“By All Means, Save Some”

A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY MORNING, APRIL 26, 1874,

BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"That I might, by all means, save some." 1 Corinthians 9:22.

THE Apostle speaks very broadly and talks about saving men. Some of our
extremely orthodox Brothers would say at once, "You save men? How can
man do that? The expression is inaccurate in the extreme. Is not
salvation of the Lord from first to last? How can you, Paul, dare to
speak of saving some?" Yet Peter spoke very much like this when he
said, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." Indeed, the
expression is a little more bold, if anything, and if Peter were alive
now he would be called to account. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he said
to him, "Take heed unto yourself, and unto the doctrine; continue in
them: for in doing this you shall both save yourself and them that hear
you." This is another instance of language used in a popular sense by a
man who had not the fear of critics before his eyes.

The Apostle did not intend to insinuate that he could save anybody by
his own power and no one thought that he could. He used expressions
without guarding them because he was writing to people who mixed candor
with their knowledge of doctrine and would not willfully misunderstand
him. He did not write for those who must have all the creed in every
sermon and require all statements of the Truth of God to be cut into
one shape. The doctrine that salvation is of God, alone, and is the
work of the Holy Spirit was dear to him as life, itself, and having
often proclaimed it, he was not afraid of being misunderstood.

Our testimony, also, has, for many years, been clear upon this point,
and therefore we shall venture to be as accurately inaccurate as was
the Apostle–and to speak of saving souls and winning souls after the
manner of ordinary speech. The expression used gives great prominence
to instrumentality and this is the use and habit of Scripture. There is
not much danger, just now, of exaggerating the power of instrumentality
and looking to men instead of their Master. The danger seems to lie in
the opposite direction–in the habit of depreciating both an organized
Church and a recognized ministry. We have frequently heard it said of
certain revivals that no particular person was engaged in them, neither
evangelist nor minister had a hand in the work. This is thought to be a
recommendation but, indeed, it is not.

I fear that many hopeful beginnings have come to a sudden collapse
because faithful and holy ministers have been despised and a slur has
been cast upon ordinary instrumentalities. Men talk thus under the
notion that they are honoring God, but they are off the track
altogether–for God still owns and blesses His chosen ministers and is
honored thereby. And as He still works by them He would not have us
speak disparagingly of them. The topic of this morning is this–it has
pleased God to save souls by His people and, therefore, He places in
them a sacred longing to save some by all means. He might, if He had
pleased, have called all His chosen to Himself by a Voice out of the
excellent Glory, just as He called Saul, the Persecutor.

Or He might have commissioned angels to fly throughout the length and
breadth of the world and carry the message of mercy. But in His
inscrutable wisdom He has been pleased to bring men to Himself by men.
The Atonement is complete and the Spirit's power is fully given–all
that is needed is that men be led to believe for the salvation of their
souls–and this part of salvation is accomplished by the Holy Spirit
through the ministries of men! Those who have, themselves, been
quickened, are sent to prophesy upon the dry bones. In order that this
Divine arrangement may be carried out, the Lord has implanted in the
hearts of all genuine Believers a passion for the salvation of souls.
In some this is more lively than in others, but it ought to be a
leading feature in the character of every Christian.

I shall speak upon this sacred instinct and deal with it thus–First,
why is it implanted in us? Secondly, how does it exercise itself?
Thirdly, why is it not more largely manifested? And fourthly, how can
it be quickened and made more practically efficient?

I. WHY IS THIS PASSION FOR SAVING OTHERS IMPLANTED IN THE BREASTS OF
THE SAVED? For three reasons, I think, among many others. Namely, for
God's Glory, for the good of the Church, and for the profiting of

the individual. It is implanted there, first, for God's Glory. It is
greatly to the Glory of God that He should use humble instruments for
the accomplishment of His grand purposes. When Quintin Matsys had
executed a certain wonderful well-cover in iron, it was the more
notable as a work of art because he had been deprived of the proper
tools while he was executing it, for I think he had little more than
his hammer with which to perform that wonderful feat in metal.

