Steve P. Holcombe, the Converted Gambler: His Life and WorkAlexander, Gross
Religion
Steve P. Holcombe, the Converted Gambler: His Life and Work
Alexander, Gross
Holcombe, Steve P., 1835-; Methodists -- United States -- Biography
But if it be also true, as He said, who spake as never man spake, that
it profits nothing to gain the whole world and lose one's own soul; if
there is for the unsaved an undying worm and an unquenchable fire, and
for the saved an inheritance of joy that is incorruptible and a glory
that fadeth never more away, then where or how shall we _begin_ to
compute the result of this mission work? It is recorded in eternity, and
only the unfolding of eternity can unfold the good that has thus far
been done.
But aside from these direct results, there is another one which can not
be estimated, namely the demonstration of the power of the Gospel to do
for helpless, enslaved, lost men what nothing else in the universe can
do. There is naturally in the hearts of men a doubt as to the divinity
of that religion which fails to do what it proposes to do, and so in
times of religious deadness, men lose faith, and unbelief grows stronger
and more stubborn in proportion as they see no actual instances of the
power of the Gospel to save bad men. But when bad men have been reached
and quickened and convicted and made holy by the Gospel, then the tide
turns and faith becomes natural and easy and contagious, not to say
necessary. Many of my old companions were brought to believe in the
Gospel when I was changed by it; and now when scores of the worst cases
in Louisville have been reached and saved, and have _stayed saved_ so
long, men are brought back from unbelief to faith, and naturally turn to
the Gospel with increasing hope.
But this return of faith has not only been noticeable in the case of the
unsaved classes, the churches have seen this work, and have had their
faith in the divine power of the Gospel to save all men increased, and a
corresponding activity is witnessed among many of the churches in the
city. They have learned also that to save lost men we must, like Jesus,
not wait for them to come to us, but we must go to them and after them,
just as has been done in this work.
There is a passage in Malachi which says, "Bring all the tithes into my
storehouse and prove me herewith if I will not open the windows of
heaven and pour you out such a blessing there shall not be room enough
to receive it."
This Walnut-street church, led by its devoted pastor, was willing to
accept God's challenge, and they brought the tithes, they laid down
their money, they made the venture, and God has given them a great
blessing.
But this is only the pledge of far greater blessings yet to be given
them, if they will continue to honor God, by the faith that lays upon
His altar, sacrifices that cost something and amount to something.
Let us not stop to congratulate ourselves upon what has been done and
rest satisfied with that, but accept it only as an indication of what He
will do for us if we have faith to claim a deep wide-spread and
continuous revival.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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