The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-11-03

church and are not quite sure thR
you are Christians YOU can put II
down that you are not To be a
hs;fhesrted Christian is 10 be no
Christian AZ all. A good many
church members might take lessons
in Christianity from the good old
fashioned saints who hold good.
ola-fashloned prayer meetings.
Believe me, when II comes 10
those who attend church and those
who hold prayer meetings, II re-
minds me OF one bunch with moth
ins better than bobtailed straights
open in the middle facing another
bunch with four or FIVE pat hands.
My friend. you cannot reason
yourself into Christianity any more
than you can reason hair on a bald
head. have tried II. and know.
You can join church pay your
share OF the preachers salary, at
tend the services. leach Sunday
school, return thanks and for every.
thing that would apparently stamp
you as a Christian. even pray, but
you won't ever be a Christian until
you do what God tells you to do.
Prayer Of . Sinner.
Every sinner prays when in
danger II won't do YOU any good
unless a man prays with his soul,
that's the only prayer a sinner can
pray that God hears.
After YOU become a child OF God
then you can pray for me mercies
that He will be glad to send you. and
youn get them.
PRAYER without Christ is like
climbing a greasy pole on Fourth OF
JDiy. Make all the motions and yet
not rise an inch from the ground
You cannot reason Christianity
into the heart You can reason
yourself into wanting 10 be- you can
reason yourself into resolving to be.
but that's as far "a reason can take
you.
III tell you what 10 do-hunt up
the authority on the subject. This
Is a religious proposition. Let's 30
10 some one who makes a protes.
sion along this line. Let us 60 10
some minister. AJAX him what we
must do 10 be saved
He takes down the highest an.
thority known in the civilized
world-the Bible-and he reads
Except Won become converted
ard become "a little children We
caLnot enter the kingdom OF heav-
en-
That's the road. and that's the
only one mapped out for you and
for me God treats all alike He
DOESN'T furnish one plan for the
banker and another for the janitor
who sweeps out the bank He has
thu same plan for one that He has
for another
It's the Law you may not ap-
prove Of IT,. but that doesn't make
any difference.
God has the same plan for ev.
erybody The same sun warns the
rich as tho poor God has tho same
plan OF redemption for all. We are
considering religious question to-
day. There is only one way to
argue religious question as a
Christian You can argue about
nature controlling the force OF
gravity until you are black In the
face. but you won't alter that force.
Gods argument about repentance
resting upon faith in the redeeming
power OF Jesus Christ is just as
irrefutable as the argument nature
might advance regarding gravity.
The question OF salvation In
God. II lot OF you looked in the
Bible more often you would realize
that Why, do you know that the
Bible contains more reading-more
good reading than hundreds OF
shelves filled with thousands OF vol.
ur'es Of tho best books that ever
have been written.
1T Is an incontrovertlble fact
that the Bible Is the finest litera-
ture on earth II mas Browning and
Shakespeare and--yes, yes ,-even
Marie Corelli, faded forty ways.
Conversion and Reform.
What does converted mean.
1T means completely changed.
Converted is not synonymous with
reformed Reforms are from with.
out conversions are from within.
Conversion IL complete sur
render 10 Jesus. It's a willingness
10 do what he wants you to do. Tn.
less YOU have made a complete sur.
rcGder and arc doing His will I,
will avail YOU nothing II you're re
formed 1000 times ana have your
name on Atty church records. You
must become as little children.
God says that unless you have
the same faith In Him that your
children have in you. you cannot
enter the Kingdom OF Heaven. The
faith OF r child In its parents Is the
highest example OF faith ON earth.
The child doesn't know the reason
for everything you tell him. but he
believes you without wanting to
know the reason.
Don't ask the reasons OF God. I
tell you, God ~ too busy hearing
the cry OF people who need help to