Tact is the outstanding factor requisite in dealing with any person or group, of whatever religious persuasion. But this is particularly true in winning Roman Catholics to present truth. Paul's admonition, found in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, should be put into practice in all the evangelist's personal and public contacts.
Seeking to apply this principle, I have for years successfully used the following list of subjects in evangelistic efforts in our own church buildings, as well as in rented quarters. In case the effort is being held in a city where we have no organized work, or where our doctrine is little known, I refrain from having public prayer and congregational singing for the first two weeks. This is done with the purpose of winning the friendship and confidence of the Catholics before too much of a religious atmosphere is formed.
Many Catholics are so prejudiced that they hesitate to even come inside a building where a religion different from their own is being taught. So, for the first four weeks I try to present those subjects upon which they will agree with me. Then I introduce the more difficult doctrines as we proceed. The list of subjects here presented is used in a twelve-week effort, from Sunday on through to Thursday night each week. The subject is indicated, rather than the precise title I use, simply to show the approach, the scope, the sequence, and the ground covered.
1. Subjects for breaking down prejudice and making friends (First Week)
Sun.—A Trip to the Stars.
Mon.—A Trip to the Sun.
Tues.—A Trip to the Moon.
Wed.—Are Other Planets Inhabited?
Thur.—(Sermon on some nature subject.)
2. Common-Ground Subjects (Second, Third, and Fourth Weeks)
Sun—The Virgin Birth and Life of Our Lord.
Mon.—Promise of Our Lord's Second Coming (based on the Catholic Creed).
Tues.—Signs of His Coming as Found in Matthew 24 :6-8.
Wed.—Are We on the Verge of Another World War?
Thur.—Talking Peace, but Preparing for War.
Sun.—Christian Temperance.
Mon.—Modern Science and the Next War.
Tues.—Events Connected With Our Lord's Return.
Wed.—What and Where Is Heaven?
Thur.—New Jerusalem and the New Earth.
Sun.—Daniel 2—The Everlasting Kingdom.
Mon.—The Devil : His Origin, Work, and Destiny.
Tues.—Archeology and the Bible.
Wed.—Where We Got Our Bible—Inspiration.
Thur.—(Another sermon on health or temperance.)
III. More Difficult Subjects (Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Weeks)
Sun.—The Conflict Between Capital and Labor.
Mon.—Why the Devil Was Not Destroyed.
Tues.—Plan of Salvation From Fall to Our Lord's Death.
Wed.—Blood of Lamb in Old Testament Times.
Thur.—Blood of Lamb of God—Passion of Our Lord.
Sun—A Document Written and Printed in the Divine Press.
Mon.—A Study of Law in Detail, Showing What Sin Is.
Tues.—Whole World Gone Astray on a Vital Truth (Sabbath).
Wed.—Sunday in the Time of Our Lord and His Disciples.
Thur—Is God Particular ? Does He Mean What He Says?
Sun.—Daniel 7—Change of the Sabbath to Sunday.
Mon.—Continuation of Daniel 7 and Change of Sabbath.
Tues.—Seal of,God and Mark of the Beast (Care in use of word "beast").
Wed.—Modern Attempts to Obscure and Change the Sabbath (Rev. 13 :11-17).
Thur.—True Baptism.
Subjects Directly Opposed to Catholic Belief (Eighth and Ninth Weeks)
Sun.—Where Are the Dead?
Mon.—Spiritualism. Do the Dead Actually Live?
Tues.—Hell, Purgatory, Limbo—Where Are They?
Wed.—The Thief on the Cross—Did Our Lord Descend to Hell?
Thur.—Hope in the Resurrection.
Sun.—The Keys of Peter—The Foundation of the Church.
Mon.—Mass----Auricular Confession.
Tues.—Our Lord's Supper—Transubstantiation.
Wed—The Worship of Saints and Relics.
Thur.—To What Church Would Peter Belong If He Were on Earth Today?
V.Prophecies of Revelation—Establishing Confidence (Tenth and Eleventh Weeks)
Sun.—Why the Virgin Mary Was the Only Woman on Earth Who Could Become the Mother of Our Lord.
Mon.—The Book No Man Was Able to Open.
Tues.—The Great Red Dragon of Revelation 12.
Wed.—Revelation 13:1-10, 18-666 (using Catholic version).
Thur.—Seven Last Plagues.
Sun—Revelation 14:6-12.
Mon.—The Advent Message to All the World—Revelation 18 :4, 5.
Tues.—The Seven Seals.
Wed.—The Great Judgment Day.
Thur.—A Thousand Years Without Sin and Death.
VI. Decisive Subjects (Twelfth Week)
Sun.—The Unpardonable Sin.
Mon.—The 2300-Day Prophecy and Rise of the Advent Church.
Tues.—T'he Gift of Prophecy in the Remnant Church.
Wed.—How to Pay the Priest or Preacher, Not Using Your Own Money.
Thur.—Will God Protect and Provide for His Own ? (Stress the promises to Sabbathkeepers and tithepayers.)
Do's and Don't's in Reaching Catholics
Refrain from putting anything in your advertising matter which might suggest that you are a Protestant, or even a religious worker.
Try always to overcome any feeling of prejudice by being friendly.
Keep on common ground with them until they are prepared for more difficult matter.
Don't talk about the faults in their religion, or against the clergy of their church.
Don't argue with them.
Respect their sincerity.
Mention the virgin Mary often in your first sermons, even calling her the "blessed among women." Always be respectful in the use of the name.
If you use slides, it is well to show pictures often of the virgin Mary; also our Lord as a babe.
Mention some Catholic friend or friends you may have.
Speak often of the good things in the Catholic belief (especially in private studies or conversation); namely, their charity work, their desire and endeavor to maintain world peace, etc.
In your first public prayers, make use of the Lord's prayer according to the Catholic version of the Scriptures.
Use the term, "Holy Scriptures," and not "Bible."
Use the Catholic Creed, and make common use of the Catholic version of the Scriptures.
Call Jesus "Our Lord," and Peter "Saint Peter," etc.
Sing and teach songs that have no tendency to arouse prejudice.
When quoting from or referring to magazines or newspapers, make use of some of the local Catholic organs.
