Middletown transcript., 1917-01-13
WEEKLY SERVICES
In the Bethesda M. E. Church
Pastor His Own Evangelist
ALL SHOULD ATTEND THEM

The revival services now being held
in the Bethesda NJ. E. Church by its
able and jealous pastor, Rev. John W.
Jones, is matter of more than mere
denominational interest, for such re-
vivals also vitally concern the general
public.
This one discloses the pleasing inno-
walton of being conducted by the pastor
himself. and not by one of those COM
mercialized hired evangelists, some of
whom, we are told, have in former
years done the church more harm than
good, so much so that after their min
istrations had ended it might be said of
the church what the scripture tells of
the man out of whom the evil spirits
had gone, that "the last state of that
man is worse than the first
This return to the old time practice of
pastoral evangelism as in the days Of
early Methodism, the days of its great
est efficiency, has the sanction of the
General Conference and of the bishops
of the Church who are trying to dis
courage the too common resort OF
Methodist preachers to hireling profess
sional evangelists.
Moreover, such course as that of
pastor Jones redeems the ministry from
the shameful confession of its inability
in these latter days to follow st. Paul's
advice to Timothy, ''do the work of an
evangelist. make full proof of thy min
istry.'
Because this revival is of such gen.
eral interest and likely to prove highly
beneficial to our town, especially to its
youth, The Transcript wishes it every
success, and although not given to SER
monizing, nevertheless begs leave to
say word upon one point of especial
interest, viz.-the reclamation of back
sliders.
The Transcript has lively sympathy.
with any man who has heretofore. no
matter how often, vainly tried to re-
form. and far from joining those who
sneer at these repeated failures, be-
ieves such should be encouraged to try
yet again-be given friendly helping
hand rather than be repelled by unkind
criticisms.
Our charity has the best Scriptural
warranty in the words of the Christ
Himself replying to Peters question,
Lord how oft shall my brother sin
against me and l forgive him, till seven
times? say not unto thee, Until seven
times: but until seventy times seven"-
an expression denoting an endless for
giving.
| The old rabbins upon the authority of
Amos Ch. l, v. 3, ch 2, v. 6, etc., had
decreed three times to be the limit of
forgiveness. Peter thought in his
larger mercy to double that and one
more; but the tender Son of God, who
"knoweth our frame-who remember
eth that we are DUST" with diviner
pity set the mark for mans forgiveness
of his erring brother at infnlty! And
can any one conceive the mercy of sim
full man to be greater than that of God
of whom it is written that "as father
pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth
| them that fear Him."
We conclude our lay sermon with
these cheering wok to any backslider
held in the clutche :. vice but wishing
to be free: Never cease your efforts to
attain the divine life of the true Chris
tian. Do not let the laugh of the
thoughtless or the sneer of the unfee-
ing, drive you away from the altar of
merciful God. Turn again, remember
ing that the open confession of former
failures, coupled with an honest at
tempt once more, to escape is your best
redemption in the eyes of the whole
community who will rejoice at your
final success. Do not cease till you have
sought as often to amend your broken
life as did the spider whose oft repeated
but finally successful efforts to make
his web in the cave whittier the defeat
ed patriot Bruce had fled, heartened
that hero to 60 forth and accomplish
his own glory and the liberties of Scot