Now, when we look at God's work of Divine Grace in the world, it
glorifies Him the more when we reflect that He has achieved it by
instruments which, in themselves, would rather hinder than promote His
work. No man among us can help God! It is true He uses us, but He could
do better without us than with us! By the direct Word of power He could
do, in a moment, that which, through the weakness of the instrument,
now takes months and years–yet He knows best how to glorify His own
name. He puts a longing to save others into our souls, that He may get
Glory by using us, even us who have little fitness for such work except
this passion which He has implanted in our breasts. He graciously uses
even our weak points and makes our very infirmities to illustrate the
Glory of His Grace–blessing our poorest sermons, prospering our most
feeble efforts–and driving us to see results even from our stray
words.

The Lord glorifies Himself by making our feebleness to be the vehicle
of His power–and to this end He makes us pant for a work far out of
our reach–and sets our hearts a-longing to "save some." It brings
Glory to God, also, that He should take sinful men such as we are and
make us partakers of His Nature–He does this by giving us fellowship
in His heart of compassion–communion in His overflowing love. He
kindles in our breasts the same fire of love which glows in His own
bosom. In our own little way we look down upon the prodigal sons and
see them a great way off, and have compassion on them, and would gladly
fall on their necks and kiss them. The Lord loves men, however, after a
holy fashion. He desires their sanctification and their salvation by
that means. And when we desire the good of our fellow men by means of
their conversion, we are walking side by side with God. Every real
philanthropist is a copy of the Lord Jesus, for though it is too low a
term to apply to His infinite excellence, yet, truly, the Son of God is
the grandest of all philanthropists!

Now, that God should, by the power of His matchless Grace, produce in
such cold hearts as ours a burning passion for the salvation of others
is a singular proof of His Omnipotent power in the world of the mind.
To change sinful men so that they pant after the increase of holiness!
To render stubborn wills eager for the spread of obedience and to make
wandering hearts earnest for the establishment of the abiding kingdom
of the Redeemer–this is a mighty feat of the Divine Grace of God! That
a perfect angel should cleave the air to perform His message is a
simple enough matter–but that a Saul of Tarsus, who foamed at the
mouth with enmity to Christ–should live and die for the winning of
souls to Jesus is a memorable illustration of the Grace of God!

In this way the Lord gets great Glory over the archenemy, the Prince of
the power of the air, for He can say to Satan, "I have defeated you,
not by the sword of Michael, but by the tongues of men. I have
conquered you, O you enemy, not with thunderbolts, but with the earnest
words and prayers and tears of these, My humble servants. O My
adversary, I have pitted against you feeble men and women, into whom I
have put the love of souls, and these have torn away from you province
after province of your dominions! These have snapped the fetters of the
bandaged ones. These have burst open the prison doors of those who were
your captives." How illustriously is this Truth of God seen when the
Lord seizes the ringleaders of Satan's army and transforms them into
captains of His own host! Then is the enemy smitten in the house of his
former friends!

Satan desired to sift Peter as wheat, but Peter sifted him in return on
the day of Pentecost! Satan made Peter deny his Master, but when
restored, Peter loved his Lord all the more–and all the more earnestly
did he proclaim his Master's name and Gospel! The fury of the foe
recoils on himself! Love conquers and where sin abounded Grace does
much more abound! As for Saul, who persecuted the saints, did not he
become the Apostle of Christ to the Gentiles, laboring more than any
other for the good cause? Beloved, the ultimate triumph of the Cross
will be the more admirable because of the manner of its achievement!
Good will conquer evil–not by the assistance of governments and the
arms of potentates, not by the prestige of bishops and popes and all
their pompous array–but by hearts that burn, souls that glow, eyes
that weep and knees that bend in wrestling prayer! These are the
artillery of God! By using such weapons as these He not only foils His
foes, but triumphs over them–confounding the mighty by the weak, the
wise by the simple–and the things which are by the things which are
not!

