The Washington herald., 1918-02-17
God Gives Better Job
To Those Who Forsake
Calling for Religion
EVENING SERMON
Defense of Sudden Conversions

salvation Is thrown into gear. You
win be saved before you know 1t.
like child being born.
Note this: You don't believe In
quick conversions. When you find
anything in Matthew's gospel that
you like particularly remember It
was written by a man who said,
Yes" instantly. He didn't get
down and kneel on the straw.
There hasn't been a dozen men of
modern times who have been pow
ers for God whose conversion was
not as quiet as Matthew's. Charles
G. Finney never went to q camp
meeting. He was out in the woods
alone. praying. when he was con-
yerted Sam Jones. a mighty man
Of God. was converted at the bed
side OF his dying father. Moody
accepted Christ while waiting on a
customer In boot and shoe store.
DR.. Chapman was converted as q
boy in a Sunday School. All the
other boys in the class had accept
ed Christ. and only Wilbur remain
ed. The teacher turned to him and
said. "And how about you, Wilbur?
He said, 'T will" and he turned to
Christ and has been one of the
most powerful evangelists for many
years. Gipsy Smith was converted
in hisN fathers tent. Torrey was an
agnostic and in comparing agnos-
ticism, infidelity and Christianity,
he found the scale tipped toward
Christ. Luther was converted as
he crawled up 10 the altar In Rome.
Judge by the Fruit.
Seemingly the men who have moved
the world for Christ have been con-
yerted in a quiet manner. The way
to judge a tree is by its fruit. Judge
tree OF quiet conversion in this way.
Another lesson. When conversion
compels people to forsake their pre-
vious calling God gives them a bet
ter job. Luke said. He left all. I"
Little did he dream that his influence
would be world-reaching and eternity
covering. His position as tax collec-
tor seemed like a big job, but 1t was
not picking up pins compared to the
Job God gave him. Some of you may
be holding back for fear OF being put
out Of your job. II you do right God
will see that you do not suffer. He
has given plenty of promises, and II
you plant your feet on them you can
defy the poorhouse. Trust In the
Lord means that God will feed you.
Following Christ you may discover
a gold mine OF ability that you never
dreamed Of possessing. There was a
saloonkeeper. converted In a meeting
at New Castle, who won hundreds of
people to Christ by his testimony and
his preaching.
Another lesson: You do not need
to be in the church before the voice
comes to you; you don't need to be
reading the Bible; you don't need to
be rich or poor or learned. Wherever
Christ comes follow. You may be
converted while engaged in your daily
business. Men cannot put UP a wall
and keep Jesus away. The still small
voice will find you.
Another lesson. II shows the wide
sweep and individual influence Of one
convert. When Matthew arose and
followed Jesus his influence extended
as far as the sun above the earth.
Three worlds were affected. I can
see the angels leaning over the bat
Elements of heaven and the devils
pressing to the end Of the DIT to
see what his decision would be. Mat
thew's gospel was the most effective
argument from a Jew to the Jews.
God alone knows how many ancient
people It has saved. Suppose he had
held back and waited to look into
heaven as Stephen did.
Suppose he had waited to be struck
down like Paul His gospel would
never have been written, and all that
Il mas done to deliver people from the
devil would have been undone, There
Is not one man whose life had not
oeen considered in Gods plan to bring
the world back. There is not one in
"nom Jesus Is not as much Interested
as He was in Matthew. Every life
can De made majestic one IL lived
ior God. That's why Jesus was ready
70 give up the glory Of heaven. The
way TO md out the value Of a thing
Is to find out what It cost,
Shrinking 1t Over.
There Is nothing to show that Mat
thew ever heard the voice of Jesus
oeiore. II Is not likely that he had
ever heard him preach or teach. It Is
not probable that he ever saw him
Work miracle. That one talk made
MIN see his duty clearly. No man
who walks In the light that God gives
viii be lost Gipsy Smith once told
me that he had never see a Bible be-
fore he was saved.
Men are sometimes kept from de-
cIding for fear Of acting too quickly.
Iney say, IN have to think II over
II building was afire; II your child
mad taken posion; II you were bleed
ing to death; II you were drowning,
you wouldn't have to stop and think
II over. You'd accept help right away.
They have heard the testimony of
some who have been so convicted that
they have not been able to sleep or TO
eat They might die 100 times before
they had any such experience. Ex-
periences In religion diner as much as
IN other things. A child will not have
the same experience as an old man
who has lived a life of sin. An out
law viii not have the same experience
as young man who has lived under
religious influences.
The work Of the spirit Is the same
IN result, though the manner of con-
version differs as individuals differ In
character.
Do as God says and the experience
win take care of itself.
Now, come back to my text. .He
arose and followed him" That's what
he did. The question to be settled is
What will You dor' Who will come
and take their stand?