5
THE BOPLtrl TIMES, KZNANSVILLE, N. C, THCRC3AT, J."
iJ X
. c' TOow t uw to my dream that the two men
went in it Ut sate; and 1 u they catered, they
were truiifUimdi and they had rsswsal put in.
them that ihaaa like gold. The streets alao were
paved with fold: aad s tbses walked many men -I-
'wiihad myuU ament them,'' So reed n-rear-oM
Slnier-CoaMMmr Philip Pailbpe te hla email ton. .
J wUhd myself assoag them." FeJUtpe muted.
Be read the Unae Main. la that paragraph of John
, Bunytn'i "Pilgrims ProfPMt" lay the theme for a
hymn. Phillip made' no elaim to being a poet, to
ha eopled the Unei and aant them to Poeteaa Ellen
Huntington Gatet. in New York, with the tugges-1
tion she write tome vertee he might let to music.
Born on a farm in Chautauqua County, New
York, In ISM, Philip Phlilipt began tinging in pub
lic when he tu 5 yeart old. At 16 he lead a
church eboir. At 19 he taught music At 21 he
wu publishing hit own tongt, going from house to
bonne tinging and telling his wares. When the Gos
pel Song nude Itt ritbtit, during the 1850s, Phillips
took hit mlonon to New York City and sang the.
gospel on tret comers to any who would listen.
,
MORE THAN to any other Individual, the Gos
pel Song owet its early popularity to Philip Phil-.
lipt. Before ha wu 40. "The Singing Pilgrim" as
he became known literally sang hii way around
the world He Introduced the Gospel Song and sold t
bis song hooks all over America, Europe, Australia
I will lino you a song of that beautiful land.
The far-away home of the soul, '
Whir no storms ever beat on the glittering strand
Wliile the years of eternity roll.
Oh mat home of the soul! In my visions and dream?
It bright, jasper walls I eon see;
Till I fancv but thinly the veil Intervenes
0
Between the fair city and me.
TheGmsfiun Viewpoint
Prepared By lSepartment of Bible
PRESBYTERIAN JUNIOR COLLEGE
Maxton. N. C.
"Fast Falls The Eventide" la the Lyte: - "fast falls the eventide:
title of a painting by B. W. Leader,
K. A;, which is owned by the city
of Liverpool, England. A reproduc
tion hangs in the college reception
room. It is an English sunset scene
, giving the impression of quietness
and peace. As I looked at it this
morning I was thinking of the new
year before us, and the title brought
to my mind the words of the great
hymn written in 1847 by Henry F.
,000000000001
For Sale
. SASH, DOORS, SHEET-
l3 ROCk WOOL, PLAST
er, lime, cement,
brick, mortar,
paints, terra-cot-ta
pipe, drain tile,
white asbestos si-
ding, asphalt
shingles, all kind
roll roofing, 5-v
crimp tin roofing,
And BRICK SIDING
ROCK, ROCK LATH
Z.J. CARTER &S0II
WALLACE, N. C
IOOOOOOOOOOOC
nooooooooooooflooooooooooo
1 eafi fcrntiMg J
2 o
g HICKORY SMOKING O
o Lockers -Storage - processing
o
on o n n 'n.-i.S
o
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DHL it frozen rooass
Z WALLACE, N.C O
ooooooooooooooooooooooooi
All" OUAJr?
v ? " ' CvK
X N s" . JPA
, ' : rRODUCTS .
' . V- ""?.fZ7at'K , WMBERTOH. N. C
. x . ,: f-. ;v.'!i;,?.:!:;,;.l:srt '
BV , LINT A BOW NCR
Home Of The
4 afier reads a story to his
and Asia and blared the way for inch greats aa
Philip Bliai and Ira Sankey..