Next, the passion for saving souls is implanted for the Church's
good–and that in a thousand ways, of which I can only mention a few.
First there can be no doubt that the passion for winning souls expends
the Church's energy in a healthy manner. I have observed that Churches
which do not care for the outlying population speedily suffer from
disunion and strife. There is a certain quantity of steam generated in
the community–and if we do not let it off in the right way, it will
work in the wrong way–or blow up altogether and do infinite mischief.
Men's minds are sure to work and their tongues to move–and if they are
not employed for good purposes they will assuredly do mischief! You
cannot unite a Church so completely as by calling out all its forces
for accomplishing the Redeemer's grand object. Talents unused are sure
to rust and this kind of rust is a deadly poison to peace–a bitter
irritant which eats into the heart of the Church. We will, therefore,
by all means, save some, lest by some other means we become disunited
in heart.

This passion for saving souls not only employs, but also draws forth
the strength of the Church. It awakens her latent energies and arouses
her noblest faculties. With so Divine a prize before her, she girds up
her robes for the race–and with her eyes upon her Lord, presses
forward to the goal. Many a commonplace man has been rendered great by
being thoroughly absorbed by a noble pursuit–and what can be nobler
than turning men from the road which leads to Hell? Perhaps some of
those ignoble souls who have lived and died like dumb, driven cattle,
might have reached the majesty of great fires if a supreme intent had
fired them with heroic zeal and developed their concealed endowments.
Happy is the man whose task is honorable, if he does but honorably
fulfill it. Lo, God has given to His Church the work of conquering the
world, the plucking of brands from the burning, the feeding of His
sheep and lambs! And this it is which trains the Church to deeds of
daring and to nobility of soul.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, this common passion for souls knits us
together! How often do I feel a fresh bond of union with my beloved
Brethren and fellow workers when I find that I was the means of the
conviction of a sinner, whom one of them comforted and led to the
Savior? And thus we have a joint possession in the convert! Sometimes I
have been blest of God to the salvation of my hearer, but that hearer
was first brought here by yonder friend–and so we become sharers in
the joy! Communion in service and success welds the saints together and
is one of the best securities for mutual love. And, moreover, when new
converts are brought into the Church, the fact that they are brought in
by instrumentality tends to make their fusion with the Church an easy
matter.

It is in this case much the same as with our families. If God had been
pleased to create each of us as individual men and women and drop us
down somewhere on the earth. And if were left to find our way to
somebody's house and unite with his family, I daresay we should have
had to wander long before we should have been welcomed! But now we come
as little ones to those who rejoice to see us! And they sing, "Welcome,
welcome, little stranger!" We become, at once, parts of the family
because we have parents and brothers and sisters–and these make no
debate about our introduction and consider it no trouble to receive
us–though I fear we have never duly rewarded them for their pains.

So is it in the Church–if God had converted all men one by one, by His
Spirit, without instrumentality, they would have been separate grains
of sand, hard to unite into a building and there would have been much
difficulty in forming them into one body. But now we are born into the
Church, and the pastor and others look upon those converted under their
instrumentality as their own children whom they love in the Lord. And
the Church, having shared in the common service by which they are
converted, feels, "These belong to us, these are our reward." And so
they are taken cordially into the Christian family. This is no small
benefit, for it is at once the joy and the strength of the Church to be
made one by vital forces, by holy sympathies and fellowships.

We have spiritual fathers among us whom we love in the Lord and
spiritual children whose welfare is our deepest concern. We have
Brothers and Sisters to whom we have been helpful, or who have been
helpful to us, whom we cannot but commune with in heart. As a common
desire to defend their country welds all the regiments of an army into
one, so the common desire to save souls makes all true Believers akin
to each other! But this passion is most of all for the good of the
individual possessing it. I will not try, this morning, to sum up, in
the short time allotted to me, the immense benefits which come to a man
through his laboring for the conversion of others, but I will venture
this assertion–no man or woman in the Church of God is in a healthy
state if he or she is not laboring to save some.

