The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-17

story of being satisfied with the things
that perish in the using and refusing
the things that live forever. | don't
care which account you read of this
young ruler as told by these evange-
lists referring to the apostles) it looks
as though on the surface you are deal
ing with somebody who is intensely in
earnest to know Jesus Christ. -
when you read this story it look s
as though you have got hold of some
body who wants to be a Christian, who
really means to become acquainted with
Jesus Christ at whatever COST for he
came to Jesus and that's something.
lie did really come to Jesus. Some of
you have not come yet
This young man came. And remem-
Der who he was. He was possibly the
most popular man in the city; probably
the best bred man in the city; perhaps
the most refined man in the city;
probably the most cultured man in the
city; probably the richest man in the
city, and probably the most hungry
man in the city for what he had not.
And he came to Jesus. It's something
to move toward Jesus. No man does
SO unless he is drawn by the Holy
Spirit. No man desires to come unless
there is created within HIM a longing
for Christ
"
mo man can say that Jesus is the
Christ but by the Holy Ghost. No man
can say that Jesus is the Lord but by
the Holy Ghost. Every upward desire,
every thought of prayer. every inspir-
alton for a higher thing. every feeling
of disgust with wrong, every revolt
against sin in my being is in the Holy
Ghost and no man, woman or child
moves toward Jesus Christ unless they
first be drawn by the Holy Ghost. And
you know that, because you have been
drawn. God has made you feel. has
made you long for better things He
aroused your judgment illuminated
your mind and made you see the wron 2
and want the light. He set the long
ing, but you did not come when the
longing was placed there. No man
moves Godward unless he is drawn.
Nobody comes to God; nobody hates
sin and nobody longs for God but by
the Holy Ghost. The heart of man in
it's natural state is not subject to the
law of God and when it wants to get
out of the slough OF despondency, to
depart from evil, you may know that
God Is working. The young ruler came
to Jesus because he was drawn.
when you We're young you We're
drawn toward God. You were drawn
under your mothers prayers, you We're
drawn when YOU We're married and
when you became father and mother
you were drawn. He whispered in your
heart, I love YOU. my child. and he
drew you. and YOU did not come You
have never moved intelligently toward
Him. You have gone the other way. Oh,
the distance you have placed between
Your soul and God. The gulf you have
dug between yourself and God. There
never was a day in your life when you
said, this day shall be Christ's day
.
The devil shall not have mortgage
ON this dayijt shall be Gods . -
Never since the Gipsy Smith meetings
began on October 4 has an audience
been so moved as was last night 8
gathering. Comparatively speaking, the
audience was not large but many peo-
pie were openly fearful and not few
disturbed the silence with their sobs
More than 200 went to the inquiry room
and of this number II were young boys,
hardly more than IL years old Six
young girls came in body.
One lady became so full of fervor
that it found an outlet in shouts, but
Gipsy Smith moved over to the edge
of the platform and raised his hand
to quiet the audience. When all was
quiet he told the woman that God had
sent him to Birmin CHAM to save souls
and, that being true, God had not sent
her here to interrupt him. The evan
gelist told her that a house divided
against itself could not stand and that
she must not interrupt him again. The
lady subsidized and the services pro-
ceeded.
Marvel Citizens Attend in Body
The greater part of the center sec
tion of seats in the auditorium was
reserved last night for the citizens of
Marvel, who came in a body. When
they had all been seated Gypsy Smith
led the congregation in q rousing re-
ception to them. This over, there was a
commotion about the center of the
Marvel contingent and two pretty girls
Elizabeth Thompson and the little
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. ]. L. Bridges
came down the aisle, bearing be-
tween them a huge bouquet. They came
bravely on up the steps and presented
1t to Mr. Smith and he read the at
tached card, which stated that ,the
flowers We're from the employees of the
Roden Coal company Marvel. The evan
gelist asked the children if the flow
ers Were for him before reading the
card and when they had replied yes,
told them they must give him a kiss
This they did and returned to their
places with flushed faces.
A number OF people from Piper and
Helena were in last nights audience
coming on the train Immediately be-
hind the Marvel special. 1t was stated
that there was not sufficient room in
the Marvel train to accommodate those
later arrivals
tomorrow morning at IL o'clock, an
nounced Gipsy Smith last night, there
Will be meeting at the auditorium for
children. All children over 10 years