Excellent One day at a time One Man's Calling : One Man's Calling, ch 55 by Wayne Fowler

In the last part Ben met Dwight Moody and Billy Sunday at the train station. Billy Sunday preached at the Boxer Stadium in San Francisco. ^^^^^^^^^^^ “Ben,” Henry said, having sent for him the morning of the first Awakening service. “I got a continuance until after the week’s meetings by pleading that the jury pool would be otherwise involved, what with several thousand a day, and perhaps a different set of several thousand every day of the week. “But that is the last continuance the court will allow. We go to trial the next Monday.” +++ After a greeting and a singing of the new song: It is Well With My Soul, Moody began his talk on that first evening. “First, let me say a few words about church. But before I do that, allow me to tell you not to think of your work, or of your churches now. Don’t pray for anything or anybody but yourselves. Attend now to your own hearts. Now hear me: God can’t fill you until you empty yourself. “But before I get into my message, let me inform you all here and now – There is a storm coming to San Francisco. I know not what its nature, but be ready in your souls. I don’t know where that came from, I certainly didn’t plan it.” Ben, standing to the side, knew where it came from. Moody continued. “The song presented earlier was by Horatio Spafford. He lost his fortune in the Chicago fire. Shortly after, he lost his 4-year-old son to scarlet fever. Mr. Spafford's wife and daughters travelled to England. On their way back, his four daughters were lost at sea. As the couple later traversed the waters where his daughters perished, Horatio penned those words:         When peace like a river, attendeth my way,         When sorrows like sea billows roll—        Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to know        It is well, it is well with my soul. “People, hear me. A storm is coming. Are you ready? “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man. “Now, people, all the churches in the world cannot save a soul – only Jesus Christ. And Christ has put the offer of salvation such that the whole world can believe. Don’t be ashamed of Christ, the man that bought us with his own blood. “Some men’s religion repels me. They put on a whining voice and sort of religious tone and talk so sanctimoniously you would think they are saints. But on Monday, they are quite different. We want a Christianity that goes into your homes every day. “I am convinced what this world wants is true men and women, not great men, but true and honest and upright persons that God can use. “We don’t merely want a mountain top experience. When a man gets up so high that we cannot reach down and serve poor sinners, there is something wrong. “I should like to see a wave surging from Maine to California, sweeping thousands into the Kingdom of God. We are ambassadors and messengers; but never mind the messenger, take hold of the message. That is what you want. “Man looks on the blood of Christ with scorn and contempt. But the time is coming when the blood of Christ will be worth more than all the kingdoms of the world. Perhaps the next very step people take may take them into eternity. The next day people may die without God and without hope. “Read the Bible as if you are looking for something of value. Better to read one chapter for a month, than a month reading the Bible at random. When I pray, I talk to God. When I read the Bible, God talks to me. I know how to pray because I know the Bible. Many people have the Bible in their heads or in their pockets. We need it in our hearts. The next part of Moody’s sermon laid heavy on Ben’s consciousness. He hardly heard the remainder of the message. “In the place that God puts us, he expects us to shine as living witnesses. Everywhere God leads, there is your field.” Ben trusted his pastor friends to assist with the service attendees and to see Brother Moody to his hotel. Other than to tell the few pastor friends that he had business to attend to, he went directly to his apartment, Jones tagging along, watching for possible trouble. Ben’s business was prayer, inspired by Moody’s words. Author Notes Ben Persons: a young man following God's call D.L. Moody: famous evangelist and Bible Institute founder Jones: Creede friend of Ben, former thug, made mute by gunshot, then devoted to Ben Henry Halleck: lawyer friend of Ben All the words by Moody are from his own sermons. https://moodycenter.org/the-quotable-moody-d-l-moody-quotes/ I felt to include Moody's remarks because they so epitomized Ben and his ministry. We return to the plot of One Man's Calling with the next post.

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