Those who are laid aside by suffering are taking their part in the
economy of the household of Christ. But with that exception, he that
does not work, neither shall he eat. He that does not water others is
not watered himself. And he who cares not for the souls of others may
well stand in jeopardy about his own. To long for the conversion of
others makes us

Godlike! Do we desire man's welfare? God does! Would we gladly snatch
them from the burning? God is daily performing this deed of Divine
Grace! Can we say that we have no pleasure in the death of him that
dies? Jehovah has declared the like with an oath! Do we weep over
sinners? Did not Jehovah's Son weep over them? Do we lay out ourselves
for their conversion? Did He not die that they might live?

You are made Godlike when this passion glows within your spirit. This
is a vent for your love to God as well as your love to men. Loving the
Creator, we pity His fallen creatures and feel a benevolent love
towards the work of His hands. If we love God, we feel as He does, that
judgment is strange work and we cannot bear that those whom He has
created should be cast away forever. Loving God makes us sorrow that
all men do not love Him, too. It frets us that the world lies in the
Wicked One, at enmity to its own Creator, at war with Him who, alone,
can bless it. O Beloved, you do not love the Lord at all unless you
love the souls of others!

Trying to bring others to Christ does us good by renewing in us our old
feelings and reviving our first love. When I see an inquirer penitent
for sin, I remember the time when I felt as he is feeling. And when I
hear the seeker for the first time say, "I do believe in Jesus," I
remember the birthday of my own soul, when the bells of my heart rang
out their merriest peals because Jesus Christ had come to dwell within
me! Soul-winning keeps the heart lively and preserves our warm youth to
us! It is a mighty refresher to decaying love. If you feel the chill of
skepticism stealing over you and begin to doubt the Gospel's power, go
to work among the poor and ignorant, or comfort souls in distress. And
when you see the brightness of their countenances as they obtain joy
and peace in believing, your skepticism will fly like chaff before the
wind!

You must believe in the cause when you see the result! You cannot help
believing when the evidence is before your eyes! Work for Jesus keeps
us strong in faith and intense in love to Him. Does not this holy
instinct draw forth all the faculties of a man? One strong passion will
frequently bring the whole man into play, like a skillful minstrel
whose hand brings music from every chord. If we love others, we shall,
like Paul, become wise to attract them, wise to persuade them, wise to
convince them, wise to encourage them. We shall learn the use of means
which had lain rusted and discover in ourselves talents which otherwise
had been hidden in the ground if the strong desire to save men had not
cleared away the soil!

And I will add here that love to souls will, in the end, bring to
everyone who follows it up, the highest joy beneath the stars. What is
that? It is the joy of knowing that you have been made the spiritual
parent of others! I have tasted of this stream full often, by God's
Grace, and it is Heaven below! The joy of being saved one's self has a
measure of selfishness about it, but to know that your fellow men are
saved by your efforts brings a joy pure, disinterested and heavenly–of
which we may drink the deepest draughts without injury to our spirits.
Yield yourselves, Brothers and Sisters, to the Divine appetite for
doing good! Be possessed with it and eaten up by it–and the best
results must follow! Let this be, from now on, your aim, "That I may,
by all means, save some."

II. How DOES THIS PASSION EXERCISE ITSELF? Differently in different
persons, and at different periods. At first it shows itself by tender
anxiety. The moment a man is saved he begins to be anxious about his
wife, his child, or his dearest relative. And that anxiety leads him,
at once, to pray for them. As soon as the newly opened eye has enjoyed
the sweet light of the Sun of Righteousness it looks lovingly round on
those who were its companions in darkness–and then gazes up into
Heaven with a tearful prayer that they, also, may receive their sight.
Hungry ones, while they are eating the first mouthful at the banquet of
Free Grace, groan and say, "Oh, that my poor starving children could be
here to feed on the Savior's love with me."

