NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
Based
on a message delivered on Sunday evening, September 9, 1850 by the Rev.
Professor Finney (of Oberlin College, U. S.) at the Tabernacle, Moorfields.
Modernized
by Cliff Collins
Let us look at the
verses that lead up to this phrase – “And (v.28) one of the scribes came, and
having heard them reasoning together, (that is Christ and some Sadducees - see
v. 18-26), and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘Which is
the first commandment of all?’ Jesus answered him, ‘the first of all the
commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
strength. This is the first
commandment. And the second, like it,
is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.’ So the scribe said to Him, ‘Well said,
Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other
but He. And to love Him with all the
heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the
strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole
burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ So
when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, ‘You are not far from
the kingdom of God.’” (Mark 12:28-34)
The “Kingdom of God,” as the phrase is used
here, does not mean the visible Church of God; for this man was at that time
connected with the visible Church.
Christ did not speak of the visible Kingdom of God; but of that
invisible kingdom which is set up in the heart, and consists in Divine
authority being established there.
Christ said on another occasion, “The kingdom of God does not come with
observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the
kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
This Scribe saw the
great fact of the spirituality of the Divine law. He realized that religion consisted in that love to God that the
law requires. And by his answer to the
Savior, Jesus saw that he had broken through the common prejudices of his
nation and had overcome that darkness that blinds people into believing that
religion consists in the mere formality of the ceremonial law. He understood that love was the great thing
needed. It is the substance of all true
religion. Jesus therefore saw that
nothing was lacking but faith, and the real building up of his heart. He was so near to the Kingdom of God - so instructed
that one single act of his mind would bring him within it. He only had to yield his heart to what his
intellect perceived. He only had to
submit his heart to this - and by that one act alone, he would be in the
kingdom. Jesus, therefore, said, “You
are not far from the kingdom of God”.
(Mark 12:34) In addressing these
words I propose:
I. To show when it may be truly said, that a
man is “far from the kingdom of God”.
II. When it may be truly said a man is not
“far from the kingdom of God”.
III. The nearer men come
to the Kingdom of God; the more solemn is their responsibility and the more awfully
critical is their crisis.
Please to keep in mind
then, what the Kingdom of God means.
The law is the rule of His universal kingdom that is placed in the
hearts of His subjects. Our mind then
yields obedience to that law, which resides there in full authority. Through the heart, where this law is
established, the King controls the life of the subject. When the mind is entirely engrossed with
something else, when things connected with this Kingdom of God are not given
any thought or attention at all, a man is far from the Kingdom of God. This is the case with many people. They have “no time” to look through into the
real spiritual virtue of this kingdom and its laws; they occupy their time with
business and pleasure, and think about everything else but what they ought to
think about. We can say that such
people are “far from the Kingdom of God.” They have everything to learn yet.
When people are full of
worldly prosperity, worldly mindedness, and ambitious projects, they are far
from the Kingdom of God. Their minds
are not directed towards God at all.
Some of you perhaps have so increased in your worldly affairs, that even
on Sunday, worldliness often controls your thoughts. Even on Sunday the world has such a hold on you that you have
more worldly thoughts than any other.
Is this your situation? Then you
are far enough from the Kingdom of God.
Some of you plan on becoming rich, and elevating yourselves and families
to the point that you turn your backs on religion and all thoughts of Salvation.
You too are far from the Kingdom of God.
When there are no
obstacles and detours to block your path.
When everything goes your way, and you float aimlessly down the stream
of events, careless, prayer less - are you doing this? If so, you are far from the Kingdom of God.
When people are in great
spiritual darkness and ignorance, and know very little about religion; when
they have gross misconceptions about it; of course, such people are far from
the Kingdom of God.
People who are
entrenched in error, give themselves up to believe lies, silence the voice of
their conscience, and hide inside their fortress of lies, are far from the
Kingdom of God. When free reign is
given to the appetite, and pleasure is the great pursuit of men, running back
and forth crying, “who will show us more worldly things?” “How can we get pleasure, and enjoy
ourselves in worldly things?” We can say
that these people are far from the Kingdom of God.
