Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-09-28
.EVANGEL 4 Talk ION CONVERSION
lNT1MATEs n IS NOT A SHOWER OF TEARS
Says the Devil Could go to Sleep if Every Man Was Con
yerted Il the Same Way-Thirty One More Profess
d Faith

preach q sermon tonight: Pm just go.
ing to give you talk on a subject
want to press home to you," said
Evangelist Smith in opening his ad-
dress on the subject of conversion in
{. the service at the tent last evening
He based his remarks on the ninth
verse Of the ninth chapter of st.
Matthew, "He arose and followed
Him" Mr.. Smith spoke substantially
as here given:
ct had an interesting talk on the
street today with an old gentleman
who thought that because the people
came quietly down the aisles here
they were not converted, and he told
me of the old-time conversions OF
years ago, how they occurred and the
things which happened.
"a great many people think you
are not converted unless you go to
campmeeting, roll around on the
ground, froth at the mouth and look
SO haggard that your wife wouldn't
know you. And then there are others
who think if you are not converted
in the same manner they were you
are not converted at all.
"Religion is not in the handker-
chief and lot Of tears! It's in your
will! You can yield your all just.
where you sit here tonight. Conver-
sions are. not all alike. Nearly all
cases in the New Testament We're.
different. If We were all converted
the same way, the devil could go to,
sleep. He wouldn't have to plan so
many different attacks.
'.The night the jailer was con.
verted in prison there was thunder
and lightning, but the man in the!
ninth chapter Of Matthew was not
converted in that way.
"You couldn't have got Nicodemus
to roll on the ground! Take Paul, his
was noisy case again. He was
changed from prosecutor to a.
preacher. But for every noisy case
of conversion you can find a thou
sand quiet ones.
"Don't you criticise the way in
which someone else became convert
ed. When the Son of God said unto
Matthew follow me- he dropped his
business and followed Him.
"You remember the story of the
blind man, how Christ annointed his
eyes and restored his sight, and that
when Jesus asked him 'dost thoa be-
lieve in the Lord?' the man said,
Lord, / believe He said l know!
He was not like you half-baked
backsliders. Fancy me asking you if
you're a Christian and of your an
swering I hope So If you don't know,
then the devil has robbed you of
something you should know!
3sYou say you can't stand for
Christ-can't work for Him. Why,
it's the grandest business in the,
world to lead a soul to God! Who could
come to old Alexandria with any other
message and fill this tent every
night for three weeks, excepting the
gospel of Jesus Christ ?
81 ask you to say no to sin, and
yes to Christ, and purity. A man
up in New York state, a lawyer, went
out walking in the woods. While
alone he .sked himself if he was do.
ing what he ought to do = and
Charles Finney started revival
right there. DR.. Wilbur Chapman
was only ~ years old when he first
stood up for Christ, but there are
thousands who date their conversions
on the nights Chapman preached.
God looked down in the pit of a
mine one day, Reuben Torrey be-
came converted, and forty thousand
people were added to the Welch
churches! supposing these men had
turned down Christ as you've done!
"Christ came to Matthew because
he was the only one who could do
what He wanted done, and because
Matthew took a stand for Christ he
became the writer of the first gospel.
Christ wants you!
81 remember my own coming out
in a church in New York. Had lived
with my wife two years. Loved her
but didn't take any stock in her re-
ligion. l took care of baby one night
while wife went to church. She
came running into the house and
said husband, can't go to sleep un-
til you give your heart to Cod Next
night she asked me if I'd go to church.
ii said yes. We left baby with a