The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-11
LORD, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME TODO? Dr. McVOy Delivers lntrO- ductory Sermon Here LIKE A HOME COMING Returns to His Native State, After Many Years in Middle West, to
 Take Charge of South
 Highlands Church

Returning to his native state, Alabama, after filling the pulpits of many of the largest churches of the middle west. pr. E. C. McVoy delivered his introductory sermon at the Highlands Methodist church yesterday morning at the Il o'clock worship. Dr. McVoy comes here from St. Luke's church of Oklahoma City, and was appointed to the Highlands Methodist church by Bishop floss dur ing the recent North Alabama confer ence.
 pr. J. R. Turner the retiring minister, who has served this pastorate for the past year, goes to the First church of Huntsville, which loses its former min ister, pr. J. w. Johnson, who becomes the presiding elder of the Birmingham dis trict. His remarks just preceding the morning sermon and preliminary to pr. McVoy, were hopes of success for the en- suing year under the guidance of his successor, and an invocation of divine blessings upon the congregation and the new minister.
 Let me say in beginning" said pr. NlCN oSb tllat iOJOitO tO pS sNhiiSAiS Alabama people as it seems like a home coming, and is a peculiar pleasure to serve at this altar where several of my former schoolmates and friends have ministered. Some ministers do not like to have their people mention their love for any of his predecessors, but I want to say that I honor the members who honor their pastors, and will always take delight in hearing the good deeds of others given the praise that good work deserves.
 The Sermon Text
 ''The text this morning is taken from the ninth chapter of the Acts, and is the first exclamation uttered by Saul when he was converted, Lord, what would Thou have me to do?'
 Some people find it very difficult to believe in miracles, but the man who believes in God has no trouble in feel ing that the miracles recorded in the Bible were actual events. In all the host of miracles performed in biblical times there is none more wonderful than the conversion of Saul, whose name was synomous with persecution to the fol- lowers of Christ. Look at the picture as it is presented. That man waose career of crime was stopped suddenly, who was turned in the opposite direction from his evil ways, and who was changed to new man, turning squarely around from his old self. From hater he be- came a lover, from a lion he was trans formed into a lamb, and his whole man. ner of living went through a sudden process of reformation. When he had heard the voice of Jesus Christ, and said, Lord, what would Thou have me to do?' miracle greater than the rais- ing of Lazarus from the dead was cli- maxed, and Saul became one of the true followers of the cross
 "Saul's words should be the motto for every Christian man and woman, every Christian boy and girl, and I cannot think of any more appropriate text to begin our year together with than this question asked by the newly convert ed apostle. There are a few lessons to be gained from my foundation words and I will endeavor to point them out to you as I see them.
 Submission to Christ
 First of all, the spirit of the ques- tion shows that every true Christian must submit himself to the will of Christ and enter the same port Of self surrender that Saul did. It is not what anyone else desires you to do, but what Christ has mapped out for you to do. It is not what your wife tells you 70 do, or your father, or your mother or your friends, but what your Creator calls you to perform that makes you count as a Christian. Christianity means the yielding of the strongest will to the commands of God and this is rot an easy thing to do in many in- stances. Is your self-will dead, and rave you given yourself unreservedly to Christ? I would that we might all say this morning, What would thou have me to dor How often our work in this world is spoiled by the shadow of ourselves, and we cannot see the light of Divinity purposes.
 The second thought is that Sauls query contains one little word that means so much and this is What Saul
 
 thing that Christ directed him to dc and what is more was ready to carry cut these directions. fear that many of us are willing to come to the II o'clock services, but are not willing to attend the evening worship, that many will give literally of their money, but not their time to the Wednesday even- ing prayer meeting. It seems that tte young men of today are so absorbed wealth that they do not heed the voice of Christ.
 "WOuld You Answer?"
 Young man. if you were called by Christ to go and preach, would you lay aside your worldly trends and do his bid ding? Young woman if He should say that you were needed in the foreign mis- sion fields, to endure hardships, to make sacrifices, would you respond? How many here can interpret What of the text with a personal application? God has some thing for everyone of us to do and be careful that you answer when He calls.
 Another word that should be noticed is me- This shows that Saul was not with what God wanted some- one else to do, but what he himself should do. Suppose every mind here was conse- crated to the work of the kingdom, every hand waiting to act for Him and every foot ready to run His errands, would it work miraculous change in the times and indicate an approach of the millen-