When filled with the
prejudices of education and false ideas of religion, men are far from the
Kingdom of God. Who does not know, for
example, how many false theories and doctrines of religion there are? Look at the Jews. They were full of educational prejudices. Most of the Jews had not gone as far as this
Scribe because this Scribe had come to see what the spirituality of the law was
all about. Now, how many are there in
this country who think religion is made up of laws? Just like the Jews, they think religion consists in certain laws,
in submitting to certain priests, pastors, baptisms, sacraments, and ceremonies
- mere ordinances. The Catholic Church
is full of this! How much of this
exists throughout Christendom today?
Many professing Christians today are filled with twisted ideas about
religion and educational prejudices that have closed their minds like a bolted
door against God. They are just like
the Jews, who had so much to unlearn that most of them had an attitude of
hopeless resistance. As far as salvation
was concerned, they had gone beyond the reach of any efforts that God could
wisely make to save them.
It often happens that
people listen to some appealing teachings, and are so blinded by, and entrenched
in them, that what they have learned will cost them probably more pains than it
will ever take to rid themselves of these teachings. Present the gospel to them and immediately they have some
educational prejudices that prevent them from receiving it. They raise an
argument, perhaps election, Divine Sovereignty, dependence on the Holy Ghost,
or something else, which they call “doctrinal.” They proclaim – “We must wait for God's time” or “since we are
elected or chosen we are sure we will be saved,” or “I don’t need to hear the Gospel, I already belong to a
Church.” and all such stuff. Now, to unlearn all of this stuff that these men
have been taught is often hopeless, just like it was for the Jews. How
difficult it is for the many professing mainline denominational Christians to
unlearn all their prejudices and falsehoods. Oh! How difficult it is for them to get into the Kingdom of God! They are far from the Kingdom of God.
Let us say that people
are far from the Kingdom of God when their prejudices prevent them from listening
to sermons on the subject. They have
clearly closed their ears, and will not allow themselves to be instructed and
warned of their responsibility. They
will not hear even their own children, wives, or parents. Surely, it may be said of these people that
they, and perhaps some of you today belong to this category, are far from the
Kingdom of God. When they are so
strongly entrenched in their position it is easy enough to see that such people
are so far from the Kingdom that it would almost be a surprise if they are
saved. Many people are troubled about
many things; they worry so much about the things of the world that they really
have no time to attend to their souls.
Some are engrossed with politics, some with business speculations, some
stumble at the conduct of so called Christians; others wait to see if the young
converts will “turn out well.” They
say, “We'll see. Wait.” Many have waited until it was too late. What were they doing? What were they thinking? “Oh Lord!” they will say, “I was waiting to
see whether those were really converted who profess to be; when, all at once,
the foundation gave way. I fell! Yes!
I was carried to the grave, and my spirit went weeping and wailing down
the sides of the pit!”
When people have no
interest, or when their interest conflicts with Christianity, they may be said
to be far from the Kingdom of God. Now, I come to the second part of this
subject.
II. When can we say that
a man is not far from the Kingdom of God?
Perhaps many of you have
been in this condition. Some of you may
be in this condition now. The subject
of religion has gotten your attention, enough to compel you to make up your
mind to do something about it, and to do it now. When you have gone so far as to make this your priority, it may
be said, in a very important sense, that you have taken an important step in
your approach towards the Kingdom of God, although you have not entered into
it. A step is taken here, but it may be
infinitely important. Perhaps, it is
almost as important as your eternal salvation.
Here a person has made
up his mind to be honest with God and with himself. Dishonesty on the part of men is a very great obstacle; people
are unwilling to be honest: unwilling to ask God, honestly, “Lord what will you
have me do?” Indeed, a lot of progress
is been made when an individual says, “I will look at the Gospel in the face
like an honest man.” I could tell you
stories of many individuals who were in the same situation; they have made up
their minds to address the subject; some also have said, “I will now be honest
with God”. I could tell you stories of
men throughout this country who did this, and soon afterwards, were fully
received into the Kingdom of God. As
soon as they made up their minds to be honest with God, we can truly say that
they were not far from the Kingdom of God.
