Part 6
follow them." Revelation 14:13. "And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." 2_Samuel 12:22-23. "But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the {162} word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1_Thessalonians 4:13-18 ASV. (I have found this the most comforting of any single passage in the Word of God.) "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2_Corinthians 5:6-8. "I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better." Philippians 1:23. "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality. "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 1_Corinthians 15:42-44,49, 53-58. The worker must make a study of each individual case, and decide which of the passages given above will be most helpful in the specific case. Sometimes it will be found well to use them all. They should not be merely read, but dwelt upon, and their meaning explained and applied, wherever necessary. In all the reading and the explanation and the application, we must depend upon the Holy Spirit for His wisdom and power. X. CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT. There are many professing Christians in our day who have not definitely received the Holy Spirit. They have not entered into {163} the fulness of joy and peace and power that there is for us in Christ. They are practically in the same condition that the disciples in Ephesus were in until Paul came and put to them the question, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost?" (Acts 19:2) and the position that the believers in Samaria were in until Peter and John came down and "prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: for as yet he was fallen upon none of them," (Acts 8:15-16). There are many today who are inquiring what they must do that they may receive the Holy Ghost, and there are others that ought to be asking this question. The personal worker should know how to show any one who has not received the Holy Spirit just what he must do that he may receive the Holy Spirit. The following are the steps that should be pointed out: 1. _The one who would receive the Holy Ghost must
depend for his acceptance before God upon the finished work of Christ alone, and not upon anything he himself has done or can do._ To make this point clear to the inquirer use Galatians 3:2: "This only would I learn of you, RECEIVED YE THE SPIRIT BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW, OR BY HEARING OF FAITH?" This passage is often interpreted to mean that we receive the Holy Spirit by simply believing that we are going to receive Him. This is not at all the meaning of the passage as found in the context. The Christians in Galatia had been told by certain false teachers that came in among them, that in order to be justified it was not enough to simply believe on Jesus Christ and His finished work, but in addition to this they must keep the Mosaic law regarding circumcision. Paul in the passage before us shows them the folly of this position by appealing to their own experience. He calls to mind the fact that they had received the Holy Ghost not be keeping the Mosaic law, but simply by the hearing of faith, that is by believing God's testimony regarding Christ and His atoning work, and resting in that for pardon. The first step then, toward receiving the Holy Spirit is to turn our eyes entirely away from ourselves, and anything we ever have done or can do, and fix them upon Jesus Christ, and His atoning work on the Cross, and depend upon that finished work of Christ for our pardon and acceptance before God. {164} 2. THE ONE WHO WOULD RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST MUST PUT AWAY ALL SIN. To make this clear to the inquirer use Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, REPENT, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST." This passage makes it clear that in order to receive the Holy Ghost we must repent. Repentance is a change of mind about Christ and a change of mind about sin. It is a change first of all from a Christ-rejecting attitude of mind, to a Christ-accepting attitude of mind. This is involved in what has been already said regarding
the first step, but there must also be a change of mind regarding sin; a change of mind from a sin-loving and sin-indulging attitude of mind to a sin-rejecting attitude of mind, that is, we must renounce all sin. One of the commonest hindrances to the receiving of the Holy Spirit is holding on to some sin. The worker should deal very faithfully at this point with the inquirer. Find out whether there is not some sin in the life that is not renounced. Find if there is not some sin in the past that has not been confessed and straightened out. Instruct the inquirer to go alone with God and ask God to search his heart, and to show him anything in his life that is displeasing to Him. If anything is thus brought to light, insist that it must be renounced. Tell the inquirer that every known sin must be given up. Dwell upon the fact that the Holy Spirit is the HOLY Spirit, and that He will not manifest Himself in His fulness in an unholy heart, that is, in a heart which holds on to sin. 3. THE ONE WHO WOULD RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT MUST SURRENDER HIS WILL ABSOLUTELY TO THE WILL OF GOD. To show this use Acts 5:32: "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM." This passage shows that God gives the Holy Spirit to them that obey Him. Show that the essential thing about obedience is the attitude of the will, and that real obedience involves the absolute surrender of the will to God. Hold the inquirer to the necessity of such an absolute surrender to God. This is the point of difficulty in very many lives. Perhaps more people are kept out of the blessing {165} of the conscious receiving of the Holy Spirit by a lack of absolute surrender than by any other one thing. In many an instance the Holy Spirit is given at once in fulness as soon as one is led to an absolute surrender of the will to God. If one will not thus surrender, there is no use of trying to go further, God will accept no compromise at this point. 4. THE ONE WHO WOULD RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOULD ASK GOD FOR THIS DEFINITE GIFT. To show this to the inquirer, use Luke 11:13:
