The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1908-04-17
A SOUL WINNING CHURCH
IN FOUR PARTS.
By Rev. Israel Putnam.
Part Second.

, What might be properly called
pride, is no doubt, in the way of soul
winning on the part of the Church.
And when / say social pride / do not
mean decency. nor good manners. etc.
but that which disregards the comfort
of another because uf superior wealth,
intelligence etc. all of which go to
evince a want of the Christlike Spirit
aud shows the unregenerate state of
the heart.
How unlike is this to the attitude of
Jesus toward the POOR, the unfortunate
and the sin-cursed. he was known as
the Friend of publicans and sinners and
the Common people heard Him
gladly" Mark IL, 81. He went into
their homes. talked with them, ate
with them, and helped them to bet
ter life, but He was especially kind and
considerate toward the weak and fall
en-. John s, 3.11. From his precious
and powerful lips fell Matt. 23. 12-33)
soathing denunciations of the SeriEes
and Pharisees who thought themselves
too holy and high to show any kind
ness to weak erring ones, while from
bis eyes fell tears of pity, not only for
the inhabitants of the wicked city
(Luke 10, All tut for the chained
and sin-cursed everywhere.
Shall the Church follow her Lord,
or the Scribes and Pharisees?
While Howard Johnston was pastor
of large church in New York City,
a poor Magdalen came, one day, to his
study, told him she was tired and sick
of sin and that she had keen to several
asking for help to better life, but
they had all turned her away. Like
his Lord, he talked kindly to her, and
prayed with her aud she gave herself
to Christ. He then helped her to a
position. But when some of the fash
iona BILE women of his Church learned
what he was doing they rebuked him
and thought themselves disgraced by
their pastor having anything to do
with woman of that kind. "Tell it
not in Gath. nor publish it in the streets
of Askelon" e Sam. /, 20) that those
who profess to he followers of the meek
and lowly Saviour should dare to re-
buke Minister of His for helping the
lost and perishing. The blessed Holy
Spirit is often grieved by the pride and
sel6shness of such hearts, both men
and women, so that they cannot be
used as the channels of his grace. In
her early days, Methodism was to the
humble. sin cursed, and lost, the
strong arm of deliverance, as in the
face of opposition, and often serious
and shameful persecution, she, with
loving heart and faithful step and
great sacrifice, and without retalia-
tion, so far as am informed bore the
palm branch of Heavenly peace to the
poor masses of humanity, drifting
down, and away, in the awful dark
ness and ignorance of sin. Shall we
lose our crown? o that the old time
Jesuslike spirit of loving faithful SER
vice for all, might fall speedily upon
the millions of all branches of Christi
anity, as we'll as our own Then the
mourners cry would rise from our al
tars and great prosperity would attend
our beloved Zion everywhere.
Indifference concerning the condition
of the unsaved is one of the greatest
hinderances to revival work on the
part of the Church. Is it not strange
that men are always asking how is
business, how are the folks, how is
politics, how is this and how is that,
how is your dog and how is your cat,
etc. etc. but very seldom how is your
soul and what are your prospects for
Heaven. If fashions, flirting and
poodle dogs were discussed less and
soul winning more in every day life, by
the Church. we should sooner see a
work of grace.
Olive Schreiner in IA South Afri-
can Farm" draws vivid picture of a
little German boy who caught a
glimpse of souls dying. Waking up
at midnight, he heard the ticking of
his fathers watch and remembe bers what
he said the evening before, that with
every tick of the watch soul goes in
to eternity: And it now seems to he
| saying LLSIuAbys OloAH1bJI OloAhAtJ'
He covered his head and sought not to
think nor hear. but both seemed rather
to increase and putting back the cloth
ing he heard the watch still ticking,
and now it seemed to be saying "Dy-
ing, dying, dying" Then he saw a
great dark valley, through which was
winding long procession of people to-
ward very high precipice, over which
they were dropping into darkness, one
by one, with every tick of the watch.
The boy could no longer control his
feelings aud springing from bis bed
threw himself on his;face, on the floor,
and cried, so God, save one, save
onel' Would to God that every pro-
Tossing Christian would have the Wis
ion of that little boy For there are
so many who seem to have no real con-
ception whatever of the value of an
immortal soul, and do so little to save
one from death.
An old Pennsylvania Dutch Dunkard
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Remedy" Guaranteed to cure your
cough. and guaranteed to be pure.
Made from the bark of the she'll bark
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