After all, the question is, not what I have persuaded myself to believe,
but what God says. Let us have truth no
matter what it is. When a man comes
into such a state as this, how easily they find truth! When they come to God for instruction and
cast all their prejudices aside, when their errors give way, and men find themselves
no longer stubborn and confident in them, when they find that they can no
longer maintain the position they hold, it may be said that they are not far
from the Kingdom of God. This was the
case with the Scribe mentioned here, but whether he ever entered the Kingdom or
not has not been recorded. It was
clear, however, that he had broken through the prejudices common to his nation,
and had come to understand the real spiritual nature of the Kingdom of God.
But let me say
again. When people find that the
excuses that they’ve used to soothe their consciences begin to fail, it may be
said they are not far from the Kingdom of God.
No sinner intends to neglect the gospel forever; but he thinks he has a
valid excuse to neglect it today. When
men find themselves stripped of their excuses; when they see and feel that they
have no excuse and come so far that they no longer try to make excuses; it may
be said they are not far from the Kingdom of God. I remember that such a period arrived in my own life, and I had to
fight my way through darkness, error, and mysticism; I had made many excuses,
and supported one truth after another intellectually; and for a long time, I
made excuses for neglecting the gospel.
But finally, one excuse after another gave way, until I very distinctly
came to the place where I couldn’t make up any more excuses, and I felt very
unhappy that I was unable to find any more hiding places. I was ashamed to make any more excuses. Now, if any of you have this attitude; if
you see that your excuses are good for nothing; if you are ashamed to make
them, and resolve to stop making any more excuses, you are not far from the
Kingdom of God.
Whether you will ever
enter into the Kingdom of God remains to be seen; but today, you are not far
from the Kingdom of God. If you really
see that all your excuses are worthless, it is because the truth has found you
out and the Spirit of God has enlightened you.
He had enlightened this Scribe.
When
the affairs of the world completely occupies your mind, and religion is set in
such a light that the affairs of the world don’t seem important anymore, you become concerned only
with the great question of Salvation. I
remember the time when I sat down to examine a point of law, and in spite of
myself, I could not read half a page down before the subject of religion was so
pressing on me that I could not continue.
I could not possibly occupy myself in my professional duties. I dismissed it repeatedly, but it came up as
often as I dismissed it. When religion
gets such a hold of your mind; that you cannot devote yourself to your
business, and you feel that your business is almost worthless compared to eternal
life. When this appears to your mind
that your business lasts only a few days, and then where are you? When your mind has this attitude, when the Spirit
of God presses the subject in this manner, you are not far from the Kingdom of
God.
When pleasure can no
longer fully occupy your mind; when pleasure seems no longer to be pleasure;
when those things that have before so enchanted and fascinated your mind lose
their hold on it; when the eternal realities present themselves to your mind,
when your heart stands quivering under the lashes of your conscience night and
day and the great truths of salvation are weighing down your spirit, I can
promise you that you are not far from the Kingdom of God.
As I go over these
points, let each one of you ask yourselves, “Is this, or was it ever my case?”
When conscience becomes
so sensitive that an individual can no longer comfortably go on in sin; when
one cannot go on in sin without great pain and agony finding by experience that
a transgressor's heart is continually agonizing within himself; when one is
filled with conviction and distress about sin, you can be sure that person is
not far from the Kingdom of God.
When spiritual darkness
gives way so that people come to see their relationship to God as a reality;
when they come to understand the gospel and the way of salvation; when they see
it developed distinctly so that they can easily understand it and see their
need for a Savior; in short; when the truths of religion come to be revealed to
their mind so that their mind really sees where they stand with God, such
people may be said to be not far from the Kingdom of God. This was the situation with the Scribe, and
is often the situation with people today.
I am sure that many of you remember a time in your life when you saw
with a clearness of vision that you never had before, perhaps you are in this
state now, when you saw your relationship to these truths, the motives and
necessities of the plan of Salvation, and how it is suited to your needs. Then, “the word is near you, even in your
mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if
you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God
has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom 10:8-9) Who has
cleared up the spiritual fog you were lost in?
The Holy Ghost has done it. You
stand within one step. One single act
of committing yourself in confidence to these truths will bring you within the
Kingdom of God.
Sometimes individuals
are surrounded with special blessings.
Special efforts are made which grabs the mind of an individual, a
family, a congregation, or even a whole community, until large numbers may
truly be said to be not far from the Kingdom of God.