. Aa the "Sieging Pilgrim," Phillips lave 4000
"ton; aervieee" far efcertty alone and filled 100 en
gagemeatf for the tMo Sunday School Conven
tion. On Feb. M, lMt. ho uag EUm Gates' "Your
Mletioo" in the U. . kUaate ehamber. Abraham
Unooln waa to over rw, he requested Phillips to
ling the hymn agate. Aad. of Mi thousands of en
gagementa, it ta aald that fee never misted one.
When Philip Phillips received the poem from
Mre. Gitei, he took hit eon back oil hit knee and
read again that part of Bunytn'i classic where
Christian and Hopeful .enter the city of gold. The
poetess had caught the sentiment exactly and, "with
pencil In band," Phillips turned to his orgau and set
the words to music.
THUS, IN 1865, was born one of the most widely
used hymns of hope ever written. One minister
alone states hav.ng used it at no less than 120 fu
neral services. And the grief-stricken Phillips him
self, wrote, "It was sung at the funeral of my own
dear boy, who bad sat on my knee when I wrote
the tune."
. On June 25, 1895, Ira Sankey went from his home
in Brooklyn to Delaware, Ohio, to sing "Home of ,
the Soul" as tribute to "The Singing Pilgrim," for, i
on that date, Philip Phillips went to "that beautiful 1
land" where loved onei "meet one another again."
That unchangeable home Is for you and for me.
Where Jesus of Nazareth stands;
The King of all kingdoms forever Is He,
.And He holdeth our crowns in Hi hands.
Oh, Sow sweet It will be In that beautiful land.
So free from oil sorrow and pain,
, With tongt on our llpt and with harps In our hands,
. To meet one another again..
-
From The Book 'A HYMN IS BORN" Copyright 1952
WILCOX-FOLLETT CO., Chicago, TU.
The darkness depends; Lord, with
me abide:"
"Swift to its close ebbs out life's
little day;
Changes and decay in all
around I see;
O Thou who changest not abide
with me."
In the whirl and bustle of our
atomic age, enmeshed in our many
tasks and duties, we are sometimes
over-wrought by the pressure of
present events. Our souls need some
thing steady to stay us up. O, Thou
who changest not abide with me."
Hold Thou Thy cross before my
busy eyes
A. J. Cavenaugh
Jeweler
9IAMONM WATCHES
Watch Jewelrv
REPAIRING ENGRAVING
Wallace. M. C
Coal!
We have It Ton wfll want It
Get It now as be save
We Denver
Garner
Coal Co.
. Warsaw. N. C
3r )
Soul
son
Shine through the smog, and point
me to the skies,
From raucous din and static, set
me free:
Let Thy still whisper, Lord, abide
with me (adapted)
As we face 1954, "Blessed is the
man - (Whose) heart is fixed, trust
ing In the Lord." (Psalms 112: 1, 7
A.V.)
PASTOR'S
COLUMN
Carlton F. Hlrschl
FACES
It is interesting to look at the
faces of people and to note the
expressions the faces reveal. Ex
pressions of guilt, sorrow, and hap
piness are to be found on our faces.
Shakespeare in "Much Ado about
AllAM CIlAMNIHM
mien Jiiuppmy
When Af Work
Relax With
-S
i Wilmington Coca Cola
$ Bottlinf Company
Wilmington, N. C I
GEO. P. PRID6EII
Plumber
STATE LICENSED
PLUMBING
CONTRACTOR
SUPPLIES
BATHROOM BOETIFMKNT
OT WATER HEATERS
water nun
KITCHEN SINKS
Phono 473
WARSAW. N C.
