Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-01-13
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Reoinnino Jan. IL, 1909
By REV. S. H. DOYLE.


Nopic.-"Pilgrim's Progress series.-I
leaving the City of Destruction. Acts
kvt 1884
One OF the interesting features OF
the Christian Endeavor topics this
gear will be the study of Bunyan
sPilgrim's Progress" Next to the BIZ
BILE no book ever written has had such
q wide circulation and has resulted in
the salvation of so many souls. Pre-
paratory to this study every Christian
Endeavorer should read the life of
John Bunyan and in connection with
Il study carefully and prayerfully the
wonderful story which represents the
tourney of Christian through this
sinful world. Bunyan has been called
the ''prince of dreams" and his great
est dream is the Pilgrims Prog
ress," which is far more than an I'M
agined dream, though related as one
Bunyan was confined at different
times for about twelve years in Bed
ford jail for preaching the gospel
contrary to the legal statutes OF his
day. Here it was, among other things,
that he penned his imperishable dream
or allegory, which we are to study.
Like Paul and Silas. he was impris-
Dned for Christ's sake. But he was
not disheartened. Like Paul and Silas,
he praised God, and. like them also. he
nsed the opportunity to lead souls to
Christ
The principal character in Pilgrims
Progress" Is called Christian. In his
dream Bunyan first saw him as "a
man clothed with rags. standing i'll a
certain place dhe City of Destruction,
With his face from his own house.
book in his hand and great burden
upon his back" The rags" represent
human sinfulness. His face from his
own house" signifies that the convict
ed sinner must give up the dearest
things in life rather than risk the loss
Of his immortal soul. The book" in
his hands is the Scriptures, which tell
rs Of sin and of destruction unless we
escape from them through Christ. The
sEreat burden upon his back" repre-
oents the sense of guilt and the fear
Of wrath which press those convict
ed Of this sinfulness by the Spirit of
God The entire picture is one of
sinner convicted of his sinfulness,
fearing the wrath of God and yet not
knowing what TO do. And this convic-
ton of sin must be experienced by
every human soul before it can be
saved. Unless convicted of our sin
fitness no one will cry out as Chris
tan did. as the Jesus on Pentecost did
rs Saul of Tarsus did, as the Philip
plan jailer did, what must l do to be
saved?" If you have not felt this
burden of sin, study the work of God,
pray unto the Holy Spirit that you
may feel it. Then you will have taken
4 great step toward the salvation of
your soul.
The next step in Christians expe-
rience was the telling of it to his fam
fly. They did not believe him, but
thought that some frenzy distemper
had get into his head" By various
ways they tried to cure him of It. but
were most unsuccessful. His agony
increased, and he wandered down in
the fields, praying and reading. One
day as he read he cried out, "What
shall do to be saved?' In his agony
and crying man named Evangelist
came to him and said, Wherefore
dost thou cry?" In mans darkest
hour of despair God sends him help
Christian explained the situation and
his perplexity as to what to do. Evan
gelist gave him a roll on which was
written, "Flee from the wrath to
come" He pointed out wicket
gate and then light, which Chris
tan saw dimly. Evangelist told Chris
tian to keep the light in view and
run to the wicket gate, where he
would receive instruction as to what
to do. In spite of the cries and mock
cries of his family and neighbors he
ran toward the light. On the way he
met two companions, Obstinate and
Pltable. Obstinate represented self
suf6ciency and Pliable its opposite.
The former tried to persuade Chris
tian to return. Pliable was easily per-
suaded to accompany Christian, and
thus he came to the Slough of De-
spond, our next topic. In this portion
of the dream we see Gods willingness
to help the convicted sinner and the
opposite influences that are brought
to bear upon him in his start upon the
Christian life. These are common hu-
man experiences, but should retard no
one who has started from the City Of
Destruction toward the Celestial City.
BIBLE READINGS.
Gen. iii, 1924; iv, 3-15; Ps. Ii, 40;
lisa. i, 1-6. with 16 to 20: ". II: Matt.
xi $3.50; John xiv, is; Acts ii. 36-41;
Rom. x, SIS; Luke iii, Z. s; Heb. x,
1851.