Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 251, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 October 1911 — Winning Others [ARTICLE]

Winning Others

NECESSITY for WISDOM and TACT POINTED OUT BY -SUCCESSFUL PASTOR.

NE of the most striking characteristics in the life of our Lord was his interest in others. He was deeply moved by the condition of the multitude. Their

need was the magnet which drew him. Their spiritual destitution meant more to him than anything else. His interest was in those possessing no outward attraction. Many were men of the basest sort This profoundly impressed the multitude, who always heard him gladly. In studying his conduct With the people we are impressed with his method of individualizing. All classes ■ought him. We find him spending a night with the learned Nicodemus; then an Interview with the lawyers; again, the rich young man has his attention. He did not neglect those who were deemed socially and religiously unfit for his association. The blind, the lame, the physical and moral lepers, the downtrodden of every kind, moved him, and he sought to bring them, without regard to their social standing, into discipleship. His interest was in men—even men of the baser sort. The mission of the church, as Jesus gives it, is to be the same as his own. He says: "As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” What was his mission? Luke 19:10 gives it. “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” So the mission of the church Is to seek and save the lost. Our mission is winning others. This brings us to the great question, How can it be done? To win others we must first know the truth by being energized by him who is the truth. We must have experienced a personal touch with the Lord before we can hope to pass it on to others. The water of life must be springing up in our inner being before It can flow out from us as a refreshing stream bringing blessings to others. The disciples had to receive the bread from their Lord before they could give it to the multitude. Abide In Jesus. Again, personal contact with Jesus is essential in winning others. We all know of men who have been greatly blessed in soul-winning, but have lost their power. The cause lies largely in the fact that they have not been abiding in him as formerly. They have been content to give out that which they have received by contact and fellowship of other days. To them it has lost its warmth, and so their words fall without power. If we are to be successful in winning others, we must go to them with a message permeated with the compassioneof abiding fellowship with Christ. It is the message which grows from such fellowship that*the Holy Spirit will use in the winning of others. Some of us know by experience that the message which was born in moments of such fellowship resulted in great blessing to ourselves and Others. But how often have we repeated this message that once stirred the people with no results in the winning of others? Factors Are Wisdom and Tact Then wisdom and tact are greatly blessed in soul-winning: “To save an Immortal soul from sin and wrath, to hope and holiness, is honorable and difficult work. It ia a work for wise men, and we lack wisdom.” On this point there Is a special promise from God; those who need wisdom and d.eslre to use it in this work will get it for the asking. The wisdom needed is very different from the wisdom of men. It is very closely allied with the simplicity of a little child. Much of it lies in plain* ness and promptness. Again, we must remember that consistency is essential and indispensable in soul-winning. To say well and do ill brings upon us criticism of “an eloquent tongue and a lying life.” The most potent Influence which a Godly wife can use in winning her ungodly husband to Christ Is, as the Holy Spirit says: “A chaste manner a of life coupled with fear.” (1 Peter 3:1, 2, margin.) This is in accordance with the principle that it Is not what we say we are, but what we are, that tells. There is no speech so powerful as actions seasoned and governed by grace. Bishop Reynolds says: “The star which led the* wise men to Christ, and the pillar of fire which led the children of Israel to Canaan, did not only shine, but went before them.” St, Austin says: “With their doctrines they build, and with their Ilves destroy.” Unspoken action Is more powerful than unperformed speaking.