MRS. M. .M. THIGPEN
BewafOIe. H. C
Rtpreaaaume Far
WARSAW FLORAL
v COMPANY
WARSAW jr. C
1
TTND ALL
FUNERAL HOME
- -; a MOUNT OLITB
phone tin
. . . ' Heme at Wayme-Dtvaa
BarUl fiiBnw
rueral Dtreoiara - RmbalBaan
Aanbniaaoa Berrtee Oay or HtaM
r
Nothing" says "You have such a feb
ruary face, to full of frost, of atorm
of cloudujesi." Someone hat rightly
laid, !The face you wear at twenty
is the face that God gave you, ,but
the face you wear at forty ii the
face you gave yourself." Our faces
are molded by our thought, our
emotion, and our experiences. The
great thought that molded the life
of Jesus were, first, God the Father
Of each individual; and second, good
-ness must be the lone quality of
one's life,' The experience of Jesus
left their mark upon his face.
- I will never forget the remarks
made by Dr. Clovls Chappel at a
preaching mission in Norfolk, Va
when he said, "I sometimes wonder
which gives the greatest grief to the
Paying Top Prices For All Kinds
JUNK
Quick and Courteous Service
New Scales
TYNDALL JUNK YARD
On OM Warsaw Highway Back of
Gulf Plant Beside A. C. L. Railroad
CLINTON, N. C.
-Go
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooeooooooeooooooooi
PRESBYTERIAN
REV. W. B HOOD. PASTOB
Wallace Chauvb
Every Sunday Morning
2nd. 4th, and 5th Sunday, nights
Blacks Chapel
3rd Sunday night
BEV J. M. N3SBETT. PASTOR
Bockflsh Church
2nd atd 4th Sunday mornings
3rd Sunday ngibt ,
Eev. Wade H. Allison, Pastor
Mount Zion Church, Rose Hill
Every Sunday Morning
Except Third Sunday
Third Sunday Evening
Oak Plains Church
First Sunday Night
Third Sunday Morning
REV. NORMAN FLOWERS
- Warsaw Church
Every Sunday morning
Bowden Community Churah
1st. 3rd. and 5th. Sunday evenings
BEY. J. T. HATTEB, JR PASTOR
Grove Church
2nd and 4th Sunday mornings
HallsvUle Church
1st and 3rd Sunday morlngs
BEV. W. H. GOODMAN, PASTOR
Beulavllle Church
Every Sunday morning
PINK HIXX, GROUP
Bev. Farrior, Pastor
Pink Hill Third Sunday A. M.
and 1st Sunday P. M.
Women of the Church
General meeting - Third Tues
day night. Circle Nfe 1 First
Tuesday night
. SMITHS
Second Sunday A. M. and
Fourth Sunday P. M.
HEBRON
Third Snnriiivtt a P M 19 P M
PLEASANT VIEW
1st Sunday A. M. and 3rd
Sunday P. M.
General meetnlg Thursday P, M.
after Srd Sunday. Circle Thurs
day P. M. before 3rd Sunday
HABPERnSOirrHERLAND
Fourth Sunday A. M. aadfiecond
Sunday P. M.
First Wednesday afternoon
f. P. Field Oreup-rtat nd 3rd
Saturday tfvwninga 0 P. M.
REV. TAYLOR A. BTRD, PASTOR
FAISON
Service each Second and Fourth
Sunday mght at 7:3a
UNTfERSALm
OirOaVa Brtdra
Cbarek Serrtet, lak Smday algM
1M P. IL Sad and 4th Ssnday
ll:Ha.n.
Sttnday Sohoet ererr
tsraJng l$m a. sa.
Mrs. B4 Saslth,
. MISSIONARY BAPTISTS .
KXNANSVnXB
Bar. Lauren Sharpe, Paster
Keocnsvilla '
BACH SUNDAY MOBNTNO
BET7LAVILLB; GROUP
Bar. A. L. Brawn, Pastor
. Beulavflle
Snd and 4th Sundays
Cedar Fork
1st and 2nd Sundays
' Hallsvffle
3rd and 4th Sundays
CALYPSO
Paster
2nd and 4th Sundays
MAGNOLIA BAPTIST CHURCH
Bar. J. D. Evergtt. Pistor
let and 3rd Sunday mrngm
1st and 3rd Sunday nights
BEV. ELLIOTT B. STEWART,
Corinth
2nd and 3rd Sunday
Teachey
1st and 4 th Sundays
This directory is made
' HOMEB TAYLOB'
. Magnolia, N. C. '
CAROLINA BUILDING
SUPPLY COMPANY
Goldabero Highway
K. C
W.R, Smith
General Mdse.
