Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-11-09
THE FIVE STEPS
TO A BETTER LIFE
Evangelist Smith breaches Strong
Sermon on Repentance at
Baptist Church.

The Baptist church was we'll fill
ed, even to the front seats and the
side room, last night. This is some
thing quite out of the usual order
for Monday night. From the first
to the last word of his mastery ex-
position of the doctrine of Repent
ance," DR.. Smith held the undivided
attention of his large audience, and
four responded to his invitation to
signify an acceptance 1T Christ by
coming to the front and giving him
their hands. DR.. Smith does not use
Objectionable or sensational meth
DDS. He does not divide his audi
ence in the usual unpleasant manner
or embarrass those who respond to
his invitations with needless public
ity. He seeks to have each give
evidence that he has made full sur
render to Christ, and that he is will
ling to own Him before men, and
that is all.
The evangelist began his sermon
last night by calling attention to the
Importance which Jesus evidently
placed upon the doctrine Of repent
ance for he has used the same words
twice in one short paragraph. In
both the second and fifth verses OF
the thirteenth chapter of Luke it is
written, Except We repent, We shall
all likewise perish" Repentance Is
the heart Of the message of John the
Baptist, even though he preached to
people who thought they were
good enough to go straight to heay-
en-. After John, Jesus, the Apostles,
the early church, and all the great
revivalists have preached and en-
phasized this doctrine.
First permit me, said DR.. Smith,
to speak of what repentance is not.
Repentance is not fear, for while
fear has it's place in religion, the
man who is scared into repentance
does not stay very long. It Is not
feeling. One who Is demOnstrative
may not be as sincere as the quiet
soul, who, though he may appear to
be cold, yet stands true to Christ. II
is not remorse. Judas was filed with
remorse, but he died impenitent. ~
is not saying prayers. Il IL not the
written prayer or the prayer that
you are taught to. repeat, but the
prayer which springs from the heart
of the penitent which is efficacious.
1t is not making good resolution.
On New Years day we turn a new
page, and before night it looks worse
than the old one. But to speak
positively, repentance is change OF
mind. We must change our minds
about God. If we have made love
instead of holiness the fundamental
doctrine of our theology it is quite
likely that we have been led to think
that a God who is love cannot pun
ish. but when we understand that
holiness is the fundamental truth
then it becomes clear that right
eous God must be just, and this is a
comfort to the Christian as we'll as
a warning to the wicked, for God In
holy love will be just with all, and
plain. Repentance also means
change of mind about sin. We have
called our sins mistakes" or weak
nesses," but we must know that the
hiss of the serpent is in the very
word "sin." 1t means that we must
change our minds about personal
and know that there
must be right living. 1t means
change of mind about the devil, and
to know that the tempter who met
Jesus at every turn is personality.
In the Bible sin is always connected
with the devil. And now let us con-
slider the five steps to better life.
The first step is Conviction. Ev-
cry sin is followed by the sting. Next
comes Contrition. We must be sorry
for sin. Sorry enough for wrong to
quit it. Then the third step will be
Read the f1fty-nrst
Psalm and see how David poured out
his soul. eff we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.' Sincere confess
sion will be followed by Conversion,
a word which means to turn around
we turn from sin and toward God.
The wicket gate" is wide enough
for the sinner, but not for the SIN
ner and his sins. And finally sim
cere repentance will result in such a
change Of mind that there will be
change Of Conduct. This will lead
you straight to the Lord Jesus Christ.
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