Gal., 5:22.

THE CHANNEL OF POWER.

A Word that Sticks and Stings.

I suppose everyone here can think of three or four persons whom he loves
or regards highly, who are not christians. Can you? Perhaps in your own
home circle, or in the circle of your close friends. They may be nice
people, cultured, lovable, delightful companions, fond of music and good
books, and all that; but this is true of them, that they do not trust
and confess Jesus as a personal Savior. Can you think of such persons in
your own circle? I am going to wait a few moments in silence while you
recall them to mind, if you will--Can you see their faces? Are their
names clear to your minds?

Now I want to talk with you a little while to-night, not about the whole
world, but just about these three or four dear friends of yours. I am
going to suppose them lovely people in personal contact, cultured, and
kindly, and intelligent, and of good habits even though all that may not
be true of all of them. And, I want to ask you a question--God's
question--about them. You remember God put His hand upon Cain's arm,
and, looking into his face, said: "Where is Abel, thy brother?" I want
to ask you that question. Where are these four friends? Not where are
they socially, nor financially, nor educationally. These are important
questions. But they are less important than this other question: Where
are they as touching _Him_? Where are they as regards the best life
here, and the longer life beyond this one?

And I shall not ask you what you think about it. For I am not concerned
just now with what you think. Nor shall I tell you what I think. For I
am not here to tell you what I think, but to bring a message from the
Master as plainly and kindly as I can. So I shall ask you to notice what
this old book of God says about these friends of yours. It is full of
statements regarding them. I can take time for only a few.

Turn, for instance, to the last chapter of Mark's Gospel, and the
sixteenth verse, and you will find these words: "He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be--." You know
the last word of that sentence. It is an ugly word. I dislike intensely
to think it, much less repeat it. It is one of those blunt, sharp,
Anglo-Saxon words that stick and sting. I wish I had a tenderer tone of
voice, in which to repeat it, and then only in a low whisper--it is so
awful--"_damned_."

Let me ask you very gently: Does the