Evening journal., 1916-01-31

he turned the conversation TO- our
former subject, and he asked, "well.
what have you found that will take
the place OF the gospel of Christi
replied reluctantly, Il have found
nothing that satisfies me. I found
many movements which started out
with good prospects. but they failed
to meet those tests"
'Now. Lyon" said he. you have
been in the logic class; you have
here a major premise and a minor
premise. You have declared 10 me in
a previous conversation that you were
going TO live to do what good you
could. Now. by your own admission.
you declare that you can find moth
ing that will take the place OF the
gospel OF Jesus Christ, nothing that
is permanent. vital and effective. that
you can take to an individual or a
class OF people TO lift them to a
higher life. II you are honest and
sincere. what ought to be your atti-
tude toward the gospel of Christi" I
had heard sermons since childhood.
but they had had little impression on
my mind Here was an argument
that ] could not answer. I parried
its force as best could, but it was
an arrow that struck the mark.
Some weeks afterward Mr.. S. NJ
Sayford, Of Boston. who was for ten
years an evangelist for college stu
dents. came to our university / went
to hear Mr.. Sayford speak to the stu
dents about a higher plane OF Chris
tian living. The next day this young
man came to see me and said, Would
you not like to meet Mr.. Sayford
personally" I said. "Why. yes. |
would like to congratulate him upon
the excellent talk he gave to you
fellows last night. scoring your short
comings.' He greeted me cordially
and said, 'Welr Lyon. are you a
Christian" I replied. 81 think l am
as good Christian as the other fell
lows are. You see. I was trusting
in my own self-righteousness. do
you believe in Jesus?" "Oh. be-
lieve He was a good man." | retorted.
We'll, He was not a good man If
He was liar" "Oh, no, ! do not
believe He was a liar. believe He
spoke the truth" Where did you
get that impression?" he asked. I
did not want 10 say from the Bible.
so | said. "Josephus speaks about it,"
only few lines" he replied. well.
then. there are the gospels" ! added.
"Oh." he said. do you believe the
gospels? - Well" I said, Il accept
them as history. the same as do
Herodotus, or Plutarch. or Gibbon. q"
Then. let us see what the gospels
say about Christ" said he. So for
an hour we sat there, side by side.
reading passages from the gospel av-
count of the life Of Jesus Frequently
l interrupted his reading by saying,
All that seems reasonable, but / do
not believe the resurrection" At last
he marshalled the Scripture evidence
upon that subject until l was forced
to admit that the proof and testimony
seemed beyond dispute
Then he turned to me and said.
Lyon, do you not believe that Jesus
Christ arose from the dead?" | re-
piled. Il will have to acknowledge
for the first time in my llfe l be-
lieve that it is true
Then If Jesus Christ arose from
the dead. He was no meIe man." add
ed Mr.. Sayford. "He was what He
claimed to be. the Son OF God"
yes" said /. that is true. too" Then
If He is the Son OF God. He is wor-
thy to be your Saviour Will you not
accept Him." I grasped his hand and
replied, Il will From that moment
TO the present. l have never had the