But let me say again,
especially when Christians have the spirit of prayer and pray for sinners; when
Christians in any family or congregation receive the Spirit of God in answer to
prayer; when God is drawing very near to them through revivals, it may be said
that all those people within the circle of such influences are not far from the
Kingdom of God. This will explain
Christ's meaning, when he said, “Be ye sure of this - the Kingdom of God is
come nigh unto you.” (Luke 10:9)
When people are “almost
persuaded” to be Christians, they may be said to be not far from the Kingdom of
God. We read in the book of Acts, of a
ruler named Agrippa, who said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to be a
Christian”. (Acts 26:28) He was all but ready to yield. Perhaps some of you are in this condition;
you have been in churches many times, and are almost persuaded to yield; you
are brought so near that you almost enter the Kingdom of God. Many of you can remember the time, even if
is isn’t now, or recently,
you can remember it well; when the Spirit of God was working within you; when
all your mind was in a state of quivering anxiety and intense agitation; when
some death or other providence grabbed your attention. You thought, and looked, and hesitated,
almost making up your mind to submit. You came right upon the gate of this
Kingdom; you could truly have said you were not far from the Kingdom of God.
When the question comes
to be balanced in your mind, “Shall I accept the Savior now? Or shall I wait?” When the question is pressed for your acceptance; when you are
told that now is the accepted time and now is the day of salvation, and you
hesitate and stare at it. Oh! How near
you are, perhaps within a hair's-breadth of deciding the question for life and
for heaven! Oh, how near! You are almost ready to commit your heart
and life! You have seen and felt the
need and suitability of the atonement of Christ. The blood ran through your veins. You could hear your own heart beat. Your pulse was quickened.
Your very soul was on edge, balancing the question. Still you looked and hesitated; how near you
were to the Kingdom of God.
People are often placed
in such circumstances that the truths of the gospel are spread before their
mind. Truths are beginning to be
pointed out clearly. An individual is
often brought into such a position that he must either say yes or no. Yes or no to the very question of life or
death, of Christ or no Christ. He often
comes right to the place where he not only sees his sins, the spirituality of
God's law, the meaning of the gospel and its relationship to him; but also that
he is crowded right up to the very door and is only a hair's-breadth from the
Kingdom of God. God’s hand is beckoning
him over the line; the Spirit strives, stretches out His hand, and calls
him. He almost hops on the line. Oh, how near he is to the Kingdom of
God! Why, I think that angels look on
with wonder, as they see men sometimes standing on the very line itself, even
leaning over, all but in the Kingdom of God, and yet they don't give their
hearts fully up! When we get to that
solemn judgment I am expecting to learn that multitudes I have seen here during
these many evenings, have been drawn into that attitude. Oh!
Where are you now? Where are you
now?
III. The nearer a man
comes to the Kingdom of God; the more solemn is his responsibility and the more
fearful and critical his crisis.
The Scribe to whom the
words of our text were spoken had already made more progress than most of the
people. The law had been revealed to
him in all its spirituality. He grasped
the idea in his mind. It was as near as possible to his heart. Now, the more people are enlightened in the
sense meant here, the nearer they are to the Kingdom of God. Christ did not mean to say however, that he
was better in any way, because after being that close, if he never entered, he
was not “almost a Christian” in the sense of “almost [as good as] a Christian.” The Scribe saw what God's law in its
spirituality required; and for him to allow it to take possession of his heart
would bring the “Kingdom of God within him”.
The more a person is enlightened, the greater his responsibility. This
man, therefore, instead of better, was worse off for being so close, if he did
not ultimately accept it. This is true
with every sinner. The nearer they
come, if they fail to enter in, the greater the wickedness. The better you understand the truth, if you
refuse to yield to it, the worse off you are, and the more dreadful will be
your final judgment. Of course, the
nearer people come to the Kingdom of God.
If they decide against it, the guilt of their wrong decision under such
circumstances is not only greatly increased, but the consequences of it at such
a time, is much more likely to be fatal, than under any other
circumstances. When people walk in
darkness, occupied with worldly things, they do not reject the truth because
they haven’t seen the
light. So, they cannot be guilty for
rejecting the light they have never seen.
They do not take a stand that shuts them up in their own impenitence, as
those people do when they see the truth clearly, and understand what they are doing,
and then deliberately decide to turn their backs on it. How fatal is their decision! See how deliberately and willfully they
reject it!