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?" This tells us plainly that God gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. It can be illustrated by the use of Acts 2:1-4, cf. Acts 1:14; Acts 4:31 and Acts 8:15-16. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house were they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:1-4. (Compare Acts 1:14. "These all CONTINUED WITH ONE ACCORD IN PRAYER and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.") "And WHEN THEY HAD PRAYED, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Acts 4;31. "Who, when they were come down, PRAYED FOR THEM, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus)." Acts 8:15-16. The inquirer should be led at once to definitely seek the filling with the Holy Spirit. It is well to pray with the inquirer then and there for this definite gift. 5. THE FINAL STEP IN RECEIVING THE HOLY GHOST IS SIMPLY FAITH. There are many who take all the steps mentioned thus far, and yet fail of the blessing simply because they do not believe. Mark 11:24 can be used to make this clear: "Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, BELIEVE THAT YE RECEIVE THEM, and ye shall have them." {166} The R.V. of this passage is particularly suggestive. "All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for,
BELIEVE THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED THEM, and ye shall have them." The inquirer should be instructed not to look to his feelings, but to the Word of God, and to believe that he has received whether he has any sensation or experience or not, simply because God has promised in His Word. In a very large proportion of cases, people receive the Holy Ghost simply by believing God's Word, and that their prayer is heard, without any feeling; and afterwards what they believe they "have received" they do actually obtain in personal experience as a conscious possession. Great help will be found in showing the inquirer how to receive by faith, in 1_John 5:14-15: "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARETH US: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE PETITIONS THAT WE DESIRED OF HIM." Make it very clear to the inquirer by the use of this passage that when we ask anything according to the will of God, we know that He heareth us, because the passage says so, and when we know that He heareth us, we know that we have the petitions we have asked of Him, WHETHER WE FEEL IT OR NOT. Then show the inquirer that when we pray for the Holy Spirit we pray for something according to the will of God. The following passages make this clear: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" Luke 11:13. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2:38-39. "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT." Ephesians 5:18. Then have the inquirer kneel down and definitely pray for the Holy Spirit. When he has offered this prayer, ask him if he has received what he sought.
If he is not clear about it, open your Bible to 1_John 5:14-15 and lay it before him and have him read {167} it, and then ask him if he has asked for something according to God's will, and when he says he has, ask him, "What then do you know?" and hold him to it until he says, "I know that God has heard me." Then have him read the 15th verse and ask him, "If you know that God has heard you, what further do you know?" Hold him to it until he says, "I know that I have the petition that I asked of Him." Then ask him, "What do you know you have received?" and hold him to it until, resting upon the simple naked promise of God's Word, he can say, "I know I have received the Holy Ghost." Many are waiting for certain ecstatic experiences of which they have heard others speak. In dealing with an inquirer, do not deny the reality of these experiences, for they doubtless are real in many instances, but show the inquirer that there are no such experiences described in the Bible, that the manifestations of having received the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Bible are a new joy and peace in Christ, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23, and a new and clearer knowledge of Christ, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." John 15:26, and especially new power in service for Christ, And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ... "But YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:4-5,8. "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken were they were assembled together; and they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And WITH GREAT POWER gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." Acts 4:31-33. {168} Also make it clear to the inquirer that the manifestations that result from receiving the Holy Spirit are to be expected not before we believe, but after we believe, after we take by simple faith God's Word. God's way is not