Compassion is natural to the new-born nature–as common humanity makes
us pity the suffering–so renewed humanity makes us pity the sinful.
This, I say, happens at the very dawn of the new life. Further on in
the heavenly pilgrimage this passion manifests itself in the intense
joy exhibited when news reaches us of the conversion of others. I have
often seen, at Church meetings and missionary meetings, a hearty and
holy joy spread throughout an audience when some new convert, or
returned missionary, or successful minister, has given details of the
wonders of Saving Grace. Many a poor girl who could do but little for
the Savior has, nevertheless, shown what she would have done if she
could, by the tears of joy which have streamed down her cheeks when she
has heard that sinners have been led to Jesus. This is one of the ways
in which those who can personally do little can share in the joy of the
most useful, yes, can have fellowship with Jesus Himself!

The hallowed instinct of soul-winning also shows itself in private
efforts, sacrifices, prayers and agonies for the spread of the Gospel.
Well do I remember when I first knew the Lord, how restless I felt till
I could do something for others. I did not know that I could speak to
an assembly and I was very timid as to conversing upon religious
subjects. And therefore I wrote little notes to different persons
setting forth the way of salvation. I dropped these written letters
with printed tracts into the post, or slipped them under the doors of
houses, or dropped them into areas–praying that those who read them
might be aroused as to their sins and moved to flee from the wrath to
come. My heart would have burst if it could not have found some vent!

I wish that all professors kept up their first zeal and were diligent
in doing little things as well as greater things for Jesus, for often
the lesser agencies turn out to be as effectual as those which operate
upon a larger area. I hope that all of you young people who have been
lately added to the Church are trying some mode of doing good, suitable
for your capacity and position, that, by all means, you may save some!
A word may often bless those whom a sermon fails to reach. And a
personal letter may do far more than a printed book. As we grow older
and are more qualified, we shall take our share in the more public
agencies of the Church. We shall speak for Jesus before the few who
meet at the cottage Prayer Meeting. We shall pray with, as well as for
our families, or we shall enlist in the Sunday school, or take a tract
district. Ultimately the Lord may call us to plead His cause before
hundreds or thousands–and so beginning with littles our latter end, by
His Grace, shall greatly increase.

There is one point in which zeal for the salvation of others will show
itself in all who possess it, namely, in adapting ourselves to the
condition and capacity of others for their good. Notice this in Paul.
He became all things to all men, if by any means he might save some. He
became a Jew to the Jews. When he met with them he did not rail at
their ceremonies, but endeavored to bring out their spiritual meaning.
He did not preach against Judaism, but showed them Jesus as the
Fulfillment of its types. When he met with a heathen he did not revile
his gods, but taught him the true God and salvation by His Son. He did
not carry about with him one sermon for all places, but adapted his
speech to his audience.

What a very wonderful address that was which Paul delivered to the
council of philosophers upon Mars' Hill. It is most courteous
throughout and it is a pity that our translation somewhat destroys that
quality, for it is eminently conspicuous in the original. The Apostle
began by saying, "You men of Athens, I perceive that you are, on all
points, very God-fearing." He did not say, "Too superstitious," as our
version has it! That would have needlessly provoked them at the outset.
He went on to say, "For as I passed through the city and observed your
sacred things, I found an altar bearing the inscription, 'To an unknown
God.' What, therefore, you worship without knowing it, that I announce
unto you."

He did not say, "Whom you ignorantly worship." He was far too prudent
to use such an expression! They were a collection of thoughtful men, of
cultured minds–and he aimed at winning them by courteously declaring
to them the Gospel. It was most skillful on his part to refer to that
inscription upon the altar and equally so to quote from one of their
own poets. If he had been addressing Jews, he would neither have quoted
from a Greek poet nor referred to a heathen altar–his intense love for
his hearers taught him to merge his own peculiarities in order to
secure their attention.

