The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-04-01
SATURDAY NIGHT
SERMONS
= REvSAMUEL
q WpUPvISDD
ON THE WITNESS STAND

w All you teii Liie truth. Tie WuOIe
truth and nothing but the truth. ac-
cording to your knowledge. SO help you
God:' My left hand was Oh dirty
little Bible. my right was uplifted.
My face was gray. My tongue uttered
a husky Yes | was on the witness
stand for the first time In my life. My
friend was in danger. His wife and
children We're terrified. Prison doors
opened before him. My testimony was
needed. 1t carried the day. The yer.
dict was Not guilty" | was unutter.
ably thankful that | was permitted to
bear record for my tried and true
friend Many cause wins its day
through the willingness OF It's adher-
have seen Il political caucus carried by
the enthusiastic demOnStrative express
sion of minority for their candidate.
The popularity OF most any cause de-
ponds on the willingness Of it's follow
ers to witness for 1t. What" | asked
the district attorney-"what are the
Elost needful characteristics Of good
witness?' Three things" he answer
ed. First, he must know facts: sec
ond. he must be honest: third, bis testi
mony must he unvarying." In my text
Christ calls us to be witnesses unto
him. We are voluble enough when any
other subject Is mentioned Often We
know little about it. But here is some.
thing of which we do know-or ought to.
Witnesses to Facts.
No lad" Is so valuable to u physl.
clan as the living testimony of q pa
tient who has been cured of criti-
cal disease by his treatment have
been at shrines where | have seen
crutcheS. canes and trusses. mute to-
kens of the healing power of the al.
tars. waters or relics. Our Lord calls
upon every follower to tell of his work
for and In him. If we hung up memo
rails Of all his matchless grace. what
cruthces and banduges and trophies Of
every sort should we exhibit! Temper
subdued. pride humbled. unbelief slain
sin cast out, appetite. passion and de-
sire conquered: disease healed. Were
you bowed down with burden Of sin
and be Strengthened you out like the
body Of the crooked woman? Tell it.!
Did yon suffer great afiliction and
were comforted? Tell tt! Did you ex-
perience some wonderful deliverance
from untoward mental conditions9
Tell it. Simply bare witness to bare
facts
Honest Witnesses.
IAN honest Witness" said the attor-
ney for the commonwealth. els one
who is anxious to tell all-inIpresses
the jury that he Is concealing moth
ing" Judas betrayed Christ with a
kiss. 1t is possible to betray him with
silence. Silence is a token 1t may
speak condemnation louder than words
Silence can be mighty disloyal Christ
healed the lepers. One returned to
give thanks. Nine were silent 1t
grieved Christ So that he made men
ton of it in tones Of sadness. Con-
Tossing Christ is privilege. You don't
have to coax athletes to wear Initials
OF their college on their sweaters It's
an honor. Every other man wears o
button or mark of some kind to tell
that he belongs to that organization
4 Grand Army man doesn't conceal
the fact that he served In the ranks
Why should disciples Of Christ be mute
as mummies? Let us not go about as
If we were Christians In disguise Null
titudes do. Their speech does not reveal
their faith. Their associates are often
enemies of God. No one would declare
their behavior was typical Of a Christ
man. Their worldly customs never sug-
gest their Christ. In Rome they do as
the Romans The early Christians in
Rome did not do as the Romans did.
but as they should have done. and
their testimony upset the power OF
that imperial government Witnesses
for Christ are sadly needed today. not
so much in heating Of drums or shout.
ing of megaphones. but the cain au
dacity of Il noble life and uncompro-
missing speech as to what he has done
for US.
The Witness Unvarying.
was proud of Simon Peter when
he whipped out his sword and shipped
Off the ear OF Malchus. the servant Of
the high priest That was witness,
But little later he Is standing among
the enemies Of his Lord. and. with
Oaths and curses. he denies that he
even knows him. In certain notori
Gus case in our country colored maid
spoiled her value as a witness because
she told different stories at different
times. Some testify privately OF their
Redeemer. but deny him publicly Re.
member that verse in John. Among
the chief rulers many also believed in
Jesus. but because of the Pharisees
they did not confess him" Paul told
the Corinthians. Il take pleasure in re.
proaches. in prosecutions, for Christs
sake" Ii life saver went out into
the surf and brought US in. nearly
drowned. wouldn't we tell Of him
Would our testimony vary? II fire
man carries us out of third story
window. nearly overcome with smoke,
will we not tell the promotion board
Of what he did for us? Well. Christ
has done certain definite things for
us Mental. physical and spiritual sal
vation bas come to us through him
Let us tell it! Though. like the little
maid In Naaman's household. oui
names he unknown. our testimony may