Evening journal., 1916-02-12

you are proud? That is an evidence
that you are very ordinary. The most
foolish fellow can be proud. II you
want to get away from the common,
from the cheap. if you want to be
really extraordinary, be humble Re-
Gently a man said to one OF our Chris
tian workers, Il want to be a Chris
tian, but ! will not become a Chris
tian here in this tabernacle. DO you
suppose ! would walk down that aisle
that has shavings on the ground?
After the meetings are over and they
get back into their churches, where
surroundings are far more appropriate
and they have carpets on the floor, l
will confess Christ" My friends. we
have too many velvet carpeted Chris
tians already, we don't need you.
Jesus Christ was willing to be born
in barn and die the death of conf
mon thief to save a lost world. You
will have to come down from your
pride if you are to ever have the as
surance of everlasting life. Here is
the marked contrast between the re-
ligion of Christ. and the religion of
heathenism. Christ's method was al
ways simple, natural. without Osten-
tation or show or display. II is its
very simplicity that is its strength.
The things that are gaudy and gilded
and shOwy are usually the shams.
They are superficial. not genuine and
spiritual. Naaman's mistake is not
an uncommon one in our own day.
He had been accustomed to connect
uniforms, regalia, pomp. display and
retinues and riches with the ideal of
greatness.
What was it that brought him to the
point of surrender? First Of all the
tact and wisdom of his servants. II
was a brave act upon their part.
They virtually took their lives in their
hands. when they dared to make a
suggestion to the angry general. 1t
was a wonder he did not order them
to instant death. The servants came
near and said to him. my father, II
the prophet had bid thee do some
great thing, wouldest thou not have
done it? How much rather than
when he saith to thee, wash and be
clean" How often the words ol
Scripture are proved true. that God
has chosen the weak things OF the
! world TO confound the mighty and the
Nhings which are not to bring to
naught the things that are.
But really what brought this grea
general to the point Of submission
was the fact OF his desperate need
He was a leper who had tried all
lother remedies and none had availed
He realized his utter helplessnes'
land hopelessness. My friend, away
from God tonight. if you can realize
that the fact that Jesus Christ is
your only hope, that without Him you
are lost. that time will not cure the
disease of sin. it only aggrayates 1t
If IL is hard for you to surrender to-
night. it will be harder tomorrow
might. for the farther you go away
from God the harder it is to return
He recognizes the voice OF th'
prophet as the Word Of God. He hum
bles his pride. He yields his will Il
/, Gods will. He goes to the Jordan-h
, steps down into the water once an
, comes up. imagine he says in
- disappointed way. Here ] am just a
e. leprous as I was before. and all we
besidesl" 1T is OF no use" But hi
v friends encourage him. they exhol
Z him to obey. He goes down again an
e again, but just as it was when tn
army OF Joshua went around the wa
: Of Jerico. it was not until they ha
p gone seven times. until they had fu
s filled the command Of God, was tn
victory gained.
S My friend, il you are going TO be
2 Christian, mean business, be satiste
4 with no half-hearted surrender. Niel
. your life wholly to God. Say, Lore
v will do anything. l will go any
: where that You command" Now whe
= he comes up out of the Jordan hi
flesh is as healthy as that Of a littl
o child But he was a leper And b
v was clean" "The wages OF sin
l. death. but the gift Of God is etern'
O life, through Jesus Christ our Lord