not asking