Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-01-13

A Briggs at the First NJ f. churca
HI, ;cpie being, \ Guarantee Agljnst
Failure" Taking his topic from CO
tanl.' will be with thee; Ex) lus
AZ, y, the pastor said:
A Guarantee Against Failure.
Certainly | will be with thee" Elk
odus H. L.
When | first began to preach the
gospel, about twenty years ago, | was
filled with an enthusiasm that was a
fresh as it was inexperienced in the
work of winning souls. | felt that
very soon, with such as to help T.
the great work OF preaching, all the
world would hear the message and be,
come Christian. | was under the i'm.
preston that the reason people were
not eonNeted IN greater numbers
was that the preachers did not make
the gospel simple and plain. This |
supposed that | could do.
! remember well the text Of the
first sermon | preached The words
were those used by the angels who
CAME TO demand the evacuation OF
Sodom by Lot and his family before
God should destroy the illfated city
by fire.
God had given me strong, clear
voice in speaking and the courage Of
my convictions. so that / dared speak
directly and forcefully The word
angels were given out fcarlessly-
Escape with thy life, LDoN not De
hind thee; neither stay thou in all tn
plains. Flee TO the mountains lest
thou be also consumed My career
had been started; the keynote of
my simple feryent preaching had been
sounded; and / telt sure tina n,
ter day had dawned for the minister
ial messengers.
Alas. | was as ignorant as Moses
when he made his first attempt to
save his brethren. | did not know
what the bondage was, though / my
self had been delivered. | did not
realize the darkness of the unrcnew-
ed MIND the enmlty OF the unrenewed
heart' ana nor Kno" the strength
of the chain with which Satan had
bound souls. But like Melancthon,
who had a similar thought, | found
mat Ola Adam was stronger than
young fehtecoSt; ana l confess that
10 inns ho'r Ihoush nave been IN
the work Tor twenty years never
SIT down ny the SIDE OF an unconvert-
ga man woman or enid, to attempt
10 lead them TO christ without a GER
tam sense Z" rear NY INSURGENCY
always comes before me when |.
tiilhk OF what Is involved IN this
WORK
10 persuade man to reform his /.
me 10 give up certain SINS ana hurt I
iol luSlS' Is comparatively easy bur F
I" convert sinner from the error .
OF MS ways TO Goa Is dlIhcult WorS .
lhdeeu' ana without the ald OF the /
DIVINE spirit 1t IS impossible for man .
10 erect H. what answer nave We to .
give TO the honest shrinking from a
d'nicuIt work? Let US near what
too answered Moses certainly
VIII 0e with lhee'
FH't OF all we must know that man
~ servant not flaster'
II Is as though Coo mad SAID VIII
Moses you qua not expect that was
gong &c send you down to Egypt
alone 10 deliver Ny people? Have
you forgotten mat Sald had come
down 10 deIlVer! You indeed, are to
ne NY instrument. but l VIII be with
yes 70 MAKE you mighty ana to
'riHE ire apparently Impossible work
&c ra' rms puts the work in a
ne" IlsHt. II U'a goes with ne to t''
"oFE' 'heh can w" undertake ANY,
- "''' 80" '"'"' w Se iHto
~ me "oIiu' dlic Ih''Ae disciples OF
"a n'%"hS. i.' CAV not forget to
''' w. l am VII YOU Always
-,s"'" u 'eA -''lahleeS mat we
'"''i "o' IAN we represent COO. i'a
u la'i9' '""t !" tHe guarantee
u H"~''7S 'Fot human cIeVeFnes5
WI itdIb'u StIHl'HH, nor eloquent. .