Arizona republican., 1909-02-20
GROWING INTEREST
 IN DIXON MEETINGS
Two Services Yesterday But None To- day-Two Services in the Elks' The- ater Sunday.

a good audience, and every one was
 richly repaid for coming. Dr. Dixon's
 address was sweet, tender and strong.
 A plea for faith in prayer was drawn
 from the story of the Syro- -PhOenician woman. With a maniac child in her
 home she went to Jesus on the strength of hearsay and pleaded with
 him for help. The story is an illus
 tration of the trial and triumph of
 faith. Be unto thee even as thou wilt" was the Masters final response
 to her prayer. Something in her atti
 tude enabled her even to command God. The characteristics of her faith were emphasized and illustrated with
 thrilling effect It was first, a faith
 without promise. She was a Gentle. The promises were to the Jews. Her faith went past all written or spoken promises and fixed itself upon the very character of God. It was faith in mercy. She did not ask for jus tice, only for mercy. There is no mer- cy in natural law. only justice. Through Christ alone is it possible for even God to be at once merciful and just. She believed in spite of the si- lence of God. He answered her not word. She believed without the help of others sympathy. The disciples said, Send her away" Her faith made it's appeal with renewed earnest ness out of her distress. When all seemed lost she still lifted up her hands to Jesus. Even when He seemed to deny her. she worshipped Him and would not let Him go. Real prayer is need packed so tight that it takes fire. Your extremity of need is Gods op- portunity of grace. God can not only make the light drive away darknes, but He can make the light shine out of the darkness. Even when her faith was humiliated and she was likened to the dogs of the street, faith found it's final argument and secured its tri- umph. Though she had no claim, she was willing to take the portion of the outsider. the crumbs. God answers such prayers. If We bring our trou- bles to God in such a spirit our prayers will be answered abundantly.
 The evening audience at the Dixon meetings at the First Baptist church was an inspiration to all interested. It filled the auditorium and the Sun day school room. many being present for the first time during these services. pr. Dixon took for his text the story of the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his topic was: What Is It to Be Saved" Laying the emphasis upon the word saved he said not to be educated, for salvation is more than education; not to be reformed, for ref ormation is not salvation: not to be cultured only, is salvation. Salvation implies the incoming of a new life through Christ Jesus. Have you the life of God in your SOul2
 Salvation is first of all a great his toric fact. Jesus came into this world, lived a holy life, worked miracles, healed the sick. taught the truth. sui fered. died, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Whether you believe this thing or not will not af- feet the facts in the least. The his tOric facts of the life of Jesus abide whether you believe or not The resur- rectiOn of Jesus is one of the best at tested facts of human history. The resurrection of Jesus gave the world its present calendar; we date our daily letters from the day he rose from the, dead; it gave us the Sabbath day, the Lords day which we observe. Jesus did not command his disciples to keep the first day of the week. Its observ- ance came from the power of the res urrection.
 Second, salvation as a historic fact becomes a sudden experience. Mega
 
 lively it involves faith. What is re- pentance? It is taking Gods side against sin. King Saul fought God on the side of sin and wrecked his career. ruined his life and died a suicide. King David committed unnameable sins, but when convicted, repented and took Gods side against his own sin and confessed his wrong. Out of his broken heart came the penitentiaI psalm. This sudden experience is with some accompanied by stress and agi- tation of the soul, like the earthquake experience of the jailor. With others it is calm and quiet. like the conver- sion of the Ethiopian eunich It is not the way you turn to God and against sin, but the turning that is essential
 Salvation as a historic fact becomes not only a sudden experience, but, further, a gradual process. It is a crisis with a view to a process. The new life grows, develops, struggles up ward unto perfection. The story of the conversion of General O. O. How ard was related with profound effect as an illustration of the power of Christ to reach a strong, intellectual young officer in the army. pr. Dixon then told of the conversion of John Wood, a missionary to the sailors in New York, as an illustration of an opposite type-a drunkard, discour- aged, down and out man. ready to commit suicide. Christ is able to save all classes and conditions of men.
 Salvation is still further a glorious Oliver Wendell Holmes stood with a German gentleman upon the top of the Alps and turning to- ward Italy and Rome, he raised his hat and said. Glorious Past, I salute thee" The German, turning toward the Fatherland, removed his hat and saluted a glorious Present. But the Christian has the privilege of stand ing upon the Mount of Calvary and an infinitely more glorious Future. When Paul speaks of death it is described as a "departure"-the term is nautical and implies the lifting of the anchor, the spreading of the sails and the sailing out into the oraor nf