In the same manner we also sink ourselves and instead of demanding that
others submit to us, we cheerfully submit to them in all unessential
matters, that we may gain their favorable consideration of the claims
of Jesus. Mark you, there was never a man more stern for principle than
Paul. In things where it was necessary to take his stand he was firm as
a rock. But in merely personal and external matters he was the servant
of all. Adaptation was his forte. Beloved, if you have to talk to
children, be children–do not expect them to be men. Think their
thoughts, feel their feelings and put truth into their words. You will
never get at their hearts till your heart is in sympathy with their
childhood. If you have to comfort the aged, enter, also, into their
infirmities and do not speak to them as if they were still in the full
vigor of life. Study persons of all ages and be as they are–that they
may be led to be Believers–as you are.

Are you called to labor among the educated? Then choose out excellent
words and present them apples of gold in baskets of silver. Do you work
among the illiterate? Let your words be as goads–speak their mother
tongue, use great plainness of speech so that you may be
understood–for what good is it to speak to them in an unknown tongue?
Are you cast among people with strange prejudices? Do not unnecessarily
spar with them, but take them as you find them. Are you seeking the
conversion of a person of slender understanding? Do not inflict upon
him the deeper mysteries, but show

him the plain man's pathway to Heaven in words which he who runs may
read! Are you talking with a friend who is of a sorrowful spirit? Tell
him of your own depressions. Enter into his griefs and so raise him up
as you were raised. Like the good Samaritan, go where the wounded man
lies and do not expect him to come to you.

A real passion for winning souls reveals the many sides of our manhood
and uses each one as a reflector of the Divine light of Truth. There is
a door to each man's heart and we have to find it and enter it with the
right key, which is to be found somewhere or other in the Word of God.
All men are not to be reached in the same way, or by the same
arguments–and as we are, by all means, to save some, we must be wise
to win souls–wise with wisdom from above. We desire to see them
conquered for Christ, but no warrior always uses the same
strategy–there is, for one, open assault, for another a siege–for a
third an ambush, for a fourth a long campaign.

On the sea there are great rams which run down the enemy, torpedoes
under water, gunboats and steam frigates. One ship is broken up by a
single blow. Another needs a broadside. A third must have a shot
between wind and water. A fourth must be driven on shore. Even thus
must we adapt ourselves and use the Sacred Force entrusted to us with
grave consideration and solemn judgment, looking ever to the Lord for
guidance and for power. All the real power is in the Lord's hands! We
must put ourselves fully at the disposal of the Divine Worker, that He
may work in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure–so shall
we, by all means, save some.

III. WHY IS NOT THIS PASSION MORE LARGELY DEVELOPED AMONG CHRISTIANS?
The preacher needs

not answer that question–each of his hearers may do that for himself.
Why is it that we do not yearn more over the perishing souls of men? Is
it not that we have but very little Grace? We are dwarfish Christians
with little faith, little love, little care for the Glory of God–and
therefore with little concern for perishing sinners. We are spiritually
naked and poor. We are spiritually miserable when we might be rich and
increased in goods if we had but more faith. That is the secret of the
matter and is the fountain of all the mischief.

But if we must come to particulars, do you not think that men are
careless about the souls of others because they have fallen into
one-sided views of Gospel doctrines and have turned the Doctrines of
Grace into a couch for idleness to rest upon? "God will save His own,"
they say. Yes, but His own do not talk in that fashion. They are not
like Cain, who said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Unquestionably the
Lord will see that His own elect are called in due season, but He will
do this by the preaching or teaching of the Word. Predestination is not
a legitimate reason for inaction! Men do not consider it so in other
matters, why, then, in religion? Except the Lord prospers us in
business all our efforts are in vain–and yet we do not say–"I shall
have as many pounds in my pocket as God intends I shall have, and
therefore I need not work or trade."

