Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-03-10
THE SUPREME PASSION.
Rev. c. c. Luther Opens Evangeiistie
Services at First Baptist Church.


Rev. C. c. Luther began his series Of
meetings at the First Baptist church
Tuesday afternoon with chalk talk to
the young people. Mr.. Luther has
pleasing way with the children and no
doubt the illustrated or chalk talks
which are to be held each afternoon
this week will grow both in attendance
and interest.
There was a good attendance at the
evening service despite the ullfavorabls
weather. Each evening in lieu OF an
afternoon meeting prelude meeting
of fifteen minutes is held before the
evening service. The subject for this
weeks meetings is Prayer"
The subject at the prelude meeting
tonight is How to Pray and Get the
Things We ASK For, and at the regu-
lar meeting The Greatest work on
Earth.
MI Luthers' theme. The Supreme
Passion he found in the statement OF
| the Apostle Paul recorded in Rom y:
1-3. expressive Of his Willingness to be
"accursed from Christ" If by such
sacrifice his kinsmen could be saved.
This Mr.. Luther interpreted as Paufs
/ ennphatic way Of expressing his su-
| preme concern for the salvation Of his
| people. In Paul's thought is the sal
/ walton of the soul.
Failure to realize this, the evangelis:
| thought, was one of the greatest lacks
| today. There is abundant evidence OF
| a widespread and intense desire Tor
4 the Improvement of the physical, men,
| tai. civic and social condition Of man
| a vast amount of brain work and OF
money being expended thinking out
/ new schemes and devising new RENE
dies for the ills that affiict society.
And the larger part of it is by pro-
fessed Christians; in fact, it may easily
be recognized as one Of the legitimate
fruits Of Christianity. Nor may any
It M0'0 .
For the salvation Of the body, the
expansion Of the mind, the nourish-
ment Of the life that now is, million:
| of money and ceaseless study, electric
energy and all-consuming concern
but for the salvation Of the soul. tn:
| redemption, the sanctihcation anc
eternal glorihcation of the inner, th'
! real the immortal part OF man. how
| few are ever swayed by the supreme
| passion Of Paul. The prevailing typt
| of piety today I'm of the preserve kind
which must be bottled and sealed ant
kept in a dark place to keep it from
| spelling. As for such a thing as
burning passion for souls and sorrow
of heart for the lost many have yet t
learn by personal experience tn
meaning and the blessedness Of It.
Here is the explanation In larg
measure Of the failure of Christians L
make successfully operative the grea
commission to disciple al nations. an
here the solution of the perplexin
problem facing Christian workers ev
erywhere, how to reach the unchurche
masses. More of that passion for soul
that has always characterized IN
genuinely successful old evangelism
needed.
Just as in business, success Is pro
portioned, other things being equa
: upon the amount OF heart one puts int
It. SO in this soul saving business sue
cess depends more upon the heart tina
upon the head. People have got to .
loved to Christ rather than argued int
faith. There is no argument like IN
heart argument, and glance over N
pages Of history shows that all gres
soul winners have been characterize
above all else with this consuming, al
absorbing passion for soulss
This passion could be obtained :
seeking to apprehend the divine Walt
] of souls. by contemplating those poi
5 sessing 1t, by seeking to save one, an
{ by PRAYER. Make a beginning and Il
desire will increase. Tho Joy of savir
{ one will create desire for the deep
5 10Y of saving many.
0 Mr.. IA1thefs sermon was forceful
I illustrated by Incidents from 81
e preachers wide experience.