"Billy" Sunday, the Man and His Message: With his own words which have won thousands for ChristEllis, William T. (William Thomas)
Religion
"Billy" Sunday, the Man and His Message: With his own words which have won thousands for Christ
Ellis, William T. (William Thomas)
Baseball players -- United States -- Biography; Evangelists -- United States -- Biography; Sunday, Billy, 1862-1935
By power I mean when the power of God comes upon you and enables you to
do what you could not do without that power. That comes to you through
confidence and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There was a time when
the Church had more spiritual power than she has today; there never was
a time when she had more members than she has today; there never was
a time when she had more money than she has today; more culture; but
there was a time when she had more spiritual power than today.
And when she had more spiritual power she was a separate institution.
She was not living for the devil as she is today. And the Church had
not become a clearing house for the forces of evil. We are told that at
Pentecost tongues of fire came upon the expectant worshipers.
I don't mean this gabby stuff they have got today that they call the
things of the spirit; I don't mean that jabbering and froth and foaming
at the mouth when you can't understand a word they say. Try the Spirit,
whether it be of God, and in all ages when the Church has stood for
something she has had power.
So few of us dream of the tremendous power at our command. At the
World's Fair at Chicago the door to one of the great buildings was
without doorknob or latch, for these were not needed. There was a great
mat at the entrance, and as you stepped upon it your weight would cause
an electrical connection to be made and the great doors would swing
open. I take this old Book and stand upon it, and all the wonders of
life and eternity are opened to me. The power of the Holy Spirit is at
my command.
Church Needs Great Awakening
Let's quit fiddling with religion and do something to bring the
world to Christ. We need a Pentecost today. The Church needs a great
awakening. Now, I'll not stand anyone's saying anything against the
Church as an institution; but I will rebuke its sins and point out its
shortcomings. Nobody who loves the Church can be silent when so much
needs to be said. I love the Church. I want to explode that old adage
that "Love is blind"; I tell you, love has an eagle's eyes.
Lots of churches are wrong in their financial policy. It is a wrong
that the churches have to resort to tricks that would shame the devil
in order to filch a quarter out of a fellow's pocket to help pay the
preacher's back salary. There is hardly a church in this country that
couldn't have abundant funds if the people would only give of their
means as they are commanded by God.
Then, too often you put the wrong men in places of authority in
the church. You elect some old fellow who would look better in a
penitentiary suit, just because he had a "drag" somewhere. We must quit
putting such men in church offices.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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