Sarocta, N. C
Lord. The wickedness of the wicked
or the ugliness of the saints. Too
many professed followers of Our
Lord, look like dill pickles. They
Wife
By addinsr one or tu j
bottom of your doulile i . . ; ! ie
Warned by their bouticitig it Uie wulcr
naa boiieawav.
r.Gm. i pc
To Shurch Sunday
The Kingdom Within
BY REV. C. HERMAN TRUEBLOOD
TEXT: "Behold, the kingdom of God Is within you." Lake 17:21.
The word, "Kingdom," appears over and over again in the New
Testament. The question arises, what is the Kingdom of God, and where
is this Kingdom? First of all we must not confuse the Kingdom of God
with earthly Kingdoms. At the trial -of Jesus, Pilate tried to engage
Jesus in an argument about His Kingdom; Jesus answered emphatically,
"My kingdom is not of this world." John 18:33-36.
The Kingdom of God is spiritual; it is the rule of God in the hearts
of men. This rule, however, calls for certain conditions to be met, and
a definite program to be enacted. The program of God's kingdom requires
that harmful misconceptions be avoided, and that proper emphasis be
placed upon the vital things of the spirit. God is a God of "law and
order," and in His Holy -Word He has indicated, and prescribed, certain
spiritual laws that are binding upon every one who counts himself a
child of God. Let us, therefore, pause and carefully consider God's
threefold program for the operation of His kingdom, and for his govern
ment of jHis people:
1. THE AVOIDANCE OF HARMFUL MISCONCEPTIONS. Study the
14th and 15th chapters of Romans, and distinguish between the harmful
and helpful things concerning God's kingdom. (1). "The kingdom of
God is not meat arid drink." Rom. 14:17 Food fadists were in the world
long before those of the present day. Rom 14:1-4, 13-21. (2) There is
nothing vitally important about observing certain days, unless by so
doing the Lord is truly honored. Rom. 14:5-6. (3). No one is permitted to
place a stumbling block in his brother's pathway - even if one himself
is unharmed by so doing. Rom. 14:14-15. And no one has the right to set
his brother at naught - even when that brother is in error. Rom. 14:3-4,
10-11.
2. THE ADHERANCE TO MAJOR THINGS IN GOD'S KINGDOM.
Righteousness, Peace, Joy in the Holy Spirit. For the kingdom of God
is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to
God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after things which
make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another." Rom.
14:17-19.
3. THE OBSERVANCE OF THE KINGDOM'S SPIRITUAL LAWS.
(1) . CHRISTIAN TOLERANCE toward those weak In the faith. Rom. 14:1
(2) . PATIENCE with those who differ with us in matters of diet and
observance of certain days. Rom. 14:1-6. (3). THE ABANDONMENT of
harsh criticism and un-Christian fault-finding. Rom. 14:10-11. (4). SEEK
THE PLEASURE of others, and not self alone. Rom. 15:2. (5). STRIVE
FOR PEACE, and for the edification ot all members of the church. Rom.
14:19. (B) THE STRONG should use their strength to strengthen the
weak. (7). UNITEDLY glorifying God is the guiding motive in the
Kingdom-Building Work of God.
The kingdom of God Is within you." Outward expressions issue from
Inwards conditions.
