Decisions for Christ are made both in public meetings and in private conversations. The decisions gained in public meetings are generally progressive. In the first stages of an evangelistic campaign the decisions which are made are largely of a spiritual nature. The appeal is usually for persons to give their hearts to Christ. Appeals of this kind can be made early in the campaign. Often on the opening night a call can be made for people to raise their hands, thereby indicating their desire to live for Christ. Usually there are no definite results from these first decisions, except, perhaps, that the people become accustomed to responding to the calls. However, in a few cases decisions may be made that are really fundamental, and the individual is committed to Christ's pro-grain.
The more closely the appeal follows the sermon, the more effective it is likely to be. I merge the sermon into a prayer that ends in an appeal. There is in this method the undiminished force of the sermon culminating in the appeal. In the early stages of the campaign, this appeal may be only for raising the hand and asking for prayer.
In the early part of the campaign, after-meetings may be held, in which simple instructions are given regarding how a person may know that he is converted. Some of our own members derive great benefit from these after-meetings. If we can get the people fully to yield their all to Christ, the testing truths of the message will then be more readily accepted and followed.
How Our Own Members Can Help
On the Sabbath before I present the testing truth of the Sabbath, I usually instruct our members to stand up without hesitation when the call is made, in order to encourage the unbelievers. If it is left to the strangers to make their decision without the help and encouragement of our people, they may fail to respond readily, and the appeal may fall short of its possible success.
once observed the work of Aimee Semple McPherson. After presenting her sermon, she gathered a group of the members of her church about her and taught them how they should work. These people were not workers, but church members. Perhaps we would not fully agree with her method. but this is what she said, "When I make a call for people to raise their hands or stand for prayer, if you are seated near strangers, raise your hand or stand op with them: and when I make an altar call, do not go to a stranger and ask, 'Are you going?' but rather take him by the arm and say, 'Come on, let's go.'"
We should leave no stone unturned that is legitimate in getting people to decide to follow the truth. Or work is not simply to warn people, but to save them. If a building were burning fiercely and hundreds were sleeping inside, it would not be sufficient to tell them of their danger. We should save them from the flames. To leave a campaign with the statement, "Well, nobody actually accepted the truth, but all were certainly warned, and f have done my duty," is very poor comfort. We are followers of the Christ who said that He came to seek and to save the lost.
When the Sabbath question has been presented, we should work to get people to keep the fourth commandment. It is not necessary to wait until all the testing truths have been presented before appealing to people to keep the Sabbath. How shall we go about it? Do not ask people if they are convinced that the seventh day is the Sabbath, but rather, after a strong presentation of the subject, say to them, "Well, the subject is so plain that anyone can see that the seventh day is the Sabbath." Invariably they will agree, "Oh, that is plain. There can be no doubt that if one follows the Bible, the seventh day is the Sab-, bath."
Then we can suggest, "I am sure you want to follow the Bible. Why not make up your mind to keep the Sabbath commandment? Start right now to plan to keep the Sabbath. Lay your plans to keep next Sabbath, and be with us at our Sabbath meeting." They may answer, "Why, I must work next Sabbath: I cannot lay off on the Sabbath, or I will lose my job." This assurance should then be given, "If you make up your mind to keep the Sabbath. God will open the way before you as He has done for hundreds of others in every part of the world." Then cite illustrations which show how God has helped others to keep the Sabbath.
Even if the person in question does not start immediately to keep the Sabbath, he is at least changed from a spectator into a vital part of the campaign. From that time forward he puts himself more fully into the subject each meeting he attends. When the mark of the beast, the sin against the Holy Spirit, and other stirring subjects are presented, he is mightily moved because he realizes that he is personally involved in the issue.
Aftermeetings of a different nature can be held following the presentation of the Sabbath. People may now be urged to take their stand for the Sabbath, and assurance should be given them that God takes the responsibility for seeing us through. It is important to continue working with the interested ones, impressing upon them the need of starting to keep the Sabbath. If a person will keep the Sabbath and attend the Sabbath services, there is good reason to believe that he will go the whole distance in following the truth.
When the various phases of the Sabbath question are presented, such as the New Testament Sabbath, the change of the Sabbath, and the mark of the beast, calls can be made,for people to rise who will keep the Sabbath truth. The evangelist may tell them he will pray for them if they will stand up, signifying that they wish to keep the Sabbath. He should kneel down and pray for them immediately. I believe it makes a much stronger impression to kneel and pray, than to stand and pray, when vital questions are involved.
Themes That Stir to Action
Besides the Sabbath subjects, there are a number of sermons on obedience which help wonderfully in pushing a person forward toward a decision. Once the background of the Sabbath has been planted in the mind, there are a number of subjects which lead people to decide to follow the truth. Such subjects as "Jonah," "Pilate," "Lot's Wife," "Led Astray by a False Prophet," "The Fatal Word," and similar themes stir people to action.
The question of tobacco calls for a decision in an ever-increasing number of cases. The tobacco question does not solve itself. It must be dealt with in a definite way. I have brought persons to a decision on this question by telling them that if they were willing to give up tobacco, I would pray for them. I say to them, "Are you willing to give it up right now? if so, I will pray for you this very moment." If they decide, I pray for them Tight then and there, and God wonderfully 'helps them. God furnishes the power if man furnishes the decision.
Once when' I asked a man, "Are you willing to quit your tobacco right now?" he hesitated. I waited; then I asked him again. Still he hesitated. Finally he said, "Yes." We prayed for him then and there. He was wonderfully blessed and became a strong member in the church.
We must help people make decisions; we cannot let them drift along. But until man furnishes the decision, God cannot furnish the power. This is illustrated as follows: A father said to his two-year-old child, "Where do you want to go today—to visit grandma or auntie?" The child replied, "I can't find grandma's house. I don't know where she lives." The father said, "Never mind that; I know where the place is." The little fellow said, "I am not strong enough; I can't walk over there." The father replied, "Oh, but I am going to carry you. Yciu will not have to walk." However strong the father may be, he is unable to help the Child until he decides where he wants to go.
So it is with God. He cannot help until we decide where we want to go. Whether a person sins or lives a righteous life, God always furnishes the power, for power is only from God. Decision is a very vital thing when it comes to getting a person to live for Christ. If a person is willing to make a decision in favor of the truth, we must encourage him to go forward, no matter how impossible i+ may look from a human standpoint for him to succeed. When we come to the end of our rope, God always has a coil that we do not know about.
Sometimes we may think that a man can never make it, that there is no possible way for him to keep the Sabbath. It is not our part of the business to decide whether a man can do it or not. It is our business to lead him on to do it. Push him across and get him started, and God will do the rest. God has promised to be with us and see us through. When we have made the start, God will furnish the power and the opening. Someone asked a colored man what he meant by faith. He replied, "If the Lord God of heaven should say to me, 'Sam, you jump through that wall,' I would jump, and expect the Lord to furnish the hole when I got there." So it is with keeping the Sabbath. We make the call and push the man ahead, and God furnishes the power to make it possible.
We must always keep in mind that no matter how powerful our public appeals may be, very few persons ever come into the truth solely from public appeals. It is in private that the vital decisions are made. It is in personal work that the final appeal is made. In my experience, very few persons have ever taken their stand in public meetings without the aid of personal work. We cannot save a person at arm's length. Even Jesus did not attempt it. He came down from heaven to save mankind. We must get close enough to those for whom we are working so that we can pray them through. The most vital decisions are made in private.
