The Washington herald., 1918-01-09
CAMPAIGNING FOR SOULS
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
FROM HER BACKSLIDING
AFTERNOON SERMON

The what and why and when OF
reviyals for great cities was force
fully explained by Billy Sunday in
his sermon, The Need of Revivals.' -
given yesterday afternoon at the
big Tabernacle.
Taking his text from the prophecy
of Habbakuk 3:2: 20 Lord. revive
thy work in the midst OF the years;
in wrath remember mercy" the Rev.
Billy drove home his mans religion
with scores of vivid phrases Sun
day-coined."
The more striking portions Of the
afternoon sermon follow.
The question that naturally arises
in your mind Is, What is this reviv-
al the Prophet is praying for and
realized the people needed?"
Well. a revival Is a purely philo-
sophical result Of the right use Of di-
vinely appointed means.
1t pleases God TO save souls, when
you are man enough to do what God
wants you to do. and IL pleases God
to not do It when you don't do your
part.
So a revival Is the return of the
church from her backslidings, her in
difference; and it leads to the saliva
ton of the unsaved.
And 1t also includes. first Of all. con-
viction OF sin on the part of the
church.
A revival means a renewal Of your
fidelity and the beginning anew OF
your duties and obligations.
We need a doctor when We become
run down PHYSICAL. Very wellI And
so a revival is needed when there is
want OF brOtherly love, when there
is dissension. jealousy, evil speaking.
l am getting tired of putting Gods
cause on the basis Of a free lunch
proposition or a bargain counter sale.
A revival is needed when the wick
ed triumph over the church. and then
when the sinners are careless. What
do you think that God thinks Of the
church when he has sounded the
alarm. raised the banner. and ask
ed every man and woman that is
worth living or worth killing to get
under it and show their colors2
Duty to Respond.
1t is as much your duty TO respond
TO this call, as II is. my friends, for
the firemen to respond when the
alarm is sounded. II is as much your
duty to respond to the call of God
as ii is for men and women to re-
spond when Congress declares war
and the declartion OF war without
guns and men to back 1t up is as
asinine as a baseball game without
a ball or a locomotive without steam
Can It be that you can see the
wrecked manhood and womanhood
and girls selling their virtue with
the dew damp on their brow-young in
years and old in sin-and know
more about dabbling in sin when they
are II years Of age, than their grand
mothers did when they were 20 years
OF age-they haven't sprouted long
skirts yet, either?
God is looking for the men and
women who are willing TO go dowr
into the slums and help to rescue
men and women for the name oi
Jesus Christ.
II Cod was no more anxious e
bless than some people are to bt
blessed, the world would be in he'll
long ago. 1 am not talking to God
to get him willing.
When Preaching Fails.
When is a revival needed? wher
the preaching and other efforts OF
I the church are not aimed toward
the salvation of souls.
Many times ministers preach but
they have no particular desire e
see anybody saved, and IL the sin.
ner should get up and walk down
the aisle with the tears rolling
down his cheeks and accept Jesus
Christ after some sermon. the
preacher would be so excited ht
couldn't eat his dinner. Now, you
need expect no revival until a par.
ticular effort is made. When Chris,
tians confess their sins or theil
faults one TO another-sometime
they do confess-oh, but they arr
not half in earnest about it.
When you are willing to make 8
sacrifice, sacrifice you feelings, in
Heavens name don't come here ant
listen to me through your preju.
dices. II you don't want me tc
walk all over them don't spread
them around.
"stand Up for GOd.-
Yes. and then stand up for God
You have a chance 10 double your
fist and put it under some fellow 5
nose or in his face for Jesus Christ
Nobody can insult Jesus Christ in
my presence without a scrap, now
don't forget that. II you think YOU
can wipe your dirty feet on the
church or sneer at the church of
Jesus Christ without a scrap from
I-nnTa E11llPr have dnnpO
it out wrong; you have another
guess coming.