I
CHINQUAPrif GBAUP
ansaisntrftlstWih
Bar. Vtea Mia-rell
SHARON
MeratBf Sarriees
1st and 3rd. Sundays
Evening- Senleea
2nd, 4th. and 5th. Sundays
DOBSON'S CHAPEL
Morning Seirieea
2nd, 4th. and 5th. Sundays
Evening Services
1st and 3rd. Sundays
Island Creek
2nd Sunday morning and 4th Sun
day evening.
i '
BEAB MARSH
last and 3rd Sundays
BOSS HILL
Rev. & CASE
Services every Sunday
PAISON
Bev. M. BL Turner, ratter
1st and 3rd Sundays
JOHNSON . CHURCH
Bar. Paul JlnH. patter
Ut and 3rd Sundays
posaihle throoth the
L. P. TYNDALL'S SONS
Pink Hill, N. C
SERVICE MOTOR COMPANY
DeSoto Plymouth
Sales and Service
KananavUle, N. C
a B. ALPHTN STORK
Farm Suntles
Baaasnarunl
may be on the road to Heaven, but
they make you think they're having
a hell of a time getting there."
May people realize by the ex-
I H .
DR.
H. W. COLWELL
Optometrist
Wallace, North Carolina
Office Phone: 2051 Residence: 3446
oooooooooooo
RED ASH
And
BRIQUET
COAL
FUEL OIL and
KEROSENE
R. B. WARREN
' Phone 25GI
Mt. Olive, N. C.
The Kingdom of God is internal
1
MAGNOLIA GROUP
2nd and 4th Sundays
WALLACE
Dr. Posies, Paster
Services each 8unday
WELLS CHAPEL
Bev. I J). Bauer, Pastor
2nd and 4th Sundays
WABSAW
Dr. A. W. Greenlaw, pastor
Services eacn Sunday
GARNERS CHAPEL
Bev. Eugene Haxer
1st and 3rd Sunday
4th Sunday night
JONES CHAPEL
Bev. Eocene Hater
1st and 3rd Sunday night
tnd Sunday mdrntbs;
ALUM SPRINGS
Bev. Eocene Haxer
2nd Sun. night 4th Sun. nemlnf
n of the following buatnei
I. J. 8ANDLIN COMPANY
Hdwe, Groea. Dry Goods
Beulavllle, N. C
WILLIAMSON'S ESSO STATION
Your ear gets personal attention
W. F. 'Bill' Williamson. Prop.
KenansvlUe, N. C.
DR. ft. W. COLWELL
Optometrist In Wallace, N. C.
Office Phone: 2051 Residence: 8443
pressions on our faces that we hav.a
a. joy andr a happiness which Is
eternal because we know the Lord.
Stop Taking
Harsh Drugs for
Constipation
Avoid Intestinal Upset! Get Relief This
Gentle Vegetable Laxative Way!
For constipation, never take harsh drugs.
They cause brutal cramps and griping,
disrupt normail bowel action, nuke re
peated doses seem needed.
When you are temporarily consti
pated, get sure but gentle relief without
salts, without harsh drus. Take Dr.
Caldwell's Senna Laxative contained in
Syrup Pepsin. The extract ot Senna in
Dr. CaMwcIl s is one of the i.'iat natural
laxatives known to iiKdiciac.
Dr. C:t It! well's Senna Laxative tastes
good, gives gentle. C'tirii. irtj! !(, satis
fying relief ot tt ni po; ;iry cunsdpiaion
for every member of the Ut.u!y. Helps
you get "'on scheiiult " v ;; In mt re
peated doses. Lvtn rt heves stomach
sourness that constipation olten brings.
Buy Dr. Caldwell's. Money back if
nor satisfied. Mai! bottle to box 280,
New York 18, N. Y.
METHODIST CHURCHES
WALLACE GROUP
K. B. Wheeler, Minister
TeL 3186
Wallace Every Sunday morning
and every Sunday night
Providence First and Third Bun-
days at 3 o'clock p. m.
BOSS HILL GROUP
W. B. Cotton, Minister
TeL 3511
Rose Hill
Charity
WARSAW GROUP
Bev. Carlton F. Hlrschl, Minister
Tel. 363 ...
