Arizona republican., 1909-02-18


 
 thy word.". This reveals condition of bondage. Some are bound by habit, by fear of man, by self in- terest. by ignorance.
 It is difficult to tell which is worse-the habit of doing wrong or the habit of doing nothing. We need a quickenins which will deliver us from all these bonds.
 How can we get such a revival? Pray for it. Every text is a prayer. It is well to pray for the pastor, for the church, for the world, but he must not fail to pray, Quicken me. God works when men pray. A re- vival that comes in answer to pray CT is God-given, and the only kind worth having. John Wesley carried an old man around with him to pray for him. Great revivals have al- ways been traceable to earnest pray CTS, often of some obscure and un- known believer Pray for the grace to pray; pray for the spirit of pray CT; and the God of all mercy and grace will show forth his power.
 The evening service overflowed
  church and ran into the Sunday school room which was opened for the occasion. A large chorus sang with spirit and effect some of the new hymns contained in the Famous Hymns" which are being used during these meetings. Pastor Coats intro duced Dr. Dixon as -one whose friend ship for many years he had esteemed a precious possession, whose religion he accepted without discount and whose message he endorsed from the heart. After a few happy introduce tory remarks pr. Dixon took for his text Pearl of Parables'S contained in the fifteenth chapter. Of Luke-the threefold story of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost boy. Dipping into the parable which he declared to be a unit rathefI than three he remarked that the firstJ part em- phasized distance and represented Christ as the Good Shepherd going far to seek the Wandering sheep; the second part emphasizes nearness and represents the Holy Spirit seeking the lost; the third part reveals to us the Father sending memories of home to the lost boy and then wei coming him back to. his heart The first thought suggested by the par able was that of Personality. Jesus as the Son of Man seeks lost men. The individual is worth seeking and must be sought by an individual. Personality is power 60 We must not delegate to the church the saving of men, but each one of us should be- come a saviour in the sense that we take to the individual the message of salvation. This part of the ser mon was an appeal to Christians to do personal work. It was strongly put and aptly illustrated. The second point emphasized was Ownership without possession. The man had hundred sheep, but one was out os his possession: so also with the wOm- an and the lost coin and with the Father and his younger son. T sup pose 1 own about forty umbrellas in but l do not possess them. had a fine overcOat, given to me by a friend. l took it to church and laid it down in the study. A man came in and carried it away. l own it. but I do not possess it. So God may not possess us, though He owns us by right of creation, redemption and preservation. Salvation means the restoration of the soul to its rightful owner. The thought of sacri- flee next gained attention. The shep- herd left the ninety and nine and went after the lost.
 Many church members are like | sheep continually eating and never | 1nino nf lost sheep to the fold will do more | for the health of the flock than 1 ever so many courses of well pre- 1 pared food. The conversion of one soul will sometimes do more to re- vive a church than a dozen sermons for their edification. Then | the thought of Discovery l and Recovery. When he hath | found it, he layeth it on his should CTS rejoicing" There may be dis cOvery without recovery. God some times finds us with His truth or His but we refuse to give up to him and let him save us. The wearied, wounded sheep lying limp in on the shoulders of the. shepherd, is a picture of salvation. l There is no holding out, not even a holding on. The shepherds strength Is underneath, and the shepherds care is round about it. It is simply ! giving up, a complete surrender of weakness to loving strength.
 At the close of the sermon a number expressed a purpose to be- gin the Christian life and more ex- pressed their desire to do so.
 At the three o'clock meeting to- lay, Dr. Dixon will speak upon the -opic: Why I believe the Bible to De the Word of God" In the eve