No, men save their fatalism to play the fool only with spiritual
things! In all other things they are not such idiots as to suffer
predestination to paralyze their minds! But here, since idleness needs
an excuse for itself, they dare to abuse this sacred Truth of God to
cripple their consciences! In some professors downright worldliness
prevents their seeking the conversion of others. They are too fond of
gain to care for saving souls, too busy about their farms to sow the
seed of the Kingdom, too much occupied with their shops to hold up the
Cross before the sinner's eyes, too full of worldly care to care for
the salvation of the lost! Covetousness eats up the very soul of many.
They have far more business than they can manage without injury to
their spiritual health–and yet they are eager after more. Prayer
Meetings are neglected, the class in the school is given up, efforts
for the poor and ignorant are never made–and all because they are so
taken up with the world and its cares. This age is peculiarly tempted
in that direction and it needs strong piety to be able to love the
souls of men practically.

With some I fear that the cause of indifference is lack offaith. They
do not believe that God will bless their efforts and, therefore, they
make none. They have a vivid recollection of far-gone times when they
tried to be useful and failed. So, instead of past failure being made a
reason for double exertion in the present, to make up for lost time,
they have given up labor for the Lord as a bad case and do not attempt
anything more. It is to be feared that with many Church members the
reason for the absence of this passion is that they love ease and are
worm-eaten with indolence. They say, "Soul, take your ease! Eat, drink,
and be merry. Why trouble yourself about others?" "Send the multitude
away," said the disciples. They did not want to be worried with them.

True, the people were very hungry and weary and it was a painful thing
to see them fainting. But it was easier to forget their needs than to
relieve them! London is perishing–millions are dying in their sins!
The world still lies in the

Wicked One and Sloth calls Forgetfulness to her aid to ignore the whole
matter! Such people do not want to be made uncomfortable–neither do
they wish to spend and be spent for the glory of Christ. The secret of
it all is that the great majority of Christians are out of sympathy
with God and out of communion with Christ. Is not this an evil? O eyes
that never wept over dying men, do you expect to see the King in His
beauty? O hearts that never throbbed with anxiety for those that are
going down to the Pit–do you hope to leap for joy at the Master's
coming? O lips that never speak for Jesus, how will you answer to the
searching questions of the Last Great Day?

I beseech you, Christian people, if you have grown indifferent to the
conversion of those around you, search out the secret reason! Find what
is the worm at the root of your piety–and in the name of Christ seek
to be delivered from it!

IV. How CAN THIS PASSION BE MORE FULLY AROUSED? First, it can be done
by our obtaining a higher life. The better man shall do the better
deed–the stronger in Divine Grace, the stronger to save some. I do not
believe in a man's trying to pump himself up beyond his level. The man
must be up and then all that comes out of the man will have risen. If
love to God glows in your soul, it must show itself in your concern for
others. Make the tree good and the fruit will be good. It will not do
for you to begin a more earnest career by stimulating yourself to a
hectic zeal which will come and go like the flush on the consumptive's
cheek–the life within must be permanently strengthened–and then the
pulsing of the heart and the motion of the whole man will be more
vigorous.

More Divine Grace is our greatest need. This being granted, it will
greatly help us to care for the conversion of sinners if we are fully
cognizant of their misery and degradation. How differently one feels
after seeing with ones own eyes the poverty, filth and vice of this
city. I wish some of you respectable people who have never seen any
part of London except the broad thoroughfares, would take a stroll down
the courts which open into the narrow side streets. I would like you to
go down courts such as Queen Victoria never saw, and alleys far from
green. Ladies, you may leave some of that finery at home. And
Gentlemen, you may put away your pocket handkerchiefs and your purses,
unless you would like to empty them out among the wretched beings you
will meet.

There are sights to be seen close to our own homes which might well
make our hearts bleed and harrow up our spirits. When you have seen
them, you will begin to feel aright towards the sinful. We sit at home
comfortably at our fires in the winter time and think the weather is
not so very cold. But if we go out and see the poor shivering in their
rags, or find them cowering over their empty grates, we begin to think
that cold is a greater evil than we dreamed! We come here, to this
place of worship, and while we are listening to the Word we forget the
destitution of those who hear it not. Why, at this very moment around
the doors of the gin palaces and public houses of London there are
thousands standing waiting till the blessed hour of one–when they can
obtain the cheering draught which their souls thirst after! The
assemblies now tarrying for the god Bacchus can be counted by the
thousands!

