The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-26

the circumstances, and my friend
phoned to the, county seat. seven miles
away, and the sheriff came up, and
before my friend preached that night
he said, There 10 a man here that
has confession to make. I'm going
to ask him to make 1t before !
preach"
He told them the story. The sher-
if put him under arrest and took
him to Jail. They found the circum-
stances somewhat cxtenuating and
found that the three persons who had
been principal witnesses of the state
had died. and two others had moved
fsJ.sS- s1S ,Sttsr. tu.o ar three. weeks
tney' SENT worh back 1afit ssf,rs,r ssNs
will not modest him" and three years
ago, the last heard. be wos still liv-
ing in that town. grand witness Tor
God and for Gods truth.
All manner of sin God says will be
forgiven. Some ask this question:
why Is 1t that SO few aged men
and women are converted
The fact is startling! Infidels al
ways nose around campaign ike
this to find something to rneer and TO
mock and deridc and belittle. on.
God, They are never happy only
when they can turn somebody 10 heii.
They are never content to see people
sober or decent or hear people pray
They say. Here, How does 1t hap
pen, sir, that when the minds of men
and women have become developed
through age and experience and
thought and contact with the world,
and they have passed the period OF
youth. of enthusiasm and passion.
how does It happen that so few come
to repentance?
Now listen, please The fact Is
startling, absolutely astounding Re-
ligfon makes its appeal to your SEN
sibillties. The way into the Kingdom
of God liz heart first. not head first.
God Is a revelation. not an eXplana-
ton. I can't explain God.
They tell me that two gases got
mixed together and we've got dis
titled water. Oh how? l don't know
that's the explanation; the water
is the revelation.
Doesn't Give a Rap.
So I don't give a rap about the
how; all ! want is the revelation. God
is a revelation: he In not an explana-
ton. No mind on earth has ever
fathomed God or ever will. So you
might as well make up your mind
/ love my wife and children, mol
with my intellect, with my sensibih-
ties. ! am not a cold hearted guy
on that deal. oh. no! Every time you
think a thought. every time you per
form an act they tell US that the
cells in our brains changa SO II be
comes easier to think that same
thought or perform that same act
until thinking those thoughts and per
forming those acts becomes second
nature
It's tust az easy for some OF you
old devils to cuss as It rs for otner
people to pray. The oftener you GO
wrong. the easier IL becomes for you
to do wrong, and the oftener you 90
right, the stronger you become In your
power to do right
l work my muscies--when I am
working them they become strohs.
DO YOU know this? Most people are
converted before they are twenty
wears old. DR.. Howe. who educated
Laura Brtdgeman. said he couIdn.
have helped her after she was fifteerl
or sixteen years old. Shed Eeacned
an age here all OF Or. Howe's Skill
could net do her any good.
Why? The older you grow the hard
or to do anything all through hfe'
How many OF you men and women
here tonight are protesting Christians
Let me see your hands. Put them up.
How many OF you gave your near1s
to God before you were twenty years
old? Put them up. Thank you.
Let me ask you something. Every
man or woman here tonight that Is
processing Christian. please stand up
I want to show you
Everybody that WIS converted be-
fore you were twenty years old. s''
down.
Now please give me your attention
Everybody that WAS converted before
Everybody that become Christians
before thirty years old, sit down.
Everybody that became Christians
before you were forty years old
sit down.
Everybody that became converted
before you were ATTY years old. sit
down Four after they were fifty
itwenty-one after they were forty.
Facts StaGgcr You.
II you want facts, they hit you SO
hard they stagger you. Only four peo-
were fifty and twenty<one after they
were forty. Gut OF ali the thousands
that are here!
What does that prove? This: II
you are here tonight and you are forty
years Of age, thirty years OF age, and
you are not q Christian, the chances
are ten Of thousands to one you never
will be Christian. Don't you sheer
at God. Let me toll you some per-
centageS-
Most people that are converted be-
come Christians in times OF REVEALS,
special meetings How many OF you
men and women that are processing
Christians gave your heart to God In
time of special meetings outside of the
ordinary church service?
People that sneer at REVEALS,
That's God way to keep people out
Of hell. So I have absolutely not a
scintilla Of respect for anybody that
hits their voice against revival eff
forts: that's Gods way of saving peo-
pie and I have no more respect for
you IL You growled at God than ii
you sneered at revivals.
God has q plan In nature and God
has a plan in religion. n he wants
you to plant your seeds in April In
stead of February. It's according to
his plan.
why WIN not God forgive IL! He
says hath never forgiveness in this
world or the world to come. Thai
proves that II you are not forgiven OF
your sims IN this world. you will not
have n chance in the world to come