The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1915-01-02
Faith in Operation
d. S. Curtis.

d. S. Curtis.
Faith in operation is much the same as
prosecuting great war. In the Christian
Warfareit is the main factor on which every
victory hinges, the pivot on which the
issue swings.
There is no point in this warfare that
can be named partial victory. There are
no wounded, no hospital-corps These are
found only in the ranks Of the enemy It
must be complete victory or total defeat
No provision here for anyone to run away
No. The battle lost is lost forever.
In this rugged battle of salvation our
childish experiences have often come to
mind. Some big bully would blow away
for quite a spell. Then the issue would
come and some 1.-THE little chap would
speak for the first time, begin to pull off
his coat, and quietly say, "I'll take you.
Tom" Immediately Tom would remem-
Der that his Grandma had been short Of
kindling for two or three days, and he
must hurry over to that part of the village
and split some at once. The furry was
over. A number had stood around, talked
a great DEAL and at the same time took all
the bully wanted to rub into them; but one
refused and won the victory without a
blow. This is a crude picture Of what we
wish to impress on the reader-faith in
operation
There is very little use Of jumping high,
shouting loud, preaching big, unless when
you hit the earth you can back up every
point by real live FAITH that won't
waver, run nor faint Whatsoever is not
Of faith is sin.
1t is sin to preach hot sermons if you do
not mean to live by them, hold them on
your wife, and family, as well as others.
A certain hot (?) preacher loaded up for
women s hats and said no woman should
have more than one, etc. noticed that
his wife had very becoming one.
Next day in a shop he was urging her
to buy another that met his fancy. She
said, ''I am trying to practice what you
preach" Immediately he replied, II did
not mean that for you" His sermon was
SIN. He must repent or burn. That
preacher was defeated right there Faith
would have beaten the bonnet, and saved
his soul.
Before great victories are achieved there
must be great demonstrations, herculean
tasks accomplished by engineers earth
works constructed, mines laid siege-guns
placed, the range found, and orders given,
when the battle is on for VICTORY. Every
report speaks faith. You can see the fire
behind it. But the time must come when
the white flag will show defeat for one Of
the contestants and victory for the other.
From the day of enlistment it is just so
with soldier Of Jesus Christ. You must
fight if you would win From the hour
you get your baptism Of fire and the Holy
Ghost, the real demonstrations, and her
culean tasks begin. Such an one is not in
the battle looking around It is fight un-
til the next advance. There is no retreat
in the Holy Ghost. To do so is to lose ALL
FORWARD! FORWARD!
"And fear them not which kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul: but rather
fear him which is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell
Whosoever therefore shall confess Me
before men, him will [ also confess before
My Father Who is in heaven.
''But whosoever shall deny Me before
men, him will I also deny before My
Father Who is in heaven
''And he that taketh not his cross, and
followeth after Me, is not worthy Of Me.
He that fndeth his life shall lose it
and he that loseth his life for Ny sake
shall find it. Matthew 1923, 80, 33, 38,
80.
Also [ say unto you, Whosoever shall