What have these men been doing with the Sabbath hours up till now?
Reading the Sunday newspaper, lying in bed, or loafing about their
little gardens in their shirt sleeves. That is the occupation of
hundreds of thousands this day all around us and at our doors! Have we
done our best to bring them to the House of Prayer? Hundreds of
thousands near by have never heard the Gospel in their lives–and never
think of entering places where it is preached! Of course, if they had
lived in Calcutta we should have thought about them! Because they are
living in London close to us shall we neglect them?

One of the best things that could be done for us all would be to go
round to houses in the worst parts of the city for one week with a city
Missionary. Then we might see for ourselves what is to be seen! Then
would sin and poverty become palpable and stand out in grim reality!
Your fellow countrymen, men born of women who are of the same flesh and
blood as yourselves–are living in daily neglect of your dear Savior,
living in jeopardy of their immortal souls–if you did but realize this
it would quicken you, by all means, to save some! Brethren, the
strongest argument I have ever seen for the doctrine of the eternity of
future punishment is an argument which is often used against it. They
say, "If the eternity of future punishment is true, we wonder that
believers in it can rest in their beds, or eat their meals–for the
truth is so horrible that it ought to stir them to incessant efforts to
deliver others from going into this boundless misery."

It is true and spoken of by a Prophet, and that is one reason why I
believe the doctrine, because it has a tendency, if anything has, to
move us to compassion and rouse us to action. If the advocate of other
views is prepared to teach me a doctrine which will make me think more
lightly of sin and make me feel more easy about the damnation of my
fellow men, I do not want his doctrine, for I am too careless now, and
have a dread of being more so! If, with the most terrible

argument for incessant sorrow for the ruin of the souls of my hearers,
I cannot be as tender as I would, what should I be if I could lay the
flattering unction to my soul that, after all, it was of smaller
consequence than I had thought whether they were damned or saved? Ah,
dear Friends, can you bear to think of it, that all around you there
are men and women who will, in a few years, suffer the terrible wrath
of God and be banished forever from His Presence? If you could but
realize Hell and its horrors, you might be stirred, by all means, to
save some.

Many other things might move us, but certainly this last ought to do
it. A sense of our own solemn obligations to the Grace of God should
arouse all our energies. If we are what we profess to be–saved men
redeemed by the heart's blood of the Son of God–do we not owe
something to Christ for this? Shall we be easy till we have found many
jewels for His crown? Can we be content while so many myriads are
ignorant of Him, or opposed to Him? If you love Him, what will you do
for Him? Show Him a proof of your love–and the best proof you can give
is your own personal holiness and persevering effort to gather in His
redeemed. Brother, Sister, do something for Jesus! Do not talk about
it–do it!

Words are leaves–actions are fruits. Do something for Jesus! Do
something for Jesus, today! Before the sun goes down think of some one
action which may tend to the conversion of some one person–and do it
with all your might! Let the object of the effort be your child, your
servant, your brother, your friend–but make the effort today! Having
done it today, do it tomorrow and every day–and doing it in one way,
do it another way! And doing it in one state of heart, do it in
another! Let your joy enchant, let your sorrow arouse, let your hope
attract! Let your changeful moods help you to attack sinners from
different quarters, as your varying circumstances bring you into
contact with differing persons.

Be always awake! Turn yourself about like a gun on a swivel to reach
persons who are found in any direction–so that some may fall wounded
by the Gospel's power. By all means, save some! God grant it may be so!
And, oh, that some might be saved this morning by simply believing in
Christ Jesus, for that is the way of salvation! Jesus puts away sin
wherever there is a simple trust in Him! May seekers exercise that
trust now and live forever. Amen.
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