South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-01-10
REVIVAL NEEDS
THE HOLY SPIRIT
Rev. /. J. Parsons Declares
Campaign Must Have
Vital Internal Power.

Yesterday morning at the Quincy
Street Baptist church, Rev. T. J..
Parsons preached another sermon
appropriate to the simultaneous
evangelistic campaign. The sermon
was based on the words OF Christ
recorded in Luke. 24:29. Behold.
send the promise Of lily Father upon
YOU but tarry We in the city of Je-
rusalem, until We be endured with
power from on high" Mr.. Parsons
said.
When the Lord Jesus sent forth
Ills disciples, with HIS blessing. it
was not to build costly cathedrals,
nor 10 enter into more or less
friendly competition for social or
numerical supremacy. 1t was rather
10 preach the gospel. TO baptize. to
make disciples for Christ. PauTs
com mission as the apostle TO the
Gentiles was to open their eyes, and
TO turn them from darkness to light
and from the power Of satan unto
God If Paul or the disciples fail
CT in this. no matter what else they
might do they were not true to
their trust nor to Him who sent
them forth. If YOU and I fail TO
minister TO the spiritual needs of this
community by seeking TO bring the
people to Christ, we shall be con-
demned by God and men as recreant
to our trust
Two Elements Used.
I'm this work of preaching Christ
and winning souls, there are two ele-
ments which God Almighty has been
pleased TO use. the human and the
divine. The latter always takes
precedence over the former, of
course. Jesus said: Without me We
can do nothing and we must be al
ways on our guard against the temp
tatiOn to reduce the divine TO a min
imum and even to eliminate the Spir-
it all together. and magnify and
multiply the human element to the
highest degree.
Let us have, if YOU choose, the
human side of this ministry empha-
sized. In fact, there is no choice in
the matter. IL is one Of the inscru-
table mysteries Of God that He has
chosen ignorant, imperfect men To
save men. AS God has called us in
TO His service, we are bound to de-
vote our best abilities to His glory.
Let US have the grandest music OBJ
a.. IL 4 L.
most eloquent preaching, the most
diSnified service. the ablest teachers.
the latest methods and the most
perfect organization, provided they
are all cOnsecrated TO the glory of
God. Our Saviour is worthy of the
hest. and shame on the one who has
any ability and is too sparing Of it to
use it for Jesus, or who considers il
too valuable to be laid upon His al
tar.
Internal Power Needed.
But this human side is only ma
Chinery. and machinery Will not pro-
pei itself, it must have power ex-
erted upon it. The car on the track
ray be in perfect condition, the troll
lev clings to the wire overhead. the
crowd of passengers are anxious TO
get home but all is entirely help
less without the power from with
out. In the shop is a maze of belt
ed machinery, representing a hun
dred varieties of ability; skilled men
are lounging about and all is at a
stand still What is the matter IN
the engine room a tremendous power
is kept in check. open the steam
valve. the piston moves, the wheels
turn slowly, the whole shop arOuses
itself and. in a few minutes. that
power is being transformed in a hun
bred different ways 10 turn out the
finished product.
Men and women. that is the vital
need in this campaign. larry until
We be endured with power is the
command of our divine Master. and
il is no idle command. There is only
one power that can transform the
valley Of dry bones into an army OF
living men, il is the Holy Spirit of
God. \ positive faith in a living and
exalted saviour. an unbOunded as
surance of the power OF the gospel
10 save men, burning conviction of
YOUR mission 10 make disciples for
Christ, and an earnest expectancy
OF the cooperating power of the di-
wire spirit are antecedents TO a real
PenteCostal revival"
TO ELECT OFFICERS