The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-01-13

SWIFT AT FIRST BAPTIST
CHURCH, WEDNESDAY EVEN
ING-REVIVAL FIRES ARE BE-
ING KINDLED - "CHRIS 4
KNOCKING AT THE DOOR,"
THEME OF STRONG SERMON
INCREASING INTEREST BEING
MANIFESTED IN UNION REVIV-
AL SERVICES.
The revival fires were kindled at
the First Baptist church, Wednesday
evening, when the Rev. w. II.
Swift, d. D., pastor of the First
Presbyterian church, delivered a
powerful sermon from the text Rev
elation 3:20: Behold l stand at the
door and knock; if any man hear
my voice and open the door l will
come in to him, and will sup with
him, and he with me-
By way of Introduction, Rev. DR..
Swift said:
Motives of surprising force have
been brought to bear upon our
hearts, our minds, our wills for two
evenings. The first was the appeal
to the better side of us-the ties
that bind us in common brother
hood. There is enough and to share
for all the world-that will satisfy
the hunger-the spiritual hunger of
men-"Give ye them to eat" 1t is
our privilege, our duty to pass on
this bread of life to starving men.
We must-or go to the prison-cell,
demned-because heartless.
Last evening we stood face to
face with the fact that the church
has failed to do it's duty to lost men
and we searched for the reason.
The knife went deep, and we realiz-
ed how childish are all the excuses
we try to give in explanation of our
failure. The answer to the question:
why could not we cast him-the
demon-out?" is the answer Jesus
gave to his disciples there at the
foot of the mount Because of your
unbelief." We were called on to
attempt great things for God now,
and expect great things from God
now. May ! ask your attention to-
night to a motive that always seems
to me to be simply irresistible. |
want to get above the thought of
common brotherhood-the thought
of failure because of unbelief and
ask your attention to an appeal that
comes right from the heart of Christ
to our hearts or ought to do so.
Behold / stand at the door and
knock; If any man hear my voice
and open the door l will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he
with me-"
Continuing DR.. Swift said in part:
Prosperous times make the Christ
unreal to us. 1t ought to make Him
more real to us. We need Christ
just as much in our bright hours as
in days of darkness. We are apt to
think that Religion is only for the
sickroom and funerals, times of
trial We ought to remember that
Christ went to the Marriage Feast as
well as to the House of Sorrow.
"A man is not half a man who
does not do some things with his
teeth clinched and his face set like
flint. We sometimes imagine that
Christian character comes to us un-
sought. 1t is the result of 10000
choices made through lifetime of
choices that cost us much.
"The text emphasizes three
things: First, That man is the arbi-
ter of his own destiny; secondly,
That life is intensely real; thirdly,
that our possibilities are simply in
finite. Life is intensely real. Oh
that we might know what the end
less life is! Sin stains are removed
by the chemistry of Christ's blood.
Il do not believe the heaven life
hereafter is to be filled with the
shadows of eternal regret.
20 Jesus Thou art pleading
In accents meek and low,
| died for you, my children,
And will ye treat. me so?
o Lord with shame and sorrow
We open now the door
Dear Saviour enter, enter,
And leave us nevermore."
Rev. George S. Wendell led the
singing, and reminded the audience,
at the opening of the service, "You
are not putting half the life and
ginger in that song you might"
Rev. j. S. Oliver offered the open
ing prayer, and the Scripture lesson
was read by Rev. Geo. S. Wendell.
Rev. viii H. Hitler offered prayer
and pronounced the benediction.
The spacious auditorium of the
Baptist church was well filled despite
the rainy weather. Announcement
was made that the service this even
ing will begin at 7:15 o'clock, so
that the meeting will be over in
| ample time to hear the lecture in
the High School at S:35 p. m.