first experience and then faith, but first faith resting upon the naked Word of God, and then experience, "Believe THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED, and ye shall have." XI. CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT HAVE VICTORY IN THEIR CHRISTIAN LIFE. There are many professed Christians, and doubtless many who are really saved people, whose lives seem to be lives of constant defeat and discouragement. In dealing with such a person seek to find out what is the cause of defeat. It will be found in one or more of the following points: 1. BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT LEARNED TO REST ABSOLUTELY IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST FOR PARDON AND PEACE. The church is full of people who are looking to something that they themselves can do to find acceptance before God. No one can have a clear, satisfactory and victorious Christian experience who has not learned to rest entirely in the finished work of Christ for pardon. If this is found to be the cause of failure, use Isaiah 53:6, Galatians 3:13, 2_Corinthians 5:21 and similar passages, to show that our sins are pardoned not on account of anything that we have done or can do, but on the account of what Jesus Christ did when He bore our sins in His own body on the Cross. Next show the inquirer that the pardon and peace thus purchased by the atoning blood of Christ, become ours on the simple condition of our believing on Christ. To show this, use the following passages:
"Therefore BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1. "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Romans 4:5. "But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and THE JUSTIFIER OF HIM THAT HATH FAITH IN JESUS. (Romans 3:21-26 ASV) "And be found in him, NOT HAVING MINE OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is of the law, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH THE FAITH OF CHRIST, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Philippians 3:9. In the last passage the Revised Version brings out the thought more clearly than the Authorized. {"And be found in him, NOT HAVING A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MINE OWN, even that which is of the law, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, the righteousness which is from God by faith: (Philippians 3:9 ASV)} 2. BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT SURRENDERED ABSOLUTELY TO THE WILL OF GOD. This is the cause of failure in a very large proportion of cases. If this is found to be the cause of failure in any specific case, use Acts 5:32, and Romans 6:13,19. "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but YIELD YOURSELVES UNTO GOD, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ... "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so NOW YIELD YOUR
MEMBERS SERVANTS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS unto holiness." Romans 6:13,19. 3. BECAUSE OF NEGLECT OF THE STUDY OF THE WORD. If this is the case, use 1_Peter 2:2, Psalm 119:11 and Ephesians 6:17: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11. "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," Ephesians 6:17. 4. BECAUSE OF NEGLECT OF PRAYER. Where this is the case, use 1_Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 22:40 and Isaiah 40:29-31: "And when he was at the place, he said unto them, PRAY THAT YE ENTER NOT INTO TEMPTATION." Luke 22:40. 5. BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO CONSTANTLY CONFESS CHRIST BEFORE MEN. The one who would lead a victorious Christian life must be constantly witnessing for Christ. Make this very plain, and for this purpose use Matthew 10:32-33: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." 6. BECAUSE OF NEGLECT TO WORK FOR CHRIST. One who would lead a victorious life must be constantly at work for the Master. If the cause of failure is at this point, use Matthew 25:29: {170} "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." Explain its meaning by the context. The evident meaning of the passage is that one who uses the talents that he has in the Master's service will get more, but the one who neglects to use the talents he has will lose even those. 7. BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT. There are very many today who are leading lives of constant failure where they might be leading lives of constant victory, simply because they do not even so much as know that it is the privilege of the individual believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit. If this is the case, use Ephesians 5:18, the last half of the verse, and Galatians
5:16,22-23: "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and y shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ... "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Then show the inquirer how to receive the Holy Spirit as explained under the former heading. {171} @15 CHAPTER FIFTEEN SOME HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR PERSONAL WORK A few general suggestions that will be helpful to the personal worker remain to be made. I. AS A RULE, CHOOSE PERSONS TO DEAL WITH OF YOUR OWN SEX. