Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-11-01

the sawdust trail, which has be-
come . path Of peace. Practically
the whole student body Of Angus
tanA, the membership Of Broadway,
Presbyterian church and other del.
egations came to a man and
woman.
AFTERNOON SESSION. J
Taking the calling of Matthew
by Jesus as an example Of instan-
taneous taking OF the first step to-
ward a Christian life, Mr.. Sunday
yesterday afternoon gave SER
mon which proved to those who
heard 1t once and for all what can
be accomplished when people have
been made to see that the first
step can be taken only when they
are ready for 1t, even II that be
on the. spur of the moment. The
subject yesterday was, He arose
and followed Him"
Mr.. Sunday told how all that was
needed to make this man who
proved such q power for God take
the step that led to his becoming
the power, was a few words Of in
vitation. He told Of how other
great and influential men had sim.
ply needed their Impulse II follow
ing after Christ without debating
the why and wherefore OF It all.
and how from this quiet decision
they had gone out and done great
good. 4
Look at Nicodemus. You never
get a fellow like him near the
straw and the shayings. He was Q
quiet, thoughtful, earnest. sincere,
cautious sort Of fellow. He wanted
to. know the truth. He had . lit
It'd talk with Jesus one night and
that talk convinced him. And -
l understand my bible every case
Of miraculous healing was . case
Of conversion.
Matthew was q business man.
He was q tax collector; he work.
ed for the Roman government. He
bad Job that was soft snap. 1t
gave him . big chance for a rake
of. II he didn't have any more
conscience than some Of the poll
ticians I know, he was taking it.
too. Matthew was at his place Of
business, looking out fer No. 1,
probably trying to think up some
way by which he could get even
more gain. And Jesus went In as
He went by. He had something to
say to Matthew. l wonder how
many of you have let Jesus come
to your place OF business. speak to
you % He did to Matthew. or IN
your home, and you made Q de-
cision. Just ~ deliberate - Mat
thew made 1t. The tree Of quiet
conversion has borne some pretty
choice fruit.
The reason you people are not
coming down the aisles and taking
your first step is because the devil
is keeping you back. When you
are arguing against taking the
step It is the devil that is putting
up the arguments: but when you
are arguing against doing some
thing you know to be wrong. 1t ID
I God who IL trying to keep you
! from doing what you have In mind
| The man or woman who II afraid
| to show his colors for Jesus Christ
!, wouldn't make q good saloon keep.
er. y
/ In the course Of his afternoon
talk he took occasion to remarh
on the fact that the minds Of the
people of the city as well as others
in this community were never more
susceptible to religion than they
I are now, and stated that 1t 10 only
once in a generation that such I
condition exists. Gods spiril
moves in a community like THU
only once in a lifetime. It will b.
gone the next time you build
tabernacle for such IN evangelis
tic campaign. It's taken. all thu
Christian work since the time thal
Black Hawk roamed these hill
and valleys to gather Up the har'
vest OF these last seven weeks
People will never be ID the SAINT
frame of mind until another suct
campaign. Moody was in Daven
port 20 years ago. There was {
campaign IN, Baltimore Just fort,
years before conducted min.
there. II the church don't get thu
! people started now they never viii
ret them to come into the churches
and be q power for God"
"'Eis arose and followed Him.
That 10 what Matthew did. So TIL
question for you to settle here ID
What will you dor Matthew fol
lowed Jesus; will you follow Mat
thew's example. or will you keel
your seat and refuse? He aros,
and followed Him."
For the fourth time this weel
Sunday extended the invitation an,
the response was more gratifying
than at any Of the other Afternoon
services. Twenty people came dow
the aisle and took the eysngelist'
hand.
!. The audience yesterday proba
bly, was one Of the largest OF an,
. Of the more recent Afternoon ser
vices. As the time to close tn,
campaign draws nearer the peopl
crowd more and more to make us'
., Of every opportunity to. hear M
Sunday anAAk 0nca more