The Clio messenger., 1919-07-03

IL, anu HcHCc iiis
hearty confession and plea for mercy.
Persuading people to repent is work
so delicate and difficult that it is use
less to attempt 1t unless we are right
with God ourselves.
At time when there was some re-
ligious interest at Princeton college
one Of the students offered himself as
q worker. He was assigned to see
a certain man. When asked about the
result of his visit, he replied: "Oh,
1 made no headway. 1t was a great
mistake to send me there. When
asked him why he was not a Christian
he looked at me and said, Are you a
fair sample of Christianity?' Yes, 1
think am about the average You
are? Yes Then l do not want to
be a Christian That answer went
straight to the mans heart. He knew
what 1t meant. The unbeliever had
seen him cheat in examinations; he
had heard him say things that were
not true; and he had lost all respect
for him. 1t is not enough to be sound
in doctrine; one must also be con-
sistent in life. And, even when the
outward life is exemplary, there may
be a secret, unforgiving spirit, or un-
willingness to do Gods will, which
hinders our usefulness.
A lady once said to me: 81 am the
daughter of minister; l am a grad
uate Of Wellesley college; I have
taught Sunday school ever since l was
fifteen years old, and yet to the best
Of my knowledge 1 have never led a
single soul to Christ"
81 thought that all your boys be-
came Christians last Sunday"
''That is true; but had nothing to
do with 1t, and that is what is break
ing my heart"
"Do not be too sure Of that" re-
piled; and then I used an illustration
something like this: Suppose that
chandelier was suspended by chain
instead of rod. What link in the
chain do you think would be the most
important, the first, or the second, or
the last one?"
uO hOl StC do lhClS WOulu Dt uDy
difference. If you take out any Of
them, the whole thing would come
down."
every true" I replied. snow, in
the long chain Of events by which God
brings any wandering soul back to
himself, which is the most important
link, the first, or the fiftieth, or the
last p
"There is no difference. If any one
Of the links is gone, you cannot secure
the final result"
perhaps you did not speak the
final words that led your boys to de-
cision, but you have certainly spoken
many earnest words that prepared the
way for some one else to lead them to
decision. Who shall say that your
words were not just as important as
his?"
"There is some comfort in that, I
must admit"
Certainly; that is why said it,"
"But do you not think that every
Christian ought to be able to speak
the last words which lead a soul to
decision occaslonally?'
81 do. believe that God wishes all
his children to- be soul-winners, and
that he has made abundant provision
for that end"
"I think there is something wrong
In my life," she replied.
1 thought SO, too, and so 1 waited
for the Lord to show her what was
needed. In a few weeks she sent word
that she was now ready to devote her
life to winning souls to- Christ.
In this instance there was some con-
scious disobedience that had evidently
stood In her way for years. SO long
as there is any such obstacle one can
not pray with confidence, or speak
with power. We must be able to look
God in the face and say, "Thou know
est that 1 love thee" and also look
our neighbor in the face and say, "You
know that / am anxious for your con-
version"