Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-10
There Are Not Enough Devils in Hell
to Make Man Sin Against His Will

and in vivid, plain way the story
of the boy that was restored TO life
by the prophet Elisha in the au-
cient city of Shuman through the
faith of the boys mother. Mr.. Sun
day last evening took up the
course of the sermon on is It
Well With Thee? and continuing
said:
Elisha called to Gehazi and said,
Garry the lad to his mother" and
they carried the living boy back
to his mother. and the home Of
weeping was turned into laughter,
death into life, sorry into Joy, be-
cause the faith Of the mother was
not misplaced in the prophet OF
God.
Now then, why do you suppose
that God gives Us that beautiful
story? 1t is simply an Old Testa-
! ment incident, that is all, but I
| think there is a lesson in it pecul-
iarIy applicable to this meeting. and
! particularly tonight, that after
| prayer l bring you this message,
/ and I believe that God wants to
teach US importantly in prayer. de-
| termination to accomplish the
| thing upon which your heart is set,
no matter how many obstacles hell
may pile in the way or how hard
/ the devil may work to discourage
[ you.
/ Years ago in Cincinnati, one
/ night at a rich, fashionable church,
the minister had made his appeal,
and as he came to the close of the
. % 80
to say to him, Make your appeal
I personal. Ask if there isn't some
/ body here tonight who wants to
have it settled"
He never had done It, but the
Spirit seemed to say again, Make
your appeal personal. Ask if there
isn't somebody now that is sick of
sin"
And when they concluded the
song, the minister said, rs there a
man or woman here that is sick and
tired of sin and you want to be a
Christian? l feel constrained and
drawn to ask you. VIII you lift
your hands?"
He waited, and there was no re
Spouse. He made the appeal again
and the door opened and a young
man entered and dropped into the
rear seat.
He made the appeal again, and
this young fellow jumped to his
feet, lifted his hand and then he
carried out, so that the audience
was startled: Pray for ne. I am
sick and tired of sin, and l have
made a wreck of my life; and then
he RI rpODpd Nr-aontn1 into tho raur
The minister prayed The meet
ing was dismissed. Nobody spoke
to the young man as they went out.
The minister came down the-aisle
and talked with him, learned a sad
story of prOdIgality and wander
ing, learned that his father aud
mother lived in Brooklyn and he
hadn't heard from home for seven
years, ana he d dl't know whether
they were living or dead.
The minister advised him to
write home and tell them where he
was and what he had done He
didn't expect an answer back for
four days, but when the fourth day
came, there was no answer. The
fifth day there was no answer, and
he was worried; the sixth day there
was no answer, and he was
troubled; the seventh day there
was no answer and he was in dis
tress; the eighth day no answer,
and he was in agony.
The ninth day and the answer
came, but the envelope was bord-
cred in black. With tear-dimmed
eyes and trembling hands he broke
1na No in.
like this; My precious boy: The
joy which your letter brought to
our home and hearts was only ex-
ceeded by the sadness which reigned
there at the same time, for as nearly
as we can conclude. the same day
and the same hour that you say
you found Jesus Christ. as your
Savior in the church in Cincinnati,
your old father was going out into
the skies.
"All day long he tossed and
rolled upon his bed, and his mind
would roam and wander, and he
would cry out, oh, God, save my
poor. Maynard. wandering boy
We would attempt to turn his
mind from your prodigality and
and wandering, but he
would come back to it and cry out, !
oh, God. save my poor, wandering, |
Maynard boy
Just before he passed on. he
cried, oh, God, save and he fin
ished the prayer in the presence of
Jesus"
Down at the bottom of the letter, !
the mother added this postscript, !
Edward, you are a Christian to-
night because your old father |
would not let God go nor take No |
for an answer"
Oh, for men and women who |
knew how to pray like that, Great |
God, for wives that could lay hold I
upon the Lord for husbands; par
eDts for children; friends for /
so that they would be (
swept into the Kingdom of God |
and yield for Jesus Christ.
Blame Self for Son.
1 would like to make my mes
sage tonight brief and make it per
sonal, so that not a man or woman
could leave this tabernacle and
say, "He didn't mean me.
That didn't apply to me-"
First, us it well with thee?" and
I will answer that much OF It for
every unsaved man or woman in
this tabernacle. How could it be
we'll with you? If you were to die.
you would be in hell before mid
night. How can It be well with
Won when the wrath OF God is upOn /