The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-07-12

E&S&#&a8E" bBIlG VI llE N hSiU
ty and barbarism
- in the world, but
human nature Is precisely the same to-
dsy as it was 1000 years ago. 1t Is
Thoroughly selfish and sinful, and
nothing but the grace of God can
make it otherwise. John 3.18, 10; l
Cor. 2:14; Eph. 4:1S.)
No matter how amiable and hon
orable and philosophical a man may
ba without Christ he is lost and needs
To be saved. He that hath the Son
hath life and he that hath not the Son
Of God hath not life;" that is, he Is
spiritually dead.
r. Remember that the Lord Jesus
will save some souls through you If
YOU will cooperate with him, You
have some gifts and more or less in
flence. If you will consecrate your
gifts and influence to the service OF
Christ. he will certainly use them to
win some Of your friends to himself.
While Jesus was in the world he was
the light of the world, but now that he
has gone, Eye are the light Of the
world" and your mission is to so
shine as to guide others out of dark
ness into the marvellous light of God.
III. Remember that Jesus will fur
nish all the equipment you need. Do
500. I,,I, rrtyJNr,1 GFT will uixa VAN N
mouth and wisdom which all your ad-
versaries shall not be able to gainsay
or resist" Do you lack courage? BE
strong and of a good courage; be not
afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for
the Lord thy God is with thee with
ersoeyer thou goest." Josh. 1:9.) Do
you lack power? "Ail power is given
unto me in heaven and earth" Matt.
2S:1S.) Do you lack faith? 1.-THE
life which I now live In the flesh, I
live by the faith of the Son Of God,
who loved me. and gave himself for
me-" Jeremiah said, "Ah, Lord God!
behold I cannot speak; for I am a
chid." But the Lord said unto him.
Say not | am a child, for thou Shalt
go to all that / shall send thee, and
whatsoever command thee thou
shalt speak" Remember that all your
inexperience and inability amount to
nothing in the face Of the Masters
express command, Follow me, and J
will make you fishers OF men"
Three Things to Do.
/ Set the winning of souls before
you as a definite aim in life.
An aimless life is generally a USE
less life. The people who succeed are
usually those who set a definite object
before them and say, This one thing
! will do, whatever the cost may be-"
The men who accumulate fortunes,
who secure political appointments, as
q rule, are people who have been
bending all their energies. in one direc.
lion for many years. Why should not
Christians set the winning of souls
before them as a definite purpose in
life? And who is there who could not
succeed II he would put the same
amount Of thought and interest into
II that he does into his business? No
one expects to succeed in business
without toll and patience and sacri.
fee.
H. Cultivate a passion for souls.
David Brainerd, whose biography
ought to be read often by every Chris
uan worker, used to say: II care not
Where | go, nor what hardships I n
aufe, If | can only see souls saved.
AH think Of by day and dream OF
oy night Is the conversion of men,"
Wien he would go out into the for
est in mid-winfeu and kneel down in
lhe snow and wrestle in prayer until
~ clothing was wet with p~erspiration.
Many a time he spent the whole night
y prayer for the poor Indians among
Shom he labored, and in almost every
slcn instance, one will find in his
wary two or three days after some
such entry as this: To-day as I
Preached the word, the power of God
a,he down upon those stolid, immov-
we Indians, and melted and broke
aelf hearts, and swept them into the
tingdom by scores"
II any one says: ~ have not the
passion for souls. I am cold and I'M
emotional, "let me say for your COM
lort that 1t Is not a question of what
'oq are by nature, but Of what you
may become by grace. The Lord Jesus
"as tender and sympathetic, was he
rt Well, 1t is the mission OF the
Ivy Spirit to reproduce in you the
= OF the Lord Jesus In all its full
seSs' not only his principles, but the
irritable feelings of Jesus, his tender
,ompassion, and bohndless love, and
a~eaven|moving faith. All this is your
oirthright.
III Begin and continue all your
sofk with prayer. Pray for all men.
Y I'm 2:1-4) II exhort, therefore,
at prayers, i~ntercessions, and giving
= lhanks be made for all men" One
Hnpa -k
sa'antage for praying daily for each
~ u' woman and child on the face of
earth Is, that you never meet a
asoh whom you have not prayed for,
and, many times.
NJ. IS q good plan to make a list Of
q oozen Of more persons in whom
u are especially interested. and
cssa e them an object Of daily inter.
All lon' at the same time looking for
conversion. Al Sunday school
slssl er VINO began praying for hist
i - aad the pleasure Of seeing elev.
Heeks. 2 ie1