The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-13
DR.. REEFS TALKS
TO BIC AUDIENCE
IN lst MEETING
State Street Casino is Filled
When Evangelist Opens
Campaign.


To an audience that filed the big
Casino in State street, DR.. Milton 5.
Rees, the noted evangelist, preached
an inspiring sermon last evening.
More than 100 persons came forward
at the close of the sermon and pledged
themselves to start anew in the OBJ
eervance of their Christian duties. A
chorus of 300 voices sang the hymns
and the enthusiasm which prevailed
was ample demonstration that the
campaign inaugurated will be highly
successful.
Rom. 13;11-"It is high time to
awake out of Sleep"
'.In other epistles there are similar
tests establishing the fact that in the
early Christian church there. were
those who were asleep, so that the
Apostle in writing to one declares:
cit is high time to awake out OF
I. sleep, and to another: Awake thou
that sleepeth," and again: Let us
not sleep as do others The condi-
tons Of the early church have con-
( tinued until a majority of those whose
names are on our church records are
asleep to their opportunity and re-
sponsibility, If it were not SO they
would not do some of the things they
are doing, or neglect something's they
are failing to do. A little boy had fall
en- out of bed; at the breakfast table
the next morning the father asked
how it came to pass that he had fallen
out of bed again, and answering said:
~ went to sleep too near where l got
In" That is the difficulty with a large
number in our churches. We are too
near the other shore for sleep. The
hands are pointing to twelve. 1t is
high time to awake out of Sleep"
1.-THE success of the work depends
upon it. The Lord Jesus Christ who
came to seek and to save that which
was lost, is depending upon us to help
him to win our friends, our Sunday.
school classes, our household, and. our
cities to Himself, and if these agen-
cies are not in condition to labor how
can the work Of the Lord prosper I
only wish we would manifest as much
interest in this campaign in winning
men to Christ as is always seen when
their is physical danger. When heroes
and heroines are at once 1eaping to
J the rescue physical, why not with that
, same intensity that becomes conta-
! gious and wins when there is spiritual
and eternal Interests in God. Interest
begets interest, indifference begets
indifference, and when those outside
Of the church behold the genuine in
terest and enthusiasm of those with
In, they viii ask What must I. do to
be jsavedg'
THE permanently of the work de-
ponds upon us. A person received in
to the church viii usually measure UP
to the standard Of the church. If in
to q cold, worldly, formal church, he
will not become an aggressive, wide
awake disciple. II into a hand shak-
ing, singing, evange]istic, aggressive
church, he viii probably add to the
working force and power of that Or
ganization. Oh, tell me friends, what
kind Of g. church member will he be
who follows your example? Will he
have family altar, attend prayer
meeting, inspire the pastor with his
present Sunday evening as wei as Sun
day, morning? VIII he be a power in
, the Sunday school and young peoples
services, interested in Home and For
eign Missions, telling others the good
news about Jesus Christ, and winning
Immortal souls into the Kingdom? I
pray that there shall be such an
awakening in this city. that those who
apply for membership. in your church
win be given to understand by your
example, it means much to be a dis
ciple. Jesus never made it easy to
follow him. To Nicodemus He said
e must be born again. and to 9TH
ers, Amy man who comes after me
let him deny himself, take up his
cross daily and follow me- Our en-
barassment is, it means SO little for
many who, are endeavoring to follow
Him. On, may it mean, to every one
here complete dedication Of the life
to Him, and then with an all con-
Stunning desire, crying out from the
depth of your soul, Lord, what wilt
thou have me to do?'
only when we are awake and tre-
mendous1y in earnest do we succeed in
any department of activity. That is
true politically, commercially, socially
Internationally, and evangelistically
How true it is across the sea in the
tragedy of the centuries, making red
j the rivers and filling trenches with
boy who will never come home again,
and husbands and fathers whose loved
ones they win never see on this side
of the River. oh, for something of
that zeal and earnestness, not unto
destruction but for the salvation of
men.
1T is also high time to awake out
of sleep for those who are outside the
church. There is multitude in the
condition OF the prodigal son until
he. came to himself. The have been.
rocked asleep by his majesty, in the
cradle Of a future probation, and OF
moralfsm. and others until they are
announcing to the world they are
good enough now. and all because
!. they are asleep to their spiritual con-
dit1on and to their eminent need
of Jesus Christ, for There is none
other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be say
ed @
BISHOP ACHESON TO