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. One should always be looking to the Holy Spirit for His guidance as to whom to approach, and He may lead us to one of the opposite sex, but unless there is clear guidance in the matter, it is quite generally agreed among those who have had much experience in Christian work that, on the whole, women usually do the most satisfactory work with women, and men with men; especially is this true of the young. It is always a bad sign when a young man is always looking for women to deal with, and a young woman looking for young men to deal with. Many exceedingly unfortunate complications have risen in actual life from young men trying to lead young women to Christ, and vice versa. Of course, an elderly, motherly woman will oftentimes do excellent work with a young man or boy, and an elderly, fatherly man will sometimes do good work with a young woman or girl. II. AS A RULE, CHOOSE PERSONS TO DEAL WITH OF ABOUT YOUR OWN AGE. A young man as a rule can get hold of young men better than any one else can, and a man of mature years can handle a man of his own age better than a young man, or better even than an old man. It is not wise usually for a young and inexperienced person to approach one very much older and maturer and wiser than himself, on such an important subject as this. The older person {172} naturally looks with a good deal of distrust, if not
contempt, upon those much younger than himself. There are, of course, exceptions even to this rule. Frequently a man who has gained wisdom by years, and who has the confidence of people, can do excellent work with a young man or boy. As a rule people do the best work with people of their own class, educated men with educated men, business men with business men, workingmen with workingmen, women of position with women of similar position to themselves. There are many exceptions to this. Many a servant girl has been known to lead her mistress to Christ, and many a laboring man his employer. III. WHENEVER IT IS POSSIBLE, DEAL WITH A PERSON ALONE. No one likes to open his heart freely to another on the most personal and sacred of all subjects, when there are others present. Many will from mere pride defend themselves in a false position when others are present, who would freely admit their error or sin or need if they were alone with you. It is far better for a single worker to deal with a single unconverted person, than for several workers to deal with an inquirer, or a single worker to deal with several inquirers. Nothing can be more unfortunate than for a number of workers to swarm around one poor individual who is trying to find the way of life. If such an individual is a person of any independence of character, he is very likely to feel that he is being hectored and bothered, and for that very reason take an attitude of opposition. If you have several to deal with, it is better if possible to take them one by one. Workers often find that they have made no headway while talking to several at once, but by taking the individuals off by themselves they soon succeed in leading them one by one to Christ. Where two unsaved people are being dealt with at once, oftentimes each is afraid of the other, and they bolster one another up in their false position. IV. LET YOUR RELIANCE BE WHOLLY IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND IN THE WORD OF GOD. HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF. One of the greatest hindrances to successful personal work is selfconfidence. But while there
should be no self-confidence, there should be boldness, boldness that comes from believing in the {173} power of the Holy Ghost, and in the power of the Word of God. No matter with whom you are dealing, or how stubborn he may be, never forget that the Spirit of God and the Word of God have power to break the hardest heart. Be always looking to the Spirit to produce conviction of sin, and expect Him to do it, but let your whole dependence be in Him, and in His Word alone. V. HAVE THE ONE WITH WHOM YOU ARE DEALING READ THE PASSAGE HIMSELF. Do not content yourself with merely reading passages from the Bible, much less with merely quoting them. In this way the truth finds an entrance into the heart through the eye as well as through the ear. It is remarkable how much deeper an impression the Word of God oftentimes makes when it is actually seen with the eyes, than it does when it is merely heard with the ears. Sometimes it is well to have a marked Bible, with the word that you wish especially to impress marked in some striking way so that it will catch the eye, and thus the mind and heart of the reader. VI. IT IS OFTENTIMES WELL TO USE BUT A SINGLE PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE. One verse of Scripture iterated and reiterated will be burned into the memory and will haunt the one with whom you are dealing long after you have left them. I have known a passage to haunt a man for weeks and finally result in his conversion. Do everything in your power to drive it home and clinch it so that the one with whom you are dealing cannot forget it, but will hear it ring in his memory long after your voice has ceased. Dr. Ichabod Spencer tells in his "Pastoral Sketches" of how he dealt with a young man who had many difficulties. Dr. Spencer kept continually quoting the passage, "Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." {2 Corinthians 6:2} The young man tried to get Dr. Spencer off onto something else, but over and over again he kept saying the words, "Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." The young man returned the next day rejoicing in the Lord, and thanking
