The Washington herald., 1918-02-17

Bnly Sunday last night delivered
this sermon:
Fext-.And he arose and followed
Hinn-"-Mark 2:14
some people think that they can't
Be converted unless they go down
on their knees In the straw at camp
meeting. unless they pray all hours OF
the night and al nights Of the week,
while some old brother storms heaven
fn prayer. Some think a man must
ioee sleep, must come down the aisle
vith q haggard look, that he must
froth at the mouth and dance and
shout. Some get It that way, and
they don't think that the work done
hare Il genuine unless conversions are
made In the same way they have got
ten religion That's why bring the
message to you tonight.
i want you to see what God put In
black and white; that there can he q
sound, thorough conversion In an in
slant; that man can be converted
quietly during the coming day and
never backslide. do not ind fault
with the way other people get re-
Iigion. What I want and preach Is
the fact that a man can be converted
without any fuss
II q man wants to shout and clap
his hands In Joy over his wife's con-
version; or II a wife wants to cry
when her husband Is converted am
not going to turn the hose on them.
or put them in a straittacket.
Z, When a man turns to God truly IN
conversion, / don't care what form
hs conversion takes. I wasn't con-
verted that way; but i do not rush
around and say, with gall and Bit
terness, that you are not saved. be-
cause you did not get religion the
way I did. II we all got religion in
the same way. the devil might go to
sleep with a regular Rip Van Wrinkle
snooze and still be on the job. For
every noisy case OF conversion can
show you dozens that are saved like
those who come forward and into
the kingdom here
Biblical Conversions.
Look at Nicodemus. You could
never get a man with the tempera-
ment of Nicodemus near camp
meeting, or to kneel down In the
straw. or to shout and sing. He was
a quiet, thoughtful, honest, sincere
and cautious man. He wanted to
know the truth and he was willing to
walk In the light when he found 1t.
Look at the man at the pool OF
Bethesda He was a big sinner and
was In q lot Of trouble which his sins
had made for him. He had been in
that condition for long time II
didn't take him three minutes to say
Yes" when the Lord spoke to him.
See how quietly he was converted.
As I understand the Bible every
case Of miraculous healing resulted
- Tha didn't
dance. he didn't shout, he was not
excited, he was not beside himself.
He quietly did what the Lord told
HIM. He took up his bed and walked.
He didn't run nor limp. The next
time. we see him he Is In the temple
worshiplng God.
Look at the blind man In the ninth
chapter Of John. He was a good pat
tern for any Christian to follow. He
was not screaming; no one had to
hold him to keep him from hurting
himself. He had as clear case OF
conversion as any in the world. Quiet
ly he became a disciple, as was evil
denced in his clear cut testimony. Il
know" was what he said. not II hope
So" like some Ct you old calloused
baeksliders.
OHuihcuBcS OOuDtCNss
I challenge anyone who dares say
that people do not get converted at
these meetings. II you do not be-
Hsve that man was saved, come
down here and measure yourself up
with him Put your old carcass
alongside Of his and see how you
stand
How many slaps in the face have
you taken for being true to Jesus?
What synagogue did they put you
out of because you were true to
Jesus2 How many sneers have you
withstood for being true to Jesus?
II cost him something to be known
as the disciple Of Christ.
The devil Is always a passenger
with you in your auto II he fur
nished the money with which you
purchased it There is blood on
your hands II you rent your prop
erty for q saloon. for a house of
prostitution, II you are robbing God.
IL you are making your clerks
work long hours, II you pay them
poor wages, II you sold that mining
stock and knew that It was q swim
de. Jesus comes to your place of
business with the still small voice
Of conscience: Follow me-" He said.
stop lying. stop drinking whiskey.
stop cheating" The salvation of
your soul Is hanging on your de-
eision- The question Is not Of Gods
power to save. or Of how long He
will have mercy, but of what you
do.
Christ and he realized what it would
= a. -
out hope, and IL brought him to q
quick decision And he arose and
followed Him"
How long did that conversion
take? How long did II take him to
accept Christ after he had made up
his mind7 And you tell me you can't
make an instant decision to please
God. The decision of Matthew
proves that you can While he was
sftting at his desk he was not a
Disciple. The instant he arose he
was That move changed his atti-
tuds toward God. Then he ceased
% do ev1 and commenced to do
good. That Is the kind of saliva
tion that / am preaching today.
Tea can be converted Just as quick
" as Matthew was.
Saved I'm an Instant.
God says, Let the wicked man
forsake his way :" The
instant that is done, no matter IL
- man has been a lifelong sinner,
he n safe. There Il no need Of strug-
Cling for hours. or for days-do II
now. Who are you struggling with?
Not God Gods mind was made up
long before the foundations Of the
eArth were laid. The plan Of saliva