Warsaw First, Second, and Fourth
Sunday Mornings. "Third Sunday
night
CARLTON'S
2nd and 4th Sunday Morning
Church 9:30
Turkey Third Sunday morning
and the First Sunday night
' PAISON
D. F. Kinlaw, Minister Tel. 21
Second Sunday Morning and
Fourth Sunday night. Also
Fifts Sunday morning
MOUNT OLIVE CIRCUIT
Paul R, Mannes
Bethel Fourth Sunday morning
and Second Sunday night
Calypso Second Sunday mornlni
and Fourth Sunday night
Rone's Chapel Second and
Fourth Sundays at 10:00 a. m.
FINK HILL
D. C. Boone, Minister TeL 2751
Woodland First Sunday Morning
and Third Sunday night
Pink Hill Second and Fourth Sun
days, Morning and Night
DUPLIN CHARGE
Rev. James E. White, pastor
KenansvUle
Sunday School at 10 a. m.
WORSHIP SERVICE
1st Sunday 11:00 A. M.
3rd. Sunday 11:00 A .M .
3rd Sunday 7:30 P. M.
Magnolia
Sunday School 10:60 A. M.
2nd Sunday night 7:30 o'clock
4th Sunday morning 11:00 o'clock
Unity
2nd Sunday 114)0 A. M.
4th Sunday 7:30 P. M.
Wesley
Sunday School 10:00 A. M.
1st Sunday 7:30 P. M.
3rd Sunday 11:00 A. M.
4th Sunday 11:00 A. M.
LIMESTONE .CHAPEL
Advent Christian Chunk
" PaatrsHta
Serrleen tat md Sid Saterony
Iflgfct Sua. and San. Night. Alton
PINEY GROVE
Pre WU Baptist
Rev. J. B. S tames, pastor
Services each first Sunday morning
at 10:00; night 70
Sabbath School at 10:00
SARECTA CHAPEL -Original Pre
Wffl Baptist Church,-"
Rev. Carroll Hansley, Pastor
Sunday School very Sunday at
IfcOO A. M.
League every Sunday at ftOO P. 11
Church First Sunday, 11 A. M. and
7:13 P. M. Church Third Sundays,
11:00 A. M. and 7:15 P. M.
CABIN FREE WILL BAPTIST
CHURCH
Rev. J. B, Starnes, pastor. Ser
vices every 2nd. and 4th. Sundays
at 11:00 a. m. and 7:00 p. m, Sunday
School at 10:00 a. m.
CHURCH OF JE8US CHRIST
OF LATTER DAY SAINTS
Sacrament Meeting Sunday 7:00 pjn.
Sunday School 10:00 A. M.
Relief Societv. Tum t-m b u
M. t A. St Primary Wed. 7:00 P. M.
Immaculate Conception Church
Catholic
Transfiguration Mission
Wallace, N. C
Rev. Johnv. Harper, Pastor
Hours of Mass
First Sunday of each month 11 00
a. m.
Every Sunday following 8:45 a m
(Services are held upstairs ta
offloa No. 1 of new Lee Building.
Wallace).
WACCAMAW BANK
TRUST CO.
Kennansvlue ;
Beulavllle
HOI
CATES PICKLE COMPANY
Packers of Gates Pickles
Faiaon, N. C
Charged Oa T. -S
lasted After January si,
List .Now. ".
Scripture: John 3. ''. ... ,
iiovuiioiial litttdlnf! : II CorinthianS
The Kcv BlrSh
i ti f
Lesson for January 17,' 1854
THERE are 'many ' doctrines
which unite all Christian
churches. The doctrine of the New
Birth is one of these. 'i Some
churches talk about it all the time.
Some do not, but , that does not
mean they do not believe in it If
you are going to put churches on
a black-list because -theyv do not
keep talking about the New Birth,
you will have to ru out .a good
many writers in the - Bible, be
cause it is seldom mentioned on
the pages of Scripture. However,
the fact back ot the words is there.