Dr. Spencer that he had "hammered" him with that text. The words kept ringing in his ears during the night, and he could not rest until he had settled the matter by accepting Christ. {174} It is a good thing when a person can point to some definite verse in the Word of God and say, "I know on the authority of that verse that my sins are forgiven, and that I am a child of God." Indeed it is well never to let persons go until they can point you definitely to the verse in God's Word upon which they rest their hope of salvation. Be sure that they grasp it, so that if Satan comes to them when they are alone, and asks them how they know that they are saved, they can open their Bible to that verse, and put their finger upon it and defy Satan in all his wiles. There are times, however, when a powerful effect is produced by piling up passages along some line until the mind is convinced and the heart conquered. Especially is this true in showing people their need of a Savior, and showing them Jesus as the Savior that they need. VII. ALWAYS HOLD THE PERSON WITH WHOM YOU ARE DEALING TO THE MAIN POINT OF ACCEPTING CHRIST. If he wishes to discuss outside questions, such as the claims of various denominations, or the mode of baptism, or theories of future punishment, or fine points about the higher criticism, or any other question than the central one of his need of a Savior, and Christ the Savior that he needs, tell him these questions are important to take up in their right place and time, but the time to settle them is after he has settled the fundamental question of accepting or rejecting Christ. Many a case has been lost by an inexperienced and foolish worker allowing himself to be involved in a discussion of some side issue which it is utter folly to discuss with an unregenerated person. VIII. BE COURTEOUS. Many well-meaning but indiscreet Christians by their rudeness and impertinence repel those whom they would win to Christ. It is quite possible to be at once perfectly frank and perfectly courteous. You can point out to a man his awful sin and his need of a Savior without insulting
him. Your words may be very searching, while your manner is very gentle and winning, indeed the more gentle and winning your manner is, the deeper your words will go, for they will not stir up the opposition of those with whom {175} you are dealing. Some workers approach those with whom they wish to work in such a manner that the latter at once assume the defensive, and clothe themselves with an armor that it is impossible to penetrate. IX. AVOID UNWARRANTED FAMILIARITIES WITH THOSE WITH WHOM YOU DEAL. I have seen many workers lay their hands upon the shoulders of those with whom they are dealing, or even put their arms around them. Now there are cases in which that is proper and wise. If a man is dealing with an old wrecked and ruined drunkard who thinks he has not a friend in the world, it may be well to place your hand upon his shoulder, or over his shoulder, but one needs to be exceedingly cautious about these matters. A man of fine sensitiveness is repelled when a stranger takes any familiarities with him. This is even more true of a lady of good breeding. I have even seen a male worker so indiscreet as to lay his hand upon a lady's shoulder. There is no place where good breeding counts for more than in personal work. X. BE DEAD IN EARNEST. Only the earnest man can make the unsaved man feel the truth of God's Word. It is well to let the passage we would use with others first sink deep into our own souls. I know of a very successful worker who has for a long time used the one passage, "Prepare to meet thy God," {Amos 4:12} with every one with whom she has dealt. But that passage has taken such complete possession of her own heart and mind that she uses it with tremendous effect. A few passages that have thoroughly mastered us are much better than many passages that we have mastered from some text book. One of the great needs of the day is men and women who are thoroughly in earnest, who are completely possessed with the great fundamental truths of God's Word. The reader of this book is advised to
ponder upon his knees such of the passages suggested in it as he decides to use, until he himself feels their power. We read of Paul that he "ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears." (Acts 20:31.) Genuine earnestness will go further than any skill learned in a training class or from the study of such a book as this. {176} XI. NEVER LOSE YOUR TEMPER WHEN TRYING TO LEAD A SOUL TO CHRIST. How many a case has been lost by the worker losing his temper! Some persons are purposely exasperating, but even such may be won by patient perseverance and gentleness: they certainly cannot be won if you lose your temper, nothing delights them more, or gives them more comfort in their sin. The more irritating they are in their words and actions, the more impressed they will be if you return their insults with kindness. Oftentimes the one who has been the most insufferable will break down in penitence. One of the most insulting men I ever met, afterward became one of the most patient, persistent and effective of workers. XII. NEVER HAVE A HEATED ARGUMENT WITH ONE WHOM YOU WOULD LEAD TO CHRIST. Heated arguments always come from the flesh and not from the Spirit. (Galatians 5:20,22-23.) They arise from pride, and unwillingness to let the other person get the best of you in argument. If you care more about winning him to Christ than you do about winning your case, you will often let the other man think that he has the best of the argument, absolutely refusing to argue. If the one with whom you are talking has mistaken notions that must be removed before he can be led to Christ, show him his error quietly and pleasantly. If the error is not on an essential point, refuse to discuss it at all, and hold the person to the main question. XIII. NEVER INTERRUPT ANY ONE ELSE WHO IS DEALING WITH A SOUL. Too much emphasis cannot be laid upon this point. You may not think the other is doing the work in the wisest way, but if you can do any better, bide your time, and you will have the opportunity. Many an unskilled worker has had some one at the very point of decision, when some meddler, who thought
