Evening journal., 1916-01-03
THOUSAND PERSONS AT FIRST DAYS EVANGELSTC SERVICES

over to the memory OF their Christian |
father. ! would rather have it said !
by my children after / am dead and |
in my grave that they were Christians
because tEeir father wa. than to have
any other honor in shis world Par
ents we cannot all leave families
wealth or liberal education; but to
each has been given the privilege Of
leaving them that which H. the years
to come, in the midst Of trouble, of
temptation, will be worth to them
vastly more than gems or jewels,
lands or learning-the memory OF
Cody character.
The reason that many can bear no
effective witness TO the value Of the
Christian life is that they have never
allowed Christ to have His way with
them. They cannot testify as to what
Christianity has done for them be-
cause they have never allowed il to
do anything for them. When a'witness
is before the court, the judge and
jury do not want to know what he
has heard. but what he, individually,
knows 1t is the message of God to
your soul that the world desires to
in these days from the testimony SER
vice. In many prayer meetings they
, take a subject, and pastor and people
discuss and analyzc It logically and
biologically and theologically but Il
is like striking a football. it is some
thing apart from their lives. What
practical benefit have you received
personally from the Gospel of Christ I?
1t is 10y your answer to this question
that you can hope to interest i'm
press and inspire a needy world.
Hardship and Sacrifice.
We must not forget that true wit
Messing will include hardship and sac
rifice. What Jesus literally said was,
aye shall be my martyrs" In these
last days we have separated this one
word I'm two. A martyr is one who
/ witnesses to the truth even at the
cost Of ease or position, or Of life
itself. 1t is going to take something
more than the ordinary to arouse
the great mass OF lethargy and indif-
ference Of our times. The suffering
Of our missionaries I'm China, who
have braved danger and death for
their religion. has done more TO
awaken that land to the value OF
Christianity than years of instruction
a preaching.
Our churches need a baptism of per-
secution to bring out the martyr
power and purge the dross from the
gid. The call to discipleship has
been made so easy that II has become
impotent. Christ appealed to the
heroi:. The preacher ought TO sum-
mon souls to enlist for Christian ser
vice with the same fervor that a war
rior would recruit a regiment.
But let us note I'm the close OF the
consideration of this special subject
that -ue witnessing for Christ is the
result of preceding cause. Many
may say, "I desire to be a witness fol
} Jesus by my words and my works
and my life, but how can l do IL p
Jesus Himself told US. "Ye shall re-
ceive p,wer when the Holy Spirit Il
come upon you, and ye shall be my
with ses." He does not say. "Yot
ought To be my witnesses" or 'yoI
I must be-" or even you can be-" bu
o does say that when you are en-
dowed with the power Of the Hol!
Spirit, witnessing will certainly fol
I low. This blessing is within the reacl
r of all who are willing to pay tn
p price. ooihe one mas Sdluf me CT.
, of missions is like the cry OF tn
highway robber; Your money--o
: your hfe!" The cry Of Christianit,
today is even a stronger appeal thar
that, it is, your money and you
: lifel"
!. Equipment for Service.
This equipment for service is in
de ID expensive. So many do not re
: ceive it because they are not willin
d to meet the conditions. 1t takes al
that you have and are; Il means un
conditional surrender. No greater gif
e or opportunity was ever offered 9TH
L Holy Spirit whom God hath given L
e them that obey Him" 1t is partner
u ship with omnipotence. You shall
1 receive power when tho Holy Spirl
; is come upon you. And like unit
t your Lord, who before Pontiu- PLAT
witnessed a good confession. the infiu
d ence of your testimony will eXten
not only to the Jerusalem Of you
n own household, but also the Jude
s and Samaria of your neighborhooC
q an even unto the uttermost part =
j. the earth.