Evening star., 1912-11-16
Convincing in Conversation.
John, 3:1-15; John, 4:I-27, 28;
Psa., 1917.
personal Evangelism.)
have what may we'll be considered at once
the cleareSt and the same tina mos,

! have what may well be considered at once
the clearest and at the same time most
profound of Jesus recorded sermons.
what deep interest attaches to these
stories The child, pleading for tale at
bedtime. will listen with keen interest to
the reading Of them, while the theologian
Will SIT and ponder upon the issues in
volved. Let US review them for a few
moments ever keeping in mind the fact
they both occurred in the early part OF
the Masters ministry.
The first story is that of visit to the
Master paid by Nicodemus. "a ruler OF
of the criticism which m. ght attach to a
public visit. He prefaces his remarks
with an honest confession of faith: "Rab-
bi we know that Thou art a teacher come
from God. for no man can do these signs
which Thou doest except God be with
him.
Ihls confession is apparently all that
the Master needs from this Jewish noble
man by way of Introduction. Something
n the reverent manner of the man pro-
claims him worthy of the light he seeks,
and Jesus makes plain to him the neces-
slty of the new birth from above" re.
veals to him the nature and condition of
true immortality: shows him that the
vision or things divine. promised. but not
given by the tempter, to our first parents,
is g1ft from above. new birth, born of
the Spirit of God. We would do well to
read. and read again. this deep discourse
1t Is the final word concerning that on
which all hope inges-'immortality.'
The second of the narratives has to do
with character as d fferent from Nico-
demus as day is from night. We can
understand how the Master could discuss
the mystery OF Immortality with the de-
vout and scholarly Nicodemus, but we
halt in wonder as we see Him sit upon
the coping of the Well at Sychar and
converse with a bigamous woman upon
the spirituality of God. Too many things
Sf of
this story for us to attempt more than
a brief survey OF the gentle way in which
the Savior of mankind used a wayside
conversation as the means OF winning.
first. one desperately sinful soul, and
afterward. through her. the whole coun-
tryside
Weary, He sat upon the coping of the
ways de well. and up the path she came,
words about religion with the Son of
God. Wei might the seraphs still their
song. and men and angels wait, while
this colloquy is in progress.
With what deftness and courtesy does
the Master approach the subject of her
many sins. With what gentle firmness
does He remove the errors that becloud
her mind. At last there breaks upon the
Sun of righteousness" and she hastens
forth to bring her neghbors to the Lord
Three thoughts are here.
1.-THE AIM OF RELIGIOUS CONVEX
SATION
AS we go forth upon our mission Of
telling men of Jesus and His power
to save from sin, how often do we
make the fatal mistake of talking
about religion rather than talking re-
ligion We are much like those Bible
students who are always reading books
about the Bible, commentaries on the
Bible and schemes of Bible study but
who never read the book itself The
object of religious conversation is to
promote religion.
1.-THE ART OF RELIGIOUS CON-
VERSATION.
Talking religion Is an art, anW no
artist is ever successful unless his
heart be in his work. and he strive