he was wiser, has broken in and upset the work. Do not even stand by one who is talking to another and listen to what he is saying. Incalculable mischief may be done in this way. The thought of the one who is being dealt with is distracted, his heart is closed up, and a case that might have been won is lost. On the other hand, do not let others interrupt you. Of course, sometimes it is not possible to altogether prevent it, but stop the {177} interruption just as soon as possible. Just a little word plainly but courteously spoken will usually prevent it, but at any cost insist upon being left alone. XIV. DON'T BE IN A HURRY. One of the commonest and gravest faults in Christian work today is haste. We are too anxious for immediate results, and so we do superficial work. It is very noticeable how many of those with whom Christ dealt came out slowly; Nicodemus, Joseph, Peter, and even Paul (though the final step in his case seems very sudden) were cases in point. It was three days even after the personal appearance of Jesus to Paul on the way to Damascus, before the latter came out clearly into the light and openly confessed Christ. (Acts 22:16.) One man with whom slow but thorough work has been done, and who at last has been brought out clearly for Christ and who knows just where he stands and what to do, is better than a dozen with whom hasty work has been done, who think they have accepted Christ, when in reality they have not. It is often a wise policy to plant a truth in a man's heart and leave it to work. The seed on rocky ground springs up quickly, but withers as quickly. XV. GET THE PERSON WITH WHOM YOU ARE DEALING ON HIS KNEES BEFORE GOD. This rule has exceptions. Sometimes it is not possible to get the person to kneel, and sometimes it is not wise; but it is wonderful how many difficulties disappear in prayer, and how readily stubborn people yield when they are brought into the very presence of God Himself. I remember talking with a young woman in an inquiry room for about two hours, and making no apparent headway, but when at last we knelt in prayer, in less than
five minutes she was rejoicing in our Savior. Sometimes it is well to have a few words of prayer before you deal with an individual at all, but of course this is not at all wise in many cases; however, in almost every case it is wise if the person is willing to pray, to have a few words of prayer before you close. If the way of life has been made perfectly clear to the inquirer, have him also lead in prayer. There are those who object to getting an unsaved person to pray, but there is clear Bible warrant for it. Cornelius was not a saved {178} man. This is perfectly clear from Acts 11:14, nevertheless he was sincerely seeking the light, and God sent him word that his prayers had come up for a memorial before Him. Now, any one who is honestly seeking light, even though he has not as yet that knowledge of Jesus that brings salvation, is in practically the same position as Cornelius, and one of the best things to do is to get that one to pray. It is certainly right for a sinner seeking pardon through the atoning blood to pray. (Luke 18:13-14.) Some may say, "One who has no faith has no right to pray." But such a one has faith, his prayer is the first evidence of that faith. (Romans 10:13-14.) XVI. WHENEVER YOU SEEM TO FAIL IN ANY GIVEN CASE, GO HOME AND PRAY OVER IT AND STUDY TO SEE WHY YOU FAILED. NEVER GIVE UP A CASE BECAUSE OF ONE FAILURE. If you have been at a loss to know what Scripture to use, study this book to see the different classes we meet and how to deal with them, and find out where this person belongs and how to deal with him, and then go back if you can, and try again. In any case you will be better prepared for the next case of the same kind. The greatest success in this work comes through many apparent defeats. It will be well to frequently study these hints and suggestions, and see if your failure has come through neglect of them. But be sure to take to God in prayer the case in which you yourself have failed. XVII. BEFORE PARTING WITH THE ONE WHO HAS ACCEPTED CHRIST, BE SURE TO GIVE HIM DEFINITE INSTRUCTIONS AS TO HOW TO SUCCEED IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. These instructions will be found at the close of
Chapter Five. It is well to give these instructions in some permanent form. For this purpose two tracts have been written by the author of this book, one called "The Christian Life Card," and the other "How to Make a Success of the Christian Life." Either of these can be secured from the Bible Institute Colportage Association, Chicago. XVIII. WHEN YOU HAVE LED ANY ONE TO CHRIST, FOLLOW HIM UP AND HELP HIM IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS CHRISTIAN LIFE. There is nothing sadder in Christian work today than the number who are led to Christ, and then neglected. Such are almost {179} certain to get on very poorly. No greater mistake could be possible. The work of following up those who are converted is as important as the work of leading them to Christ, and as a rule no one can do it so well as the person who has been used in their conversion. All the methods of dealing in personal work, given in the foregoing chapters, will suggest texts and lines of thought for helpful sermons.