Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1915-01-27
WINNING FOR GOD
Personal Character Counts for
Much in the Teacher Of
His Word.

Now, supposing an earnest spirit.
seeking after the Father. comes to US
as his professed ministers in order
to discover the truth of what we
preach. he might very naturally say.
You tell me about a medicine that is
an fnfallible cure for this ineradicable
faint OF sin.' and describe the terrible
consequences of the disease TO me il
be not cured. and the blessed results
OF joyous spiritual health and peace:
but can you show me any person who
has actually been restored from dis
ease to health by this divine medi-
cineT Is all this preaching a mere
idle theory OF life? Or IL not. where
is the life itself? Art thou myself
saved? II not-'Physician. heal thy
SELF for until then thou canst not
cure me-"
Suppose that this same person
comes into close contact with the
mind OF the preacher and that the
more he sees and knows il the more
he discerns in the man such thoughts
regarding God, knowledge of him, such
love to him, as convince him that
here at least is a reality and not a
pretense: suppose that the more no
discerns his whole inner life. the
things which give him pain and Joy.
the things which he desires and loves,
with his whole feelings toward his
fellow men-feelings expressed In a
life OF action, which. in spite OF in
firmities and shortcomings belonging
N all human 10 he
cannot but recognize kind of life
he never saw before.
Power Of PeroonaI Character.
Surprising that no such evidence of
the truth of Christianity could be dis
covered In the preacher of Christian.
ity; nay, il his character contradicted
his preaching; II while he preached
love to God and man. he manifested
neither. but Indifference. TO say the
least of 1t, to both: If. while he
preached the necessity and the excel
lence of the Christian life, he himself
revealed its very opposite-what eff
feet would this have upon an earnest
spirit. but that Christianity was a
mere ideal system unsuited to the
world, philosophy OF life that might
be believed in. but not life itself
that might be possessed? This want
OF personal character, however imper.
feet. yet real. may account for the
want OF success in the mission OF thu,
church, to convince the world whether
at home or abroad
This, too, may also account for tne
secret OF success by many a minister
of whom the world knows nothing:
For greatest minds are those OF
whom the noisy world hears least"
They may not be great in the ordi-
nary sense of the word-great as
thinkers. great as orators, or great
In the possession of any remarka BILE
gifts, but they are nevertheless great
In the kingdom OF heaven: great be-
cause little children-great in meek
ness, in patience, in humility. in love
or God and man.
Only Secret Of Power.
What is the secret of their power?
What but an eternal reality! The
reality OF a cody. godlike life OBJ
tanned from God; and sustained by
God. and seen in the eye. and felt
In the hand, heard in the words-a
light Of life which shines beside many
dying bed, In many home of sor-
row as well as i'm the pulpit This is
kind of life whose biography will be-
written with the tears Of the grateful
orphan and widow and of many a
saved soul.
Such ministry as this can no moro
fail than the love of God which gives
1t birth. We may not be men of tai
ent. and for that we are not RESPONSE
BILE; but we may be good men. be-
cause little children toward God. and