Look at the case of
Agrippa. He was “almost a
Christian”. Ah! Almost!
But was that all? Was that
all? “I would to God,” Paul replied,
“that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost
and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.” (Acts 26:29) When Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to
come, Felix trembled, but said, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time
I will call for you”. (Acts 24:25)
There is a lot of this taking place today.
How many of you do this? But, listen,
when was the “convenient time?” Oh,
sinner! Ask in hell. Is Felix there? Where's Agrippa? Is
Agrippa there? And did these men hear
the Apostle preach? “Yes.” Did they hear him plead for the Kingdom of
God, and was one “almost persuaded” and did the other tremble? But where are they now? At one time, they were standing at the very
entrance to the Kingdom of God; but now they are as far from it as hell is from
heaven.
Let me conclude with a
few more remarks.
From talking with many
people in various parts of the world, I have come to the conclusion that nearly
everyone who listens at all to the gospel are, at some time in their lives,
really near to the Kingdom of God. Religion
has come home to them at one time or another.
I have never found an individual who, when closely pressed on these
subjects, did not acknowledge that he had at some time in his life, been
crowded quite close up to the Kingdom of God.
It is remarkable to see how some providence, some striking circumstances
in which they have been placed, some storm at sea, some danger on land, perhaps
sickness or death has brought them right to the edge of the Kingdom of
God. Look back into your past life, and
you will discover that the question has at some time pressed you, and you have
been balancing it in your mind, and you were very near to a proper decision.
Let me say: when men are
in this condition, Satan is remarkably watchful.
The Bible represents
Satan as always being ready to take the word away as soon as it is sown in the
heart. See Satan's craftiness by
sliding the individual past the crises, and keeping him in a state of carelessness. Sometimes after an impressive service, when
on the very eve of making the right decision, Satan suggests, “Better wait
until you get home,” so some thought is brought to your attention; some little
squabble, or something comes into the mind and you turn away and look in
another direction.
Now let me ask you,
dying sinner, have you not at one time or another been thus made the fool of Satan,
when nobody knew the workings of your mind but God and yourself? Perhaps it was in the dreary watches of the
night when, unable to sleep, God made you wake up to a sense of your position;
and, such was your agitation, that perspiration bathed your forehead from the
anxiety of your mind. Sin stared you in
the face. God's claims so pressed you
that your nervous system quivered.
Ah! How near you were! One single act, the act of committing your
soul to Christ would have put you within the Kingdom of God. But where are you now?
This leads me to say,
when people are brought to the very entrance of the Kingdom of God, of the
peace and joy of believing in Christ.
They are so close that they can bend over and look, that there is
nothing but one step between them and getting a hold of eternal life. How very near they are to the Kingdom of
God! If you could look at a map of your
life, some of you would see that, at some time the Spirit had directed your
crooked way along until - there! See
your place on the map! You are on the
very edge of the stream! Its waters are
flowing at your very feet. One step is
all there is between you and eternal life, which is holding out all its charms,
but alas! Where are you now? Oh!
Where are you now? You have gone
back to be occupied with the business, cares, and the pleasures of the
world. Oh! What a long way there now is between that point and where you are
today. Look how far you are from those
fair fields on whose borders, where “almost persuaded” you stood back
then. You have not yet stopped and
looked around to see where you stand now.
It was once said of you, “that man is not far from the Kingdom of God”.
Now, perhaps, long
tracks of error and wrongdoing have come between you and God. You have gone on in disobedience,
skepticism, and sin. Oh! Sinner, Listen! Do you hear that roar?
What is that? What is it? Do you not know that you are nearing that
tremendous precipice that you are reeling onwards to that mighty
whirlpool? Listen! Rise up and flee! Death and hell are there!
But, oh! Your ears are deaf,
your hearts are dull, and your eyes are dim!
God is leaving men
entirely without excuse. Is it not true
that if tonight, the summons should be given; the great bell should be
tolled. If tonight you were called to
judgment, would you be without excuse?
There, who just disappeared?
Where are that man, and that woman?
Where are they? They are gone to
render account to the great God whom they have rejected. And is there any injustice, anything at all
unreasonable in all this? No indeed.