Not a Command." j
There is a common misunder
standing about . the j New j Birth
which is based on a mis-rfeading
of the English '
translation of John-
3:7, "You iiust be
born anew." You
can hear sermons,
on this text.
en... if V, ,j
preach
this were a com'
re a ..com- .i i i
mand, an
impera..,i 4)1
i and be , I i j T , I
in! .As the, 1 lA 1
original " , ""
tive: Go
born again
Greek origin
plainly shows, . D. Foreman
Jesus did not mean this as a com
mand. He was stating it as a ne
cessity. Nothing can be command
ed which cannot be willed; and no
man can decide to be, or will to be,
born again. It is an act of God,
not of man. The word "must" in
John 3:7 is like the word "must"
when you tell a gardener: "In or
der to raise tomatoes you must
have a certain amount of . rain
fall during the spring." It is like
tho word "must" used by an art
tencher saying to a pupili "If you
want to be an artist, first , of all
you must have artigt,lcttapt "
A gardener cannot go out, and
make it rain. A young man can
not make up his mind to have
talent. Still, rain is necessary for
tomatoes, and talent is necessary
for art. In the same way, although
the New Birth is necessary to the
Christian life, no one can say, "I
have decided to be born again," for
this is not something we can do
ourselves.
Not a New Leaf
Again, the New Birth is not
simply a new start, a new leaf, a
new stage in Jife. Every moment
is a fresh start, every day turns
a new leaf, every week marks a
new stsge in life. But no matter
how much n baby grows, no mat
ter how many times he Is weighed,
no matter how many changes come
as the child grows to boyhood
and manhood, that child is born,
only once. Life has many new'
leaves, but only one new birth.
The New Birth is not even con
version. In conversion the Chris
tian does something; in the New
Birth something happens to him.
One is perfectly conscious of eon
version, in fact it is not possible
to be converted unconsciously.
But the New Birth is not anything
visible, observable at all it is not
even conscious. Let us pit it as
simply as possible. Take the case
of some bad person whoi is eon
verted. If you say to that person
before his conversion, "Be good"
(or anything that means that), he
will not be good., The big reason
why not, Is that he does not want
to. If you were to say, "Don't you
even want to be good?" he might
well reply, "No I don't, and what's
more, I don't even wsnt to want
to." But one day or night, per
haps suddenly, perhaps slowly, this
man realizes that for the first time
he does want to be good. Perhaps
he doea not go so far at first. AU
he could say is that he wishes he
did want to be good. If that is the
truth about him, then he is al
ready born again.
God's New Life
Without this first desire, faint
though it may be, no progress can
bo made. Turning over new leaves
in the wrong book never gets'' you
anywhere. God has to put the right
book into your hands. What, the
New Birth means, is God enabling
you to desire what is truly good; in
more personal language, it is the
touch of the Holy Spirit on your
dead and indifferent spirit, waking
you so as to -desire Him. It is an
act of God, not of man. It is not
something God does about man, but
In man. The Old Testament caUs it
exchanging a heart of stone for a
heart of flesh. The New Testament
sometimes calls it the "New
Birth." sometimes "passing from
death to life,'' sometimes regen
eration, which means the 1 same
wung. xne New Birth cannot be
seen, , because it is the beginning
of life. You cannot see life in
tho maple trees now, but you will
know jit is there, one spring day,
because you vill see the maple
buds. So it is in the soul's spring
time. ......
1 catllaM ttayrifliue .
Air"" - ckri.urV..ur. i. '
VH bibmnoNl UnJonn K ''Si
..va Svrria? ihm t' ' ' - p.jiKK:
lOOOOOOl
IOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOtOOOOOOOOOQOO
- .i -. -.-- iT - ti "TirnrinrrrTriff '' ' ' v
1