But tonight, it is with
those who have not wandered so far away that I am mainly concerned with. Those who had been so near, and have
wandered very far away I have less hope for; their momentous crisis is
past. I will not say there is no hope
for you; but I will say that it is with those who are still near the Kingdom of
God that I need to deal with now. These
people are seldom aware of what they’ve done. Perhaps
their decision turns on something small, as many great things often do; Esau
sold his birthright for a mess of pottage; Adam and Eve fell into sin, dragging
after them the whole human race, because of the smallest trifle; and it often
happens that people break away from God, and run into sin because of a very
small matter.
Do you suppose Satan
would tempt a man who is just on the border of the Kingdom of God, to commit an
enormous iniquity? Oh! No. Satan is
wise enough not to try such a foolish thing. He tempts the man with something
the man considers a trifle, something he thinks he can do without doing himself
or anybody else any harm. Satan tempts him to postpone his decision until he
gets home, or something like that, and it is through this seemingly innocent
procrastination that Satan prevails, and that the deluded heart is separated
from God and led away.
But, suppose it may
truly be said that some of you who have not entered the Kingdom of God are well
aware that on one or more of these Sunday evenings, during which special
services have been held, you have been brought into the state we have
described, right up to the edge of the Kingdom of God. A man once came to one of these Sunday
evening services who had up until that time been skeptical concerning the need
to immediately tend to the salvation of his soul. He went up into the British School-room to receive instructions
for those seeking salvation that is offered after service. He confessed to a friend there, that he was
then and there perfectly convinced of his need to give up his sins immediately;
but, he said that he had a certain business transaction to do the next week
which must be done first; or else he could not do it at all. I was told of this before he left the room,
and I immediately went after him through the crowd; but he slipped out before I
got to him; I have never seen him since!
How is it with you
tonight, dying sinner? This is my last
Sunday with you. I may never see you
again until the solemn judgment when many of you may perhaps rise up and say,
“Oh! Mr. Finney, under your ministry at
the Tabernacle, I was not far from the Kingdom of God; but I made the wrong
choice!” Oh! Did you decide wrong? How an angel might weep to hear you say
so! “Ah!” you will say, “I wandered and
wandered, and never came so near again; and now I have lost my soul!”
Oh! Sinner, how shall it
be with you tonight? Shall it be said
of any of you that you were not far from the Kingdom of God and yet you would
not come into it?
Sinner, how is it? Oh!
How is it? Will you decide
tonight one way or the other? How is
it? Oh! How will you decide tonight?
How? How? How?
If there is rejoicing in the presence of the Almighty over one sinner
that repents, what quivering must there be over your present indecision! Oh!
If those ministering angels, who are waiting to carry the results of
your decision to the Courts above, were permitted to break their silence, how
they would cry out. Oh sinner, sinner,
sinner - oh! Decide aright, and have
eternal life!
But oh! As they float about amongst you, with their
invisible wings of love, to see how you will decide. Watching you as you adjourn to the British School Room, beholding
there the quivering of your mind as it trembles like a magnetic needle, and you
wait; yes, you wait till you get home; but if the angels were permitted to give
utterance they would cry aloud, “Oh!
You are lost. You are lost! And the echo would fly to heaven! Oh, sinner, decide tonight -- decide aright,
and let it be told in the Courts above, that a wave of holy joy may sweep
throughout those blissful regions!
There was a man who
lived in this country, a person of great wealth, who devoted his time and
talents to the cause of benevolence. He
was living for a while in a place where there was a revival of religion, most
of which took place on his property.
Then one evening the minister preached on the rejoicing there is in
heaven over one sinner who repents, when this gentleman got up at the end of
the sermon, and said that he thought the time had come for him to decide.
“Who,” he asked, “dare now commit himself to God?” He then summarized very briefly the points of the sermon, and
seemed to be lost in thought. “Who will
do it?” he said, “shall I? Shall
I...? I will!” he exclaimed, “and let
Gabriel tell it in heaven! I will, and
let Gabriel tell it in heaven!” He then
sat down. It was like a wave of light
gleaming over the people. Ever since
that day, everybody has known his position with regard to religion.
Dying sinner! Will you now say, “I will,
tonight, right now, accept Christ, and let it be written